HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2412

BYRepresentatives Valle, Brumsickle, Cole, Scott, Winsley, Pruitt, Holland, Van Luven, McLean, Rayburn, Sprenkle, P. King, Fraser, Heavey, H. Myers, Wang, Crane, Kirby, Hine, R. Fisher, Rector, Wineberry, Basich, Ebersole, May, Jacobsen, R. King, Phillips, Ferguson, K. Wilson and Brekke; by request of Governor Gardner

Creating the teachers training teachers program.

House Staff:Susan Patrick (786-7111)

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (17)

      Signed by Representatives Peery, Chair; G. Fisher, Vice Chair; Betrozoff, Ranking Republican Member; Brumsickle, Cole, Dorn, Fuhrman, Holland, Horn, Jones, P. King, Pruitt, Rasmussen, Rayburn, Schoon, Valle and Walker.

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION JANUARY 18, 1990

BACKGROUND:

In 1985, the Legislature created the Teacher Assistance Program.  The purpose of the program is to provide beginning teachers with the support of an experienced teacher during their first year of teaching.  The program provides training sessions for the experienced teacher who will act as a mentor, joint training sessions for the mentor and new teacher, and money for substitutes for both experienced and new teachers.  The mentor teacher is to be a superior teacher based on his or her evaluations. Representatives of the bargaining unit shall participate with the district in the mentor teacher selection process.  Both the mentor and beginning teacher are paid for the days they participate in training.

Currently, student teachers are supervised by a cooperating teacher in whose classroom the student teacher is placed.  Cooperating teachers may receive a small stipend, be identified as an adjunct teacher, be allowed to take a specified number of credits at a free or reduced price at the institution of higher education of their student teacher, or receive a thank you for their assistance with no financial compensation.  There is no defined procedure for the selection of a cooperating teacher.  The student teacher is also supervised by a representative from the institution of higher education.  The higher education representative works with the cooperating teacher and student teacher.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  The Mentor Teacher Program is amended to direct the Legislature to pay a stipend of $1,000 per nine week quarter to a mentor teacher working with a beginning teacher or experienced teacher needing assistance and holding an initial certification.  These stipends shall be paid by supplemental contract.  The state operating appropriations act shall provide sufficient funds to provide a mentor teacher for all first-year certificated instructional employees.

Funding for workshops, stipends for beginning and mentor teachers to attend workshops, and the use of substitutes by mentor and beginning teachers are subject to appropriations in the state operating appropriations act.

The Student Teacher Assistance Program is created.  Cooperating teachers who will supervise student teachers in their classroom shall hold a continuing or professional certificate.  The district and institution of higher education shall select the cooperating teachers with advice from teachers, administrators, and faculty.

All students in accredited professional education preparation programs shall be provided up to two 10 week quarters of student teaching under the supervision of a cooperating teacher. The cooperating teacher will be involved in the evaluation and recommendation to the institution of higher education respecting the competency of the student teacher.

Cooperating teachers shall be paid $1,000 per 10 week quarter, or a fraction thereof, for supervising the student teacher.  The cooperating teacher shall be paid by supplemental contract and funding shall be provided in the appropriations act for this compensation.  The appropriation shall be sufficient to provide a cooperating teacher for all student teachers.

Workshops shall be provided to train cooperating teachers, subject to an appropriation being made in the appropriations act for this purpose.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  The Teacher Assistance Program providing mentor teachers for beginning and experienced teachers is not repealed.  The Teacher Assistance Program is instead amended to provide a stipend of $1,000 per nine week quarter for mentor teachers for all beginning teachers.  Funding may also be provided for stipends to be paid to mentors for as many experienced teachers holding an initial certificate as are specified in the state operating appropriations act.

Workshops, stipends for attending workshops, and money for hiring substitutes for the mentor and beginning teacher will be provided only if money is appropriated for this purpose in the state operating appropriations act.

It is made clear that cooperating teachers who supervise a student teacher will be paid a stipend of $1,000 per 10 week quarter for this work.  A student teacher shall be provided a student teaching experience of up to two 10 week quarters.

An effective date of July 1, 1991, is added.

Fiscal Note:      Requested January 4, 1990.

Effective Date:The bill takes effect on July 1, 1991.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Rep. Georgette Valle; Ted Andrews, Superintendent of Public Instruction; Ronn Robinson, Governor's Office; Carol Hosman, Washington Association of Colleges for Teacher Education; Steve Lilly, Dean of Education, Washington State University; Bob Mayer, Washington Education Association; Kris Van Gorkom, Washington Association of School Administrators, Walter Ball, Association of Washington School Principals; Tom Parker Council; and Dwayne Slate, Washington State School Directors Association.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    One of the most valuable additions to assure teacher quality and success has been the creation of the Teacher Assistance Program.  Joining an experienced teacher with a beginning teacher during the first year of teaching provides both the technical and emotional support needed in the transition period from student to teacher.  This bill is an attempt to place a budget driver in statute to insure that all beginning teachers are assigned a mentor teacher and to make this support available to experienced teachers who may need some assistance in improving their skills.  The mentor teacher will also be provided compensation for this important work.

The second portion of the bill deals with payment to cooperating teachers who agree to take a student teacher into their classroom to complete their student teaching.  This is an important step in determining whether an individual should be recommended for certification.  The evaluation of the cooperating teacher is also most important in determining whether a district should hire a new teacher.  We must recognize the important contribution the cooperating teacher makes.

The only concern is to be sure that funding is retained to support the training of mentor and cooperating teachers and to continue funding that provides for substitutes so a mentor teacher and beginning teacher may have actual time to work together in the classroom.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.