BILL REQ. #:  S-1597.1 

Read first time 03/24/11.   Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.

     AN ACT Relating to certificated classroom teachers, including career and technical education teachers; and amending RCW 28A.410.050, 28A.410.080, and 28A.410.210.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 28A.410.050 and 2005 c 497 s 205 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The Washington professional educator standards board shall develop and adopt rules establishing baccalaureate and master's degree equivalency standards for vocational instructors performing instructional duties and acquiring certification after August 31, 1992.
     (2) If the number of contract days drops below one hundred eighty days for any full-time equivalent career and technical education certificated teachers with a valid teaching certificate, then all continuing education requirements are waived to maintain certification.

Sec. 2   RCW 28A.410.080 and 1969 ex.s. c 223 s 28A.01.025 are each amended to read as follows:
     Except as provided in RCW 28A.410.050, the school year for all matters pertaining to teacher certification or for computing experience in teaching shall consist of not fewer than one hundred eighty school days.

Sec. 3   RCW 28A.410.210 and 2009 c 531 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     The purpose of the professional educator standards board is to establish policies and requirements for the preparation and certification of educators that provide standards for competency in professional knowledge and practice in the areas of certification; a foundation of skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to help students with diverse needs, abilities, cultural experiences, and learning styles meet or exceed the learning goals outlined in RCW 28A.150.210; knowledge of research-based practice; and professional development throughout a career. The Washington professional educator standards board shall:
     (1) Establish policies and practices for the approval of programs of courses, requirements, and other activities leading to educator certification including teacher, school administrator, and educational staff associate certification;
     (2) Establish policies and practices for the approval of the character of work required to be performed as a condition of entrance to and graduation from any educator preparation program including teacher, school administrator, and educational staff associate preparation program as provided in subsection (1) of this section;
     (3) Establish a list of accredited institutions of higher education of this and other states whose graduates may be awarded educator certificates as teacher, school administrator, and educational staff associate and establish criteria and enter into agreements with other states to acquire reciprocal approval of educator preparation programs and certification, including teacher certification from the national board for professional teaching standards;
     (4) Establish policies for approval of nontraditional educator preparation programs;
     (5) Conduct a review of educator program approval standards at least every five years, beginning in 2006, to reflect research findings and assure continued improvement of preparation programs for teachers, administrators, and school specialized personnel;
     (6) Specify the types and kinds of educator certificates to be issued and conditions for certification in accordance with subsection (1) of this section and RCW 28A.410.010 and 28A.410.050;
     (7) Apply for and receive federal or other funds on behalf of the state for purposes related to the duties of the board;
     (8) Adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW that are necessary for the effective and efficient implementation of this chapter;
     (9) Maintain data concerning educator preparation programs and their quality, educator certification, educator employment trends and needs, and other data deemed relevant by the board;
     (10) Serve as an advisory body to the superintendent of public instruction on issues related to educator recruitment, hiring, mentoring and support, professional growth, retention, educator evaluation including but not limited to peer evaluation, and revocation and suspension of licensure;
     (11) Submit, by October 15th of each even-numbered year, a joint report with the state board of education to the legislative education committees, the governor, and the superintendent of public instruction. The report shall address the progress the boards have made and the obstacles they have encountered, individually and collectively, in the work of achieving the goals set out in RCW 28A.150.210;
     (12) Establish the prospective teacher assessment system for basic skills and subject knowledge that shall be required to obtain residency certification pursuant to RCW 28A.410.220 through 28A.410.240;
     (13) By January 2010, 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; and
     (14) Conduct meetings under the provisions of chapter 42.30 RCW.