BILL REQ. #:  H-1843.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/24/03.   

     AN ACT Relating to salary bonuses for certificated instructional staff attaining certification by the national board for professional teaching standards; adding a new section to chapter 28A.405 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds and declares:
     (1) The national board for professional teaching standards has established high and rigorous standards for what highly accomplished teachers should know and be able to do in order to increase student learning results;
     (2) The national board certifies teachers who meet these standards through a rigorous, performance-based assessment process;
     (3) A certificate awarded by the national board attests that a teacher has met high and rigorous standards and has demonstrated the ability to make sound professional judgments about how to best meet students' learning needs and effectively help students meet challenging academic standards; and
     (4) Teachers who attain national board certification should be acknowledged and rewarded in order to encourage more teachers to pursue certification for the benefit of Washington students.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 28A.405 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Certificated instructional staff who have attained certification from the national board for professional teaching standards shall receive a bonus each year in which they maintain certification from such national board. The bonus for national board certification is provided in addition to compensation received under a district's salary schedule adopted in accordance with RCW 28A.405.200 and shall not be included in calculations of a district's average salary and associated salary limitations under RCW 28A.400.200. The bonus shall be calculated as follows:
     (a) The annual bonus shall be three thousand five hundred dollars, or a pro rata share of that amount subject to the conditions of subsection (2) of this section; and
     (b) State appropriations for this bonus may be limited to the amount of funding required to provide a three thousand five hundred dollar bonus to five percent of the certificated instructional staff who are eligible to receive certification from the national board for professional teaching standards. If the percentage of certificated instructional staff who attain certification from the national board for professional teaching standards exceeds five percent of those eligible to attain such certification, and if providing a full bonus to all eligible certificated instructional staff will exceed the amount of funding appropriated by the legislature for the bonuses, each eligible certificated instructional staff shall receive a pro rata share of the amount provided.     
     (2) By August 1, 2006, the Washington professional educator standards board shall review the national board certification standards to determine whether the standards are sufficiently rigorous and aligned to student achievement. The board shall also determine whether additional requirements are needed to ensure that the national standards meet the needs of Washington's students.
     (3) By December 15, 2008, the Washington professional educator standards board shall report to the appropriate house of representatives and senate committees on the results and accomplishments of the salary bonuses. The report may include recommendations for the continuation, modification, or elimination of the bonuses.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   This act expires July 1, 2009.