S-5164.1

SENATE BILL 6138

BySenators Hasegawa, Nguyen, and Wilson, C.

AN ACT Relating to supports for beginning educators and mentors; and amending RCW 28A.415.265.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 28A.415.265 and 2019 c 295 s 302 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) For the purposes of this section, a mentor educator is a teacher, educational staff associate, or principal who:

(a) Has successfully completed training in assisting, coaching, and advising beginning principals, beginning educational staff associates, beginning teachers, or student teachers as defined by the office of the superintendent of public instruction;

(b) Has been selected using mentor standards developed by the office of the superintendent of public instruction; and

(c) Is participating in ongoing mentor skills professional development.

(2)(a) The beginning educator support team program is established to provide ((professional)):

(i) Professional development and mentoring for beginning principals, beginning educational staff associates, beginning teachers, and candidates in alternative route teacher certification programs under chapter 28A.660 RCW; and

(ii) Support for mentor educators and beginning educators of underrepresented populations.

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

(3) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall allocate funds for the beginning educator support team program on a competitive basis to individual school districts, consortia of districts, or state-tribal compact schools. In allocating funds, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall give priority to:

(a) Schools and districts identified for comprehensive or targeted support and improvement as required under the federal elementary and secondary education act;

(b) School districts with a large influx of beginning principals, beginning educational staff associates, or beginning classroom teachers; ((and))

(c) Schools and districts that have taken action or have specific plans in place to provide program participants from underrepresented populations with a mentor who has strong ties to underrepresented populations; and

(d) School districts that demonstrate an understanding of the research-based standards for beginning educator induction developed by the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

(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.

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

(a) A paid instructional orientation or individualized assistance before the start of the school year for program participants;

(b) A trained and qualified mentor assigned to each program participant for up to three years, with intensive support in the first year and decreasing support in subsequent years;

(c) A goal to provide program participants from underrepresented populations with a mentor who has strong ties to underrepresented populations;

(d) Ongoing professional development designed to meet the unique needs of each program participant for supplemental training and skill development;

(e) Initial and ongoing professional development for mentors;

(f) Release time for mentors and program participants to work together, as well as time for program participants to observe accomplished peers;

(g) To the extent possible, a school or classroom assignment that is appropriate for a beginning principal, beginning educational staff associate, or beginning teacher;

(h) Nonevaluative observations with written feedback for program participants;

(i) Support in understanding and participating in the state and district evaluation process and using the instructional framework, leadership framework, or both, to promote growth;

(j) Adherence to research-based standards for beginning educator induction developed by the office of the superintendent of public instruction; and

(k) A program evaluation that identifies program strengths and gaps using the standards for beginning educator induction, the retention of beginning educators, and positive impact on student growth for program participants.

(6) The beginning educator support team program components under subsection (5) of this section may be provided for continuous improvement coaching to support educators on probation under RCW 28A.405.100.

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