Legislative Update #15
 
 
[You can also download the WACTE 2007 Legislative Session Report.pdf in a format suitable for printing by clicking the file name above.] The 2007 session of the 60th Washington Legislature adjourned Sine Die (without a specific date/time to reconvene) last night. During the past 105 days, WACTE members were added to key bills, and funds were appropriated to complete the study of Teacher Retention and Mobility. All in all, it was a fairly successful session. The overarching theme of the session was a spotlight on education. It seems almost every member had their ideas on how to address K-12 educaiton – some of them good, some of them not so good. Fortunately, it was the good ideas that survived. In all, there were 92 bills that WACTE tracked during the session. That was cut by 2/3rds at the first cutoff, and down to less than two-dozen by the last cutoff. In the end, 14 were passed and sent to the governor. (The bills that passed are detailed at the end of this document.) WACTE’s continuing presence in Olympia is paying dividends. Bills that started out ignoring WACTE and its members were amended as they progressed through the process to provide for inclusion. Most notably, the bills shaping the future of teacher education started without actually including your schools and colleges in the mix of players to set the course. This was corrected, and WACTE is now included in the bill sitting on the Governor’s desk. Another major bill that began without full consideration of colleges and schools of education creates a data center in the Office of Financial Management. The idea behind the data center is to create a focal point and data collection system that will provide good research on which to base decisions affecting what the state constitution calls “the paramount duty of the state.” The original data center bills were vague as to whether or not all WACTE members could participate. It referenced “Institutions of higher education,” which is defined in another section of Washington law as post-secondary public two and four year colleges. We were able to get an amendment to reference “public and private non-profit four year institutions of higher education.” The bill also provides for “Private, nonprofit institutions of higher education that provide programs of education beyond the high school level leading at least to the baccalaureate degree and are accredited by the Northwest association of schools and colleges or their peer accreditation bodies may also develop data-sharing and research agreements with the education data center, consistent with applicable security and confidentiality requirements.” It is in the appropriation for this Data Center that Senate Ways and Means Vice Chair Craig Pridemore tells us they’ve put $75,000 for the Teacher Retention and Mobility study across all WACTE member institutions. Details will be forthcoming, since this appropriation is not explicitly stated in the budget document but lumped into a general appropriation. The WACTE supported “First People’s Language, Culture and History Certification” bill ran into some trouble along the way, but a compromise saved it on the last day. There was consternation over the inclusion of “history,” since it is a “core” subject under No Child Left Behind. As such, anyone certified under the tribal program but not having a BA would not be a “highly qualified teacher.” That was answered by changing “history” to “oral tribal traditions,” which means the same to the tribes to skirts the problem. There was also some heartburn over the permissive vs. the mandatory language on tribal background checks. Federal case law seems to say the state cannot tell the tribes what to do, and the tribes bristle at state mandates. The problem was solved by inserting language saying “Tribal law enforcement agencies and the Washington state patrol shall enter into government to government negotiations regarding the exchange of background information on applicants for certification.” Governor Gregoire has until May 14 to sign or veto bills passed by the Legislature, so the list below is necessarily incomplete as to her actions. ~ ~ ~ Here’s a synopsis of the major bills affecting WACTE members and/or impacting the delivery of K-12 education in Washington (in numerical order, not order of importance): HB 1670 School counselors Rep. Dave Quall Gov Signed 04/21/2007 This bill, for the first time, recognizes school counselors in RCW. ESHB 1883 Higher education coordinating board Rep. Deb Wallace Del to Gov 04/20/2007 This bill mandates 10 year strategic plans updated every four years. The governor’s proposal to change the appointment of the executive director of the board from the board itself to the governor was removed. 2SHB 1906 Math and science education Rep. Ross Hunter Del to Gov 04/20/2007 This bill addresses changing math and science standards and curriculum; establishes advisory panels; sets up after school mathematics support programs; authorizes math and science instructional coaches; creates two new alternative routes to certification – the pipeline for para-educators and the retooling to teach math and science conditional scholarships; re-codifies all alternative routes under one section of RCW; mandates revision of the math placement test for public colleges/universities and allows that test to be given in high school; permits career and technical education in middle schools; sets up a statewide coordinator for math, science and technology education; mandates new ealr’s and gle’s in technology; and sets up an exploration of the need for new teacher preparation programs in math, science and technology. WACTE will need to engage in this process. 2SHB 2262 Professional teaching standards Rep. Don Barlow Del to Gov 04/20/2007 This bill provides a $5,000 annual bonus for teachers with National Board certification; and an additional $5,000 annual bonus for those with the certification teaching in “high demand” schools (more than 70% FRPL). The bonuses are indexed to inflation, but not considered in pension calculations. WACTE may want to consider supporting Washington Education Association efforts to make these bonuses pensionable in the 2008 session. EHJR 4204 School levies Rep. Shay Scuual-Berke Filed Sec/St 04/18/2007 This refers a constitutional amendment to the ballot to change the school levy vote threshold from 60% approval with at least 40% of the voters in the last gubernatorial election voting to a simple majority of those voting. SSB 5101 Higher education tuition waivers Sen. Steve Hobbs Del to Gov 04/18/2007 Expands tuition waivers to those seeking endorsements in identified shortage areas. The waivers at public institutions of higher education are on a space available basis, and likely to affect very few individuals. ESSB 5269 First peoples' teacher certification Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe Headed to Gov. 4/22/2007 This bill (discussed above) puts the 1st People’s Language, Culture, and Oral Tribal Traditions in state law. E2SSB 5627 Basic education funding Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe Headed to Gov. 04/22/2007 This legislation sets up a committee to return with recommendations on how basic education should be paid for (the work the Washington Learns process was originally set up to address). WACTE should engage with this committee to emphasize the quality of candidates will be increased if the reward for choosing the profession is on a par with the expectations for those candidates. E2SSB 5841 Student learning Sen. Steve Hobbs Headed to Gov. 04/22/2007 This act re-defines the goals of basic education; sets up all-day kindergarden in high-poverty districts; sets up demonstration comprehensive, evidence-based “foundations” programs in k-3 classrooms; reviews English as a second language programs; establishes “community learning centers” and “career pathways” programs; and establishes a world languages coordinator in the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Any research from WACTE member institutions that can contribute to this effort should be provided. E2SSB 5843 Educational data Sen. Eric Oemig Del to Gov 4/20/07 This bill authorizes OSPI to establish longitudinal data standards and systems; sets up an education data center in the Office of Financial Management (in which WACTE members are now included); and studies expanding the longitudinal data system. The bill originally excluded private colleges/universities, but work with the prime sponsor made all WACTE members partners in the development of the system. 2SSB 5955 Educator preparation Sen. Rodney Tom Headed to Gov 4/22/07 This is THE major bill affecting WACTE members and programs. And while it began without mention of colleges / schools of education, we were able to have it amended so WACTE is included. The bill: • Establishes a public-private partnership to implement the Washington State Leadership Academy. • Directs adoption of new standards for teacher certification in mathematics and a uniform professional teaching certificate assessment. • Directs the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and Educational Service Districts to create a partnership to deliver professional development. • Creates a three-tiered support system involving grants, performance agreements, and intensive intervention for school districts to improve mathematics, science and targeted secondary reading through professional development. • Creates a Recruiting Diverse Washington Teachers Program. Through amendments, WACTE is included in the group shaping and steering the Leadership Academy. And members will be expected to host “future teacher camps” on campus to help recruit diverse students to the teaching profession. WACTE is already participating in the adoption of new certification standards for math. And a last-minute amendment was inserted to include WACTE institutions in the delivery of professional development (originally in the bill only through ESD’s). ESSB 6023 Alternative assessments Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe Headed to Gov. 4/22/07 This bill pushes the graduation requirements to pass the math and science WASL out to 2013; authorizes PSAT, SAT, and ACT scores as substitutes for the WASL; and sets in motion a process to replace the WASL in math and science with end-of-course assessments. And, last but certainly not least … SGA 9094 JUNE CANTY Confirmed as a member of the Professional Educator Standards Board 4/3/07   Key: HB – House Bill; SB – Senate Bill; S – Substitute; 2 – Second; E – Engrossed (amendments rolled up into single bill); SGA – Senate Gubenatorial Appointment 4FE2438A-7B2A-4857-935C-68344F459D4A_files/WACTE%202007%20Legislative%20Session%20Report-2.pdfshapeimage_1_link_0
Monday, April 23, 2007
Legislative Update 2007 #15 - Sine Die