Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Education Committee |
HB 2034
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Requiring teacher preparation programs to integrate Native American curriculum developed by the office of the superintendent of public instruction into existing Pacific Northwest history and government requirements.
Sponsors: Representatives Lovick, Johnson, Tarleton, Chapman, Fitzgibbon, Ormsby, Tharinger and Macri.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 1/8/18
Staff: Katie Choate (786-7296) and Megan Wargacki (786-7194).
Background:
Teacher Preparation Programs.
Graduates of teacher preparation programs are required to complete one quarter or semester course in either Washington state history and government, or Pacific Northwest history and government.
Office of Native Education.
In 2011, the Legislature directed the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to create the Office of Native Education (ONE). The ONE was tasked with several duties, including facilitating the development and implementation of curricula and instructional materials regarding native languages, culture and history, and the concept of tribal sovereignty. Tribal sovereignty is defined as a way that tribes govern themselves in order to keep and support their cultural ways of life.
Since Time Immemorial Curriculum.
The Since Time Immemorial (STI) curriculum was developed by the OSPI in partnership with the 29 federally recognized Indian tribes whose reservations are located in Washington. The STI was made available free of charge by the OSPI. The curriculum teaches elementary, middle, and high school classrooms about tribal sovereignty in Washington and is aligned to state standards.
In 2015 legislation was enacted to require, rather than encourage, the OSPI and school districts to take certain actions to develop and incorporate curricula about tribes. In accordance with enacted legislation, the OSPI was required to help school districts identify federally recognized Indian tribes within or near school districts.
School districts were also required to do the following:
when reviewing or adopting social studies curriculum, incorporate curricula about the tribal history, culture, and government of the nearest federally recognized tribe(s) and work with tribes to develop this curricula;
use the STI curriculum developed by the OSPI;
collaborate with any federally recognized Indian tribe within their district and neighboring tribes to incorporate expanded and improved curricular materials about Indian tribes and to create programs of classroom and community cultural exchanges; and
collaborate with the OSPI on curricular areas of tribal government and history that are statewide in nature.
Summary of Bill:
The Washington state history and government, or Pacific Northwest history and government course requirements of teachers' colleges and teachers' courses in all institutions of higher education will expand to include all teacher preparation programs. The teacher preparation programs must integrate the Since Time Immemorial curricula into existing program requirements.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 3, 2018.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.