S-0997.1

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5082

BySenate Early Learning & K-12 Education (originally sponsored by Senators McCoy, Hasegawa, Kuderer, and Saldaña)

AN ACT Relating to promoting and expanding social emotional learning; amending RCW 28A.410.270; and adding new sections to chapter 28A.300 RCW.

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:

(1) The social emotional learning committee is created to promote and expand social emotional learning. Social emotional learning will help students build awareness and skills in managing emotions, setting goals, establishing relationships, and making responsible decisions that support success in school and life.

(2) At a minimum, the committee shall:

(a) Develop and implement a statewide framework for social emotional learning that is trauma-informed, culturally sustaining, and developmentally appropriate;

(b) Review and update as needed the standards and benchmarks for social emotional learning and the developmental indicators for grades kindergarten through twelve and confirm they are evidence-based;

(c) Align the standards and benchmarks for social emotional learning with other relevant standards and guidelines including the health and physical education K-12 learning standards and the early learning and development guidelines;

(d) Advise the office of the superintendent of public instruction's duty under section 2 of this act;

(e) Identify best practices or guidance for schools implementing the standards, benchmarks, and developmental indicators for social emotional learning;

(f) Identify professional development opportunities for teachers and educational staff and review, update, and align as needed the social emotional learning online education module;

(g) Consider systems for collecting data about social emotional learning and monitoring implementation efforts;

(h) Identify strategies to improve coordination between early learning, K-12 education, and higher education regarding social emotional learning; and

(i) Engage with stakeholders and seek feedback.

(3) The committee must consist of the following members:

(a) Four members appointed by the governor in consultation with the state ethnic commissions, who represent the following populations: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islander Americans; and

(b) One representative from the educational opportunity gap oversight and accountability committee created in RCW 28A.300.136.

(4) The governor and the tribes are encouraged to jointly designate a total of two members to serve on the committee who have experience working in and with schools: One member from east of the crest of the Cascade mountains; and one member from west of the crest of the Cascade mountains.

(5) Additional members of the committee must be appointed by the office of the superintendent of public instruction to serve on the committee. Additional members must include:

(a) One representative from the department of children, youth, and families;

(b) Two representatives from the office of the superintendent of public instruction: One with expertise in student support services; and one with expertise in curriculum and instruction;

(c) One representative from the office of the education ombuds;

(d) One representative from the state board of education;

(e) One representative from the health care authority's division of behavioral health and recovery;

(f) One higher educational faculty member with expertise in social emotional learning;

(g) One currently employed K-12 educator;

(h) One currently employed K-12 administrator;

(i) One school psychologist;

(j) One school social worker;

(k) One school counselor;

(l) One school nurse;

(m) One mental health counselor;

(n) One representative from a school parent organization;

(o) One member from a rural school district;

(p) One representative from the educational service districts;

(q) One representative from a coalition of members who educate about and advocate for access to social emotional learning and skill development;

(r) One representative from a statewide expanded learning opportunities intermediary;

(s) One representative from a nonprofit organization with expertise in developing social emotional curricula;

(t) One representative from a foundation that supports social emotional learning; and

(u) One representative from a coalition of youth-serving organizations working together to improve outcomes for young people.

(6) The members of the committee shall select the chairs or cochairs of the committee.

(7) In addition to other meetings, the committee shall have a joint meeting once a year with the educational opportunity gap oversight and accountability committee created in RCW 28A.300.136.

(8) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall provide staff support for the committee.

(9) Members of the committee shall serve without compensation but must be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

(10) Beginning June 1, 2021, and annually thereafter, the committee shall provide a progress report, in compliance with RCW 43.01.036, to the governor and appropriate committees of the legislature. The report must include accomplishments, state-level data regarding implementation of social emotional learning, identification of systemic barriers or policy changes necessary to promote and expand social emotional learning, and recommendations.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall adopt the standards and benchmarks recommended by the social emotional learning benchmarks work group in its October 1, 2016, final report titled "addressing social emotional learning in Washington's K-12 public schools."

(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall align the programs it oversees with the standards for social emotional learning and integrate the standards where appropriate.

Sec. 3. RCW 28A.410.270 and 2017 3rd sp.s. c 26 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

(1)(a) The Washington professional educator standards board shall adopt a set of articulated teacher knowledge, skill, and performance standards for effective teaching that are evidence-based, measurable, meaningful, and documented in high quality research as being associated with improved student learning. The standards shall be calibrated for each level along the entire career continuum. In developing the standards, the board shall, to the extent possible, incorporate standards for cultural competency along the entire continuum. For the purposes of this subsection, "cultural competency" includes knowledge of student cultural histories and contexts, as well as family norms and values in different cultures; knowledge and skills in accessing community resources and community and parent outreach; and skills in adapting instruction to students' experiences and identifying cultural contexts for individual students.

(b) The board shall, to the extent possible, incorporate the standards for social emotional learning adopted under section 2 of this act along the entire career continuum.

(c) The Washington professional educator standards board shall adopt a definition of master teacher, with a comparable level of increased competency between professional certification level and master level as between professional certification level and national board certification. Within the definition established by the Washington professional educator standards board, teachers certified through the national board for professional teaching standards shall be considered master teachers.

(2) The Washington professional educator standards board shall maintain a uniform, statewide, valid, and reliable classroom-based means of evaluating teacher effectiveness as a culminating measure at the preservice level that is to be used during the student-teaching field experience. This assessment shall include multiple measures of teacher performance in classrooms, evidence of positive impact on student learning, and shall include review of artifacts, such as use of a variety of assessment and instructional strategies, and student work.

(3) Award of a professional certificate shall be based on a minimum of two years of successful teaching experience as defined by the board, and may not require candidates to enroll in a professional certification program.

(4) Educator preparation programs approved to offer the residency teaching certificate shall be required to demonstrate how the program produces effective teachers as evidenced by the measures established under this section and other criteria established by the Washington professional educator standards board.

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