BILL REQ. #:  H-2347.2 

READ FIRST TIME 2/28/07.   

     AN ACT Relating to educator preparation, professional development, and compensation; amending RCW 28A.310.350 and 28A.415.200; adding new sections to chapter 28A.415 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.300 RCW; creating new sections; and repealing RCW 28A.300.350 and 28A.415.205.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 28A.415 RCW to read as follows:
     SCHOOL DISTRICT LEADERSHIP ACADEMY. (1) Research supports the value of quality school and school district leadership. Effective leadership is critical to improving student learning and transforming underperforming schools and school districts into world-class learning centers.
     (2) A public-private partnership is established to develop, pilot, and implement the Washington state leadership academy to focus on the development and enhancement of personal leadership characteristics and the teaching of effective practices and skills demonstrated by school and district administrators who are successful managers and instructional leaders. It is the goal of the academy to provide state-of-the-art programs and services across the state.
     (3) Academy partners include the state superintendent and principal professional associations, private nonprofit foundations, institutions of higher education, the professional educator standards board, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, educational service districts, the state school business officers' association, and other entities identified by the partners. The partners shall designate an independent organization to act as the fiscal agent for the academy and shall establish a board of directors to oversee and direct the academy's finances, services, and programs. The academy shall be supported by a national research institution with demonstrated expertise in educational leadership.
     (4) Initial development of academy course content and activities shall be supported by private funds. Initial tasks of the academy are to:
     (a) Finalize a comprehensive design of the academy and the development of the curriculum frameworks for a comprehensive leadership development program that includes coursework, practicum, mentoring, and evaluation components;
     (b) Develop curriculum for individual leadership topics;
     (c) Pilot the curriculum and all program components; and
     (d) Modify the comprehensive design, curriculum coursework, practicum, and mentoring programs based on the research results gained from pilot activities.
     (5) The board of directors shall report semiannually to the superintendent of public instruction on the financial contributions provided by foundations and other organizations to support the work of the academy. The board of directors shall report by December 31st each year to the superintendent of public instruction on the programs and services provided, numbers of participants in the various academy activities, evaluation activities regarding program and participant outcomes, and plans for the academy's future development.
     (6) The board of directors shall identify possible areas to better coordinate with and make recommendations for changes in superintendent and principal preparation programs, the administrator licensure system, and continuing education requirements.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR STANDARDS BOARD DUTIES. (1) The purpose of the duties in this section for the professional educator standards board is to take the next steps in developing quality teaching knowledge and skill in the state's teaching ranks. The duties build upon the current teacher development foundation that requires demonstrated teaching competency, requires evidence of positive impact on student learning, and focuses on furthering state kindergarten through twelfth grade learning goals through instructional skill alignment.
     (2) The professional educator standards board shall:
     (a) By December 2007:
     (i) Adopt new knowledge and skill standards that prepare all individuals seeking residency teacher certification to integrate mathematics across all content areas; and
     (ii) Adopt new certification requirements for individuals seeking residency teacher certification as elementary education or middle level and secondary mathematics teachers to assure adequate content and instructional strategy preparation to teach to the kindergarten through twelfth grades state mathematics and science standards;
     (b) By June 2009:
     (i) Set performance standards and develop, pilot, and implement a uniform and externally administered professional-level certification assessment based on demonstrated teaching skill. In the development of this assessment, consideration shall be given to changes in professional certification program components such as the culminating seminar;
     (ii) Summarize its work in the development of the assessment in (b)(i) of this subsection in the annual reports required by RCW 28A.410.240; and
     (iii) Review and revise the standards for higher education teacher preparation programs to incorporate updated practices to enhance teacher success in a knowledge and skill-based performance system that emphasizes strong content, applied learning, and personal, meaningful connections with students; and
     (c) By December 2009, review and revise as needed teacher preparation standards and requirements to focus on diversity in cultural knowledge and respect.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   SCHOOL STAFF PAY STRUCTURE. (1) The legislature finds that the current pay structure for certificated instructional and classified school staff must be updated to address and acknowledge the depth of content knowledge, range of instructional skill, and intensity of practice experienced by teachers and other instructional and noninstructional staff in our state.
     (2) The office of financial management shall lead a committee to develop recommendations for a new comprehensive expertise and incentive pay structure for K-12 staff. The director of the office of financial management or the director's designee shall serve as chair of the committee. Committee members shall include, but not be limited to:
     (a) Four legislators, with one appointed by each of the major caucuses in the house of representatives and senate;
     (b) The superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee;
     (c) A member of the professional educator standards board;
     (d) A member from each statewide education organization representing teachers, classified staff, school business officers, principals, superintendents, school directors, human resource professionals, and parents; and
     (e) Business organizations.
     (3) The recommendations shall include a proposed expertise and incentive pay structure that includes:
     (a) Changes to the certificated instructional staff salary allocation model to include pay for performance, knowledge, and skills;
     (b) Elements to recognize assignments that are difficult;
     (c) Recognition for the professional teaching level certificate in the salary allocation model; and
     (d) Methods for recognizing expertise and incentives for classified school staff.
     (4) The committee's recommendations shall also include a plan to implement the expertise and incentive pay structure for K-12 staff. The plan shall include necessary support elements to implement the pay structure, such as a professional development delivery system that focuses on identified areas of knowledge and skill and addresses the transition from the current salary allocation model to the expertise and incentive pay structure.
     (5) The committee may create ad hoc subgroups as needed to complete specified tasks or to compile research and expertise on selected subjects.
     (6) The office of financial management shall submit the committee's final recommendations, including the expertise and incentive pay structure, to the governor and fiscal committees of the legislature by December 15, 2008.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   SCHOOL EMPLOYEE PAY SYSTEM REVIEW. The office of financial management and the superintendent of public instruction shall jointly conduct a review of pay systems for teachers and classified school employees in other states. The office of financial management and the superintendent of public instruction shall develop a methodology for comparing teacher and classified school employee salaries among the states. The office of financial management shall report to the governor and the legislature on the findings from this review and the initial set of salary comparisons among the states by January 10, 2008.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   Sections 5 through 9 of this act represent core components of a comprehensive initiative to improve mathematics, science, and targeted secondary reading education and achievement through educator professional development and support. The initiative focuses on:
     (1) A regional delivery system to provide professional development and support to schools and school districts through the educational service districts;
     (2) A tiered support system that provides resources, services, assistance, and intervention for schools and districts, depending on their levels of need;
     (3) Leveraging existing public and private resources and district-initiated activities; and
     (4) Accountability through outcome-oriented performance agreements, contracts, reporting, and data collection.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   (1) The mathematics, science, and targeted secondary reading improvement initiative shall provide the capacity and resources for the superintendent of public instruction, educational service districts, school districts, and schools to conduct a broad range of activities, depending on the level of need and priority of the school or district. The focus of the initiative is on building and enhancing the quality of mathematics and science instruction.
     (2) Activities supported by the initiative include, but are not limited to:
     (a) Targeted professional development in content knowledge, content-specific pedagogy, differentiated instruction, effective teaching strategies, learning modules, and mathematics and science standards and curriculum;
     (b) Use and analysis of diagnostic assessments and other data on student achievement to improve instruction;
     (c) Curriculum alignment and development or purchase of supplemental materials;
     (d) Integration of technology; and
     (e) Mentors and instructional coaches.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   In support of the mathematics, science, and targeted secondary reading improvement initiative, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall:
     (1) Create a partnership with the educational service districts to develop and deliver professional development learning opportunities for educators that fulfill the goals and address the specific targeted activities described in this section. The partnership shall:
     (a) Support school districts by providing professional development leadership, courses, and consultation services to school districts in their implementation of the professional development activities described in sections 5 through 9 of this act; and
     (b) Support one another in the delivery of state-level and regional-level professional development activities such as state conferences and regional accountability institutes;
     (2) Enter into a performance agreement with each educational service district to clearly articulate partner responsibilities and assure fidelity for the delivery of professional development initiatives including job-embedded practices. Components of such performance agreements shall include:
     (a) Participation in the development of various professional development workshops, programs, and activities;
     (b) Characteristics and qualifications of professional development staff supported by the program;
     (c) Methods to ensure consistent delivery of professional development services; and
     (d) Reporting responsibilities related to services provided, program participation, outcomes, and recommendations for service improvement;
     (3) In collaboration with the educational service districts, develop a methodology for distributing funds appropriated for activities under the tiered support system in section 8 of this act among the educational service districts and among the three tiers of support. The methodology shall take into account the anticipated demand and need for services by school districts in each tier and the size of those school districts. The methodology shall also reflect a higher priority and greater need for support and resources for schools and districts in tier three;
     (4) Develop guidelines for educational service districts in administering grants, developing district improvement agreements, and implementing intensive intervention and support services. The guidelines shall not require all educational service districts to follow the same procedures in all circumstances, but shall ensure general equity for school districts across the state in how the districts may access resources under the initiative and the activities and services that are provided by the educational service districts;
     (5) Identify the schools and school districts eligible for tier three intensive intervention and support, based on low student performance in mathematics and science. The superintendent shall consider whether the school has the capacity to feasibly integrate additional resources with any existing state or federal improvement funds. To the maximum extent possible, the identification of and the intensive intervention services provided to tier three schools and districts shall align with the accountability plan developed by the state board of education; and
     (6) In collaboration with the educational service districts, develop guidelines and a common reporting format for collecting data and information about the activities and outcomes under the initiative and designate one or more common diagnostic assessments for districts to use in reporting and monitoring student achievement.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8   Resources for the mathematics, science, and targeted secondary reading improvement initiative shall be provided through the office of the superintendent of public instruction and educational service districts to schools and school districts based on a tiered support system. The legislature's intent is that resources from the mathematics, science, and targeted secondary reading improvement initiative are provided over a four-year period.
     (1) Tier one: Initiative grants. School districts may apply on a competitive basis to their educational service district for grants to support activities to improve mathematics, science, and secondary reading instruction. A district may contract with the educational service district for services, use the grant for district-initiated activities, or both. Tier one districts must demonstrate how district resources and resources from public-private partnerships shall be used to leverage the grant funds. Tier one grant recipients must identify measurable outcomes from the activities supported by the grant and report results in a prescribed format, including student achievement data from designated diagnostic assessments.
     (2) Tier two: Improvement agreements. School districts may work with the office of the superintendent of public instruction and educational service districts to plan, develop, and implement a mathematics, science, and targeted secondary reading improvement initiative tailored to the needs of the district. The office of the superintendent of public instruction, the educational service district, and the school district shall develop a joint agreement that identifies the services and support to be provided by the educational service district, the activities to be conducted by the district using improvement agreement funds, and the expected measurable outcomes from the activities. Recipients of funds under a tier two improvement agreement must report results of the activities supported by the agreement in a prescribed format, including student achievement data from designated diagnostic assessments.
     (3) Tier three: Intensive intervention and support. School districts and schools with low student performance in mathematics, science, and/or secondary reading as identified by the superintendent of public instruction under section 7 of this act are eligible for intensive intervention and support coordinated by the office of the superintendent of public instruction and/or the educational service district. School districts or individual schools may receive tier three support. Recipients of funds under tier three support must:
     (a) Participate in an audit of the mathematics, science, and secondary reading instructional delivery system, including policies and practices, curriculum alignment, teacher pedagogy and content knowledge, and assessment of overall climate and practice compared to best practices;
     (b) Develop, with assistance from the educational service district, a school or district intervention plan that focuses on areas of highest need and provides intensive professional development in those areas;
     (c) Participate in professional development using the services of a technical assistance team that includes a trained and experienced facilitator and mathematics, science, or reading instructional coaches to provide job-embedded professional development; and
     (d) Identify measurable outcomes from the activities supported by the grant and report results in a prescribed format, including student achievement data from designated diagnostic assessments.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 9   (1) Educational service districts shall coordinate with the superintendent of public instruction to develop and maintain the capacity to provide administrative, professional development, technical assistance, and intervention services under the mathematics, science, and targeted secondary reading improvement initiative to support school districts as required under section 8 of this act, including:
     (a) Administering, reviewing, and monitoring grants for tier one grant recipients and providing contracted services;
     (b) Developing, administering, and monitoring tier two improvement agreements and providing support and services under the terms of the agreements; and
     (c) Coordinating and providing the intensive intervention and support for tier three schools and districts, including the instructional audit, intervention plan, and intervention team.
     (2) Educational service districts shall also:
     (a) Develop public-private partnerships and seek external grants and funds to leverage the state resources provided to support the mathematics and science improvement initiative;
     (b) Collect, compile, and disseminate data and information about the activities and outcomes under the initiative, including student achievement data from designated diagnostic assessments; and
     (c) Develop appropriate reporting and monitoring procedures to ensure accountability for the use of funds distributed to school districts through the tiered support system and for the achievement of desired outcomes.

Sec. 10   RCW 28A.310.350 and 1977 ex.s. c 283 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:
     The basic core services and cost upon which educational service districts are budgeted shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
     (1) Educational service district administration and facilities such as office space, maintenance and utilities;
     (2) Cooperative administrative services such as assistance in carrying out procedures to abolish sex and race bias in school programs, fiscal services, grants management services, special education services and transportation services;
     (3) Personnel services such as certification/registration services;
     (4) Learning resource services such as audio visual aids;
     (5) Cooperative curriculum services such as health promotion and health education services, in-service training, workshops and assessment; ((and))
     (6) Professional development services identified by statute or the omnibus appropriations act; and
     (7) Special needs of local education agencies.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 11   RCW 28A.300.350 (Excellence in mathematics training program) and 1999 c 347 s 2 are each repealed.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 12   Sections 5 through 9 of this act are each added to chapter 28A.415 RCW under the subchapter heading "mathematics, science, and targeted secondary reading improvement initiative."

Sec. 13   RCW 28A.415.200 and 1989 c 146 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     The legislature finds that it is important to have a teaching force that reflects the rich diversity of the students served in the public schools. A diverse and culturally competent teaching force provides a unique social, emotional, and academic learning environment for a diverse student body. The legislature further finds that certain groups, as characterized by ethnic background, are traditionally underrepresented in the teaching profession in the state of Washington and that the ethnic diversity of the student population in the state of Washington is increasing. ((The legislature intends to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups entering our teaching force.)) The legislature further finds that Washington lacks a systemic and strategic recruitment approach to increasing diversity among educators. Additional steps must be taken to increase the number of diverse high school students who seek to enter the teaching profession, especially in teacher shortage areas and among multilingual, multicultural students.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 14   A new section is added to chapter 28A.415 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The recruiting diverse Washington teachers program is established to recruit and provide training and support for diverse high school students to enter the teaching profession, especially in teacher shortage areas and among multilingual, multicultural students. The program shall be administered by the professional educator standards board.
     (2) The program shall consist of the following components:
     (a) Targeted recruitment of diverse students, especially multilingual, multicultural students in grades nine through twelve through outreach and communication strategies. The focus of recruitment efforts shall be on encouraging students to consider and explore becoming future teachers in mathematics, science, bilingual education, special education, and English as a second language;
     (b) A curriculum that provides future teachers with opportunities to observe classroom instruction at all grade levels; includes preteaching internships at all grade levels with a focus on shortage areas; and covers such topics as lesson planning, learning styles, student learning data and information, the achievement gap, cultural competency, and education policy;
     (c) Academic and community support services for students to help them overcome possible barriers to becoming future teachers, such as supplemental tutoring; advising on college readiness, applications, and financial aid processes; and mentoring; and
     (d) Future teacher camps held on college campuses where students can attend workshops and interact with college faculty and current teachers.
     (3) As part of its administration of the program, the professional educator standards board shall:
     (a) Develop the curriculum and program guidelines in consultation with an advisory group of teachers, representatives of teacher preparation programs, teacher candidates, students, and representatives of diverse communities;
     (b) Subject to funds appropriated for this purpose, allocate grant funds through a competitive process to partnerships of high schools, teacher preparation programs, and community-based organizations to design and deliver programs that include the components under subsection (2) of this section; and
     (c) Conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of current strategies and programs for recruiting diverse teachers, especially multilingual, multicultural teachers, in Washington and in other states. The board shall use the findings from the evaluation to revise the recruiting diverse Washington teachers program as necessary and make other recommendations to teacher preparation programs or the legislature.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 15   A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Subject to funds appropriated for this purpose, a bilingual teacher mentoring and training program is created as a pilot project conducted by the Latino/a educational achievement project in partnership with the superintendent of public instruction. Participating students are recruited in their junior year and assigned a teacher/mentor. Students selected to participate in the program must be fluent in English and another language, including but not limited to Spanish. Students fluent in Washington state trade partner languages shall be given preference in the selection process.
     (2) The Latino/a educational achievement project shall select pilot project sites from Latino/a educational achievement project school district educational partners. Pilot projects shall be conducted in eastern and western Washington, serving fifty students in the 2007-2009 biennium.
     (3) The bilingual teacher mentoring and training program shall be a two-year program, with students participating in their junior and senior years of high school. Teachers/mentors shall work with parents and students using a teacher mentoring and training curriculum that is developed by the Latino/a educational achievement project and the superintendent of public instruction for the specific purpose of mentoring and training future bilingual teachers.
     (4) Students who successfully complete the program are eligible for scholarship awards under the future teachers conditional scholarship and loan repayment program under chapter 28B.102 RCW. A student successfully completes the program if the student:
     (a) Graduates from high school with at least a "C" average;
     (b) Has no felony convictions;
     (c) Is a Washington resident student as defined under RCW 28B.15.012; and
     (d) While enrolled in the program, devoted at least one hundred hours during each of his or her junior and senior years of high school to program activities.
     (5) Teacher/mentors in the program shall be:
     (a) Active or retired teachers in the school district;
     (b) Bilingual, with bi-cultural skills and knowledge;
     (c) Knowledgeable of secondary and postsecondary educational systems, with the ability to advise students on preparing to enter a bachelor's degree program; and
     (d) The same gender as the mentored student.
     (6) At a minimum, the teacher/mentor shall:
     (a) Serve as a mentor to two students and receive a one thousand dollar stipend each year;
     (b) Devote a minimum of forty hours each year to program activities;
     (c) Meet with students weekly for a minimum of fifteen minutes;
     (d) Keep a monthly documentation log of meetings with students and parents or guardians;
     (e) Receive and review student attendance regularly and share the information with parents or guardians at least quarterly;
     (f) Monitor students' progress toward high school graduation;
     (g) Confer with students and their parents or guardians and counseling staff on college search, application processes, college preparatory courses, financial aid, and other college-related issues;
     (h) Assist students in appropriate high school course selection to ensure students can meet four-year college entrance requirements;
     (i) Guide students on the registration requirements for necessary college entrance and college placement tests; and
     (j) Carry out other responsibilities as identified by the pilot project.
     (7) The superintendent of public instruction shall assist the Latino/a educational achievement project in the design and administration of the bilingual teacher mentoring and training program. The superintendent of public instruction shall distribute available funds to the pilot projects. The superintendent of public instruction shall report to the education and higher education committees of the legislature on the outcomes of the pilot project by December 1, 2008.
     (8) As used in this section, "Washington state trade partner language" means any language spoken in a country that imports, exports, or uses products primarily produced in the state of Washington.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 16   RCW 28A.415.205 (Minority teacher recruitment program) and 2005 c 497 s 211, 1991 c 238 s 75, & 1989 c 146 s 2 are each repealed.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 17   Captions used in this act are not any part of the law.