BILL REQ. #:  H-1036.1 

Read first time 01/22/2007.   Referred to Committee on Education.

     AN ACT Relating to enhancing world language instruction in public schools; adding new sections to chapter 28A.300 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The legislature finds that Washington state:
     (a) Is one of the most trade-dependent states in the United States, where one in three jobs is directly connected to trade;
     (b) Benefits from a thriving tourist trade;
     (c) Encourages cultural understanding and tolerance for its citizens; and
     (d) Seeks a world-class education system.
     (2) The legislature further finds that there is a current lack of leadership and commitment at the state level to improve world language instruction so that our students can secure their part in the global community and remain competitive in the world.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:
     The superintendent of public instruction shall assign at least one full-time equivalent staff position within the office of the superintendent of public instruction to serve as the world language supervisor. The world language supervisor shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
     (1) Develop, conduct, and oversee professional development for teachers on grade level expectations, state and national standards, and best practices in instruction for world languages;
     (2) Provide technical assistance to schools in designing elementary and middle school language programs, selecting and designing high quality curriculum, and providing professional development;
     (3) Advise in the development of online world language courses;
     (4) Create a clearinghouse of information and materials to support high quality world language instruction at the elementary and secondary levels;
     (5) Secure and implement grants, including federal grants, to enhance world language programs;
     (6) Encourage and foster an articulated curriculum for world languages through elementary, secondary, and postsecondary grades;
     (7) Establish and maintain a state database for world language course offerings in schools and school districts;
     (8) Implement memoranda of understanding with ministries of education in other countries, including interviewing, selecting, securing visas for, and providing orientation for visiting teachers;
     (9) Serve in an advisory capacity on committees or work groups regarding teacher certification, advanced placement programs, and textbook publishing and selection; and
     (10) Serve as an education liaison with the business, trade, and economic development communities.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for this purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall allocate grants, based on a competitive application process, for pilot projects to enhance instruction in world languages at the elementary and middle school level.
     (2) At least one of the pilot projects shall implement a dual language enrichment program using a major Asian language and English as the dual languages. A dual language enrichment program is one where all students in the class receive instruction in both languages, spending approximately one-half of the class day learning in one language and the other half of the school day learning in the other language.
     (3) At least one of the pilot projects shall implement a technology-enhanced instructional model where instruction in a major Asian language, preferably by a native speaker, is provided through a combination of the K-20 telecommunications network, other online technology, and supplemental direct instruction by the classroom teacher.
     (4) At the end of the grant period, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall evaluate the outcomes, successes, and limitations of the pilot projects as strategies to enhance world language instruction in public schools and report its findings to the education committees of the legislature at the first legislative session after the end of the grant period.