AN ACT Relating to the shortage of public school teachers and substitute teachers; amending RCW 28A.415.265; adding a new section to chapter 28A.300 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 41.32 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28B.10 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.330 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28B.102 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28B.76 RCW; creating new sections; making appropriations; and providing expiration dates.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

Subject to an appropriation specifically provided for this purpose, the superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with school district and educational service district personnel, shall develop and implement a comprehensive, statewide initiative to increase the number of qualified individuals who apply for teaching positions in Washington. In developing and implementing the initiative, the superintendent shall:

(1) Include a teacher recruitment component that targets groups of individuals who may be interested in teaching in Washington public schools, such as: College students who have not chosen a major; out-of-state teachers; military personnel and their spouses; and individuals with teaching certificates who are not currently employed as teachers;

(2) Contract for the development of a statewide system to provide recruitment and hiring services, including a centralized hiring portal, to school districts, and a statewide central depository for applications of individuals interested in applying for certificated positions that can be accessed by school districts in the state for purposes of hiring teachers and other certificated positions. The services and tools developed under this subsection must be made available initially to small school districts, and to larger districts as resources are available. When defining small districts for the purpose of this subsection, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must consider whether a district has fewer than three hundred certificated staff;

(3) Create or enhance an existing web site that provides useful information to individuals who are interested in teaching in Washington; and

(4) Take other actions to increase the number of qualified individuals who apply for teaching positions in Washington.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  (1) Subject to an appropriation specifically provided for this purpose, the workforce training and education coordinating board, in collaboration with the professional educator standards board, shall work with the student achievement council, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, school districts, educational service districts, the state board for community and technical colleges, the institutions of higher education, major employers, and other parties to develop and disseminate information designed to increase recruitment into approved residency teacher preparation programs at public and private institutions of higher education and alternate route teacher certification programs. The information must be disseminated statewide through the workforce training and education coordinating board and other existing channels.

(2) This section expires July 1, 2019.

(2) This section expires July 1, 2018.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 41.32 RCW under the subchapter heading "provisions applicable to plan 2 and plan 3" to be codified between RCW 41.32.067 and 41.32.215 to read as follows:

In addition to the postretirement employment options available in RCW 41.32.802 or 41.32.862, and only until August 1, 2020, a teacher in plan 2 or plan 3 who has retired under the alternate early retirement provisions of RCW 41.32.765(3)(b) or 41.32.875(3)(b) may be employed with an employer that has documented a shortage of certificated substitute teachers:

(1) For up to twelve hundred hours per school year without a suspension of the retiree's benefit if: (a) The retired teacher reenters employment more than one calendar month after his or her accrual date and after the effective date of this section, and (b) the retired teacher is employed exclusively as a substitute teacher as defined in RCW 41.32.010(48)(a) in an instructional capacity, as opposed to other capacities identified in RCW 41.32.010(49); or

(2) For up to six hundred thirty hours per school year without suspension of the retiree's benefit if: (a) The retired teacher reenters employment more than one calendar month after his or her accrual date and after the effective date of this section, (b) the retired teacher is employed exclusively as a mentor to teachers or an adviser to students in teacher preparation programs, and (c) the retired teacher has received appropriate training as defined by the office of the superintendent of public instruction, such as national board certification or other specialized training.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.10 RCW to read as follows:

(1) By July 1, 2018, each institution of higher education with a professional educator standards board-approved residency teacher preparation program must develop a plan describing how the institution of higher education will partner with school districts in the general geographic region of the school, or where its programs are offered, regarding placement of resident teachers. The plans must be developed in collaboration with school districts desiring to partner with the institutions of higher education, and may include use of unexpended federal or state funds to support residencies and mentoring for students who are likely to continue teaching in the district in which they have a supervised student teaching residency.

(2) The plans required under subsection (1) of this section must be updated at least biennially.

Sec. 6.  RCW 28A.415.265 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 18 s 401 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) For the purposes of this section, a mentor is an educator who has achieved appropriate training in assisting, coaching, and advising new teachers or student teaching residents as defined by the office of the superintendent of public instruction, such as national board certification or other specialized training.

(2)(a) The educator support program is established to provide professional development and mentor support for beginning educators, candidates in alternate route teacher programs under RCW 28A.660.040, and educators on probation under RCW 28A.405.100, to be composed of the beginning educator support team for beginning educators and continuous improvement coaching for educators on probation, as provided in this section.

(((2)(a))) (b) The superintendent of public instruction shall notify school districts about the educator support program and encourage districts to apply for program funds.

(3) Subject to funds appropriated for this specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall allocate funds for the beginning educator support team on a competitive basis to individual school districts or consortia of districts. School districts are encouraged to include educational service districts in creating regional consortia. In allocating funds, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall give priority to:

(a) School districts with low-performing schools identified under RCW 28A.657.020 as being challenged schools in need of improvement; and

(b) School districts with a large influx of beginning classroom teachers.

(4) A portion of the appropriated funds may be used for program coordination and provision of statewide or regional professional development through the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

(((b))) (5) A beginning educator support team must include the following components:

(((i))) (a) A paid orientation or individualized assistance before the start of the school year for beginning educators;

(((ii))) (b) Assignment of a trained and qualified mentor for the first three years for beginning educators, with intensive support in the first year and decreasing support over the following years depending on the needs of the beginning educator;

(((iii))) (c) A goal to provide beginning teachers from underrepresented populations with a mentor who has strong ties to underrepresented populations;

(d) Professional development for beginning educators that is designed to meet their unique needs for supplemental training and skill development;

(((iv))) (e) Professional development for mentors;

(((v))) (f) Release time for mentors and their designated educators to work together, as well as time for educators to observe accomplished peers; and

(((vi))) (g) A program evaluation using a standard evaluation tool provided from the office of the superintendent of public instruction that measures increased knowledge, skills, and positive impact on student learning for program participants.

(((3))) (6) Subject to funds separately appropriated for this specific purpose, the beginning educator support team components under subsection (((2))) (3) of this section may be provided for continuous improvement coaching to support educators on probation under RCW 28A.405.100.

(2) Once the mentor training program goals are developed as required under subsection (1) of this section, the public and private institutions of higher education with professional educator standards board-approved residency teacher preparation programs are encouraged to develop and implement curricula that meet the mentor training program goals.

(3) This section expires July 1, 2019.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.330 RCW to read as follows:

By June 15th of each year, a school district shall report to the office of the superintendent of public instruction the number of classroom teachers the district projects will be hired in the following school year.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 9.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.102 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Subject to an appropriation specifically provided for this purpose, established within the future teachers conditional scholarship and loan repayment program is a subprogram called the teacher shortage conditional grant program, to be administered by the office. To be eligible for the teacher shortage conditional grant, a student needs to submit an application to the office and must:

(a) Be enrolled in a bachelor's degree program through a teacher preparation program approved by the professional educator standards board and be classified as a junior or senior;

(b) Be enrolled in a master's degree program through a teacher preparation program approved by the professional educator standards board while completing a student teaching residency; or

(c) Be enrolled in a teacher preparation program approved by the professional educator standards board while working in a school district as a paraeducator, and commit to working in the employing district after obtaining teacher certification.

(2) As part of the application, an eligible student must meet the following conditions:

(a) Complete the free application for federal student aid (FAFSA) or the Washington application for state financial aid;

(b) Agree to obtain a Washington state residency teacher certificate;

(c) Commit to obtaining an endorsement in a subject or geographic endorsement shortage area, as defined by the professional educator standards board; and

(d) Commit to teach for five school years in an approved education program with a need for a teacher with such an endorsement at the time of hire.

(3) The office shall prioritize the following applicants:

(a) An applicant who is eligible for, but did not receive, the state need grant established in chapter 28B.92 RCW;

(b) An applicant who has a family income below one hundred seventy-five percent of median family income, adjusted for family size, as documented by the free application for federal student aid (FAFSA) or the Washington application for state financial aid, and who:

(i) Can certify that neither parent or guardian completed a postsecondary degree or certificate; or

(ii) Is from a traditionally underrepresented group among teachers in Washington when compared to the common school population; and

(c) An applicant who is completing a student teaching residency in (i) a subject endorsement shortage area, or (ii) a district that certifies that it will offer employment in a shortage area to the student if the student successfully completes the residency and obtains teacher certification.

(4)(a) An applicant selected for a teacher shortage conditional grant who meets the eligibility requirements in subsections (1)(a) and (2) of this section must:

(i) Receive a grant to cover the cost of resident undergraduate tuition fees, defined in RCW 28B.15.020, for up to two academic years of full-time study at an institution of higher education; or

(ii) Receive a grant to cover the cost of resident undergraduate tuition fees, defined in RCW 28B.15.020, for up to two academic years of full-time study at the most expensive regional university if enrolled in an accredited teacher preparation program at a private, not-for-profit institution of higher education.

(b) If a recipient of a conditional grant who qualified for the grant under subsection (1)(a) of this section is unable to earn a bachelor's degree after two years of full-time study due to the unavailability of required courses, the recipient must be able to receive a conditional grant for those required courses for up to two additional quarters or semesters as long as he or she maintains satisfactory academic progress and successfully completes a student teaching residency.

(5) An applicant selected for a teacher shortage conditional grant who meets the eligibility requirements in subsections (1)(b) and (2) of this section must receive a grant to cover resident graduate tuition fees, defined in RCW 28B.15.020, for up to two years of full-time study at an institution of higher education plus an additional grant of two thousand dollars per month for up to six months, during the period that the student is completing a student teaching residency.

(6) An applicant selected for a teacher shortage conditional grant who meets the eligibility requirements in subsections (1)(c) and (2) of this section must receive a grant to cover resident graduate tuition fees, defined in RCW 28B.15.020, for up to two years of full-time study at an institution of higher education plus an additional grant of sixteen thousand five hundred dollars for each year that the student is enrolled in the master's degree program or completing a student teaching residency.

(7) In order to receive a teacher shortage conditional grant under subsections (4) through (6) of this section, a student must sign a contract to affirm his or her intent to graduate from a teacher preparation program, obtain certification, obtain an endorsement in a subject or geographic endorsement shortage area as defined by the professional educator standards board, and teach for five school years in an approved education program with a need for a teacher with such an endorsement at the time of hire. The conditions of the contract must include the following:

(a) If a student does not (i) obtain a Washington state residency teaching certificate with an endorsement in a subject or geographic endorsement shortage area as defined by the professional educator standards board within six months of graduation and (ii) sign a contract to teach in an approved education program with a need for a teacher with such an endorsement within fifteen months of graduation, then the conditional grant will be converted into a loan with interest rates and repayment terms set by the office under this subsection (7).

(b) If a student does not complete the contractual obligation of five school years of teaching in an approved education program with a need for a teacher with an endorsement in a subject or geographic endorsement shortage area as defined by the professional educator standards board, the conditional grant will be converted into a loan with the following repayment requirements:

(i) For less than one school year of teaching completed, the loan obligation is eighty-five percent of the conditional grant the student received, plus interest and an equalization fee;

(ii) For less than two school years of teaching completed, the loan obligation is seventy percent of the conditional grant the student received, plus interest and an equalization fee;

(iii) For less than three school years of teaching completed, the loan obligation is fifty-five percent of the conditional grant the student received, plus interest and an equalization fee; and

(iv) For less than four school years of teaching completed, the loan obligation is forty percent of the conditional grant the student received, plus interest and an equalization fee.

(c) For a conditional grant that is converted into a loan under (b) of this subsection, the terms and conditions of the loan must follow the interest rate and repayment terms of the federal direct subsidized loan program.

(8) A teacher shortage conditional grant received under subsections (4) through (6) of this section must not result in a reduction of federal or state grant aid, including Pell grants, state need grants, college bound scholarships, or opportunity scholarships.

(9) By November 1, 2018, the office shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature that recommends whether the teacher shortage conditional grant program should be continued, modified, or terminated, and that includes information about the applicants to the program and the grantees of the program, in accordance with RCW 43.01.036.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 10.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.76 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Subject to funds appropriated specifically for this purpose, the office shall administer a student teaching residency grant program to provide additional funds to individuals completing student teaching residencies at public schools in Washington.

(2) To qualify for the grant, recipients must be enrolled in a teacher preparation program approved by the professional educator standards board, be completing or about to start a student teaching residency at a Title I school, and be eligible for the state need grant established in chapter 28B.92 RCW.

(3) The office shall establish rules for administering the grants under this section.

(2) The sum of three hundred fifty-five thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017, from the general fund to Western Washington University. The appropriation in this subsection is provided solely for the expansion of enrollments in special education, elementary education, and early childhood education teacher preparation programs. Western Washington University is expected to enroll an additional twenty-four students in the early childhood education program, twenty-five students in the dual special education elementary education program at the north Seattle site, and twenty-five students in the dual special education elementary education program at the Everett site.

(2) The sum of three hundred fifty-five thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017, from the general fund to Central Washington University. The appropriation in this subsection is provided solely for the expansion of enrollments in special education, elementary education, and early childhood education teacher preparation programs. Central Washington University is expected to enroll an additional twenty-four students in the early childhood education program, twenty-five students in the elementary education program at the Moses Lake campus, and twenty-five students in the elementary education program at the Yakima campus.

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