BILL REQ. #:  H-0582.1 

Read first time 01/24/2007.   Referred to Committee on Education.

     AN ACT Relating to expanding required instruction and instructional capacity in high school mathematics; amending RCW 28A.230.090; adding new sections to chapter 28A.410 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that students' knowledge of mathematics must improve to enable them to be successful in college and in an increasingly technological and complex workplace. The only way to improve students' knowledge is to improve the instruction in mathematics that students receive in public schools. Therefore, the legislature intends to increase both the expectation and the capacity for mathematics instruction in Washington's public schools, focusing particularly at the high school level.

Sec. 2   RCW 28A.230.090 and 2006 c 114 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The state board of education shall establish high school graduation requirements or equivalencies for students, except those equivalencies established by local high schools or school districts under RCW 28A.230.097.
     (a) Beginning with the class of students entering high school in the fall of 2007, minimum high school graduation requirements shall include three years of mathematics, with at least one year containing content at a level that exceeds the Washington assessment of student learning and is aligned with college preparation standards.
     (b) Any course in Washington state history and government used to fulfill high school graduation requirements shall consider including information on the culture, history, and government of the American Indian peoples who were the first inhabitants of the state.
     (((b))) (c) The certificate of academic achievement requirements under RCW 28A.655.061 or the certificate of individual achievement requirements under RCW 28A.155.045 are required for graduation from a public high school but are not the only requirements for graduation.
     (((c))) (d) Any decision on whether a student has met the state board's high school graduation requirements for a high school and beyond plan shall remain at the local level.
     (2) In recognition of the statutory authority of the state board of education to establish and enforce minimum high school graduation requirements, the state board shall periodically reevaluate the graduation requirements and shall report such findings to the legislature in a timely manner as determined by the state board. The state board shall reevaluate the graduation requirements for students enrolled in vocationally intensive and rigorous career and technical education programs, particularly those programs that lead to a certificate or credential that is state or nationally recognized. The purpose of the evaluation is to ensure that students enrolled in these programs have sufficient opportunity to earn a certificate of academic achievement, complete the program and earn the program's certificate or credential, and complete other state and local graduation requirements. The board shall ((reports [report])) report its findings and recommendations for additional flexibility in graduation requirements, if necessary, to the legislature by December 1, 2007.
     (3) Pursuant to any requirement for instruction in languages other than English established by the state board of education or a local school district, or both, for purposes of high school graduation, students who receive instruction in American sign language or one or more American Indian languages shall be considered to have satisfied the state or local school district graduation requirement for instruction in one or more languages other than English.
     (4) If requested by the student and his or her family, a student who has completed high school courses before attending high school shall be given high school credit which shall be applied to fulfilling high school graduation requirements if:
     (a) The course was taken with high school students, if the academic level of the course exceeds the requirements for seventh and eighth grade classes, and the student has successfully passed by completing the same course requirements and examinations as the high school students enrolled in the class; or
     (b) The academic level of the course exceeds the requirements for seventh and eighth grade classes and the course would qualify for high school credit, because the course is similar or equivalent to a course offered at a high school in the district as determined by the school district board of directors.
     (5) Students who have taken and successfully completed high school courses under the circumstances in subsection (4) of this section shall not be required to take an additional competency examination or perform any other additional assignment to receive credit.
     (6) At the college or university level, five quarter or three semester hours equals one high school credit.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 28A.410 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) To meet increased demand for high school mathematics teachers resulting from increased graduation requirements in mathematics, the fast track to math program is created under sections 3 through 5 of this act. The intent of the program is to identify exemplary teachers, create a fast track for these teachers to become endorsed to teach high school mathematics, and provide incentives and financial support for participants in the fast track.
     (2) The professional educator standards board shall develop or identify a performance evaluation instrument for school districts to use in nominating teachers for the fast track to math program. The instrument shall be objective and standard for use in all districts and assess a teacher's knowledge, skills, and abilities. The board shall recommend the standard for the level of knowledge, skill, and ability expected from an exemplary teacher, but the decision of whether a teacher meets the standard shall be made by the employing school district.
     (3) Using the performance evaluation instrument identified under this section, school districts may nominate exemplary teachers who do not have a certification endorsement in mathematics to obtain an endorsement through the fast track to math program. Only a teacher who is nominated by his or her employing school district as an exemplary teacher may participate in the program.
     (4) A participating teacher who successfully completes a fast track to math preparation program approved by the professional educator standards board under section 4 of this act and passes the assessment of subject knowledge required under RCW 28A.410.220 shall receive a certification endorsement in mathematics.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 28A.410 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The professional educator standards board shall adopt guidelines for fast track to math preparation programs. The programs shall be specially designed to provide exemplary, experienced teachers with content and pedagogical knowledge in mathematics to enable them to teach high school mathematics. Programs shall be brief and intensive; structured to permit most participants to complete the program during a single summer; and widely accessible for teachers, including those in rural areas. To maximize access and efficiency, programs shall incorporate distance learning technologies. The board shall adopt the guidelines no later than September 1, 2007.
     (2) Any teacher preparation program approved under RCW 28A.410.210 to offer a certification endorsement in mathematics may propose a fast track to math preparation program and submit it to the professional educator standards board for approval, based on the guidelines adopted under this section.
     (3) It is the legislature's intent that teachers have the opportunity to enroll in approved fast track to math preparation programs by the summer of 2008.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   A new section is added to chapter 28A.410 RCW to read as follows:
     Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for this purpose:
     (1) The professional educator standards board shall provide a one-time grant to teacher preparation programs that receive approval under section 4 of this act to offer a fast track to math preparation program to offset the costs of developing the curriculum, assessments, and materials for the program.
     (2) The professional educator standards board shall provide the following financial support to teachers participating in a fast track to math preparation program:
     (a) A grant to offset the costs of program tuition, fees, and materials;
     (b) A stipend as compensation for the time teachers must dedicate to complete the intensive program; and
     (c) A grant to offset the cost of taking the assessment of subject knowledge required under RCW 28A.410.220.
     (3) For teachers who receive a certificate endorsement in mathematics after completing a fast track to math preparation program, the professional educator standards board shall provide an annual incentive bonus of up to two thousand five hundred dollars for each year that the teacher teaches mathematics in a Washington public school, subject to a limit of four years.