Z-0839.1  _______________________________________________

                    SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 8021

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State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Senators McAuliffe, Finkbeiner, Regala, Johnson, Eide, Carlson, Winsley, Prentice, Oke and Kohl‑Welles; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Read first time 02/23/2001.  Referred to Committee on Education.

Requesting that the federal government expand incentives to encourage people to become teachers in geographic areas and subjects with teacher shortages.

    TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR STANDARDS BOARD, AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD:

    We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

    WHEREAS, One of the most influential factors in determining student success is the quality of that student's teacher; and

    WHEREAS, Many parts of the country are experiencing teacher shortages, both in geographically hard-to-serve areas, and in disciplines or diversity categories where there is a shortage of qualified applicants; and

    WHEREAS, The federal government has the unique roles of helping those students who may fall through the cracks of state and local efforts, and of fostering innovation on important national priorities; and

    WHEREAS, The federal government has the resources to deal with the nation's pressing problems, and none is more important than the need for every student to have a quality teacher; and

    WHEREAS, The federal government has experience in offering grants and forgivable loans to teachers in exchange for service;

    NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that you work together to continue to expand forgivable loan and grant opportunities to encourage people to become fully qualified teachers in geographically hard-to-serve areas, and in disciplines or diversity categories where there is a shortage of qualified applicants.

    BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Executive Director of the State Board of Education, the Executive Director of the Professional Educator Standards Board, and the Executive Director of the Higher Education Coordinating Board, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.

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