Tag Archives: Teacher preparation

House Education Moves Teacher Preparation Legislation Forward

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Yesterday the House Education Committee moved a number of bills Evergreen has tracked related to teacher preparation.

House Bill 3068 passed out of committee with no amendments. HB 3068 provides that, if scholarship funds are available after qualified paraeducators have been accepted, individuals who participated in one of the Recruiting Washington Teachers programs for high school students can participate in the Pipeline for Pareducators conditional scholarship program.

Though Evergreen expressed support for HB 3068 in general the College expressed concerns that the bill would limit access to Retooling Grants to only those individuals who seek math and science endorsements. This would leave out students seeking endorsements in other areas, such as special education and ELL. Evergreen encouraged the committee to reconsider limiting Retooling Grants to only math and science endorsements.

House Bill 3068 will have a public hearing tomorrow, February 4 before House Education Appropriations.

HB 2654 provides that, if scholarship funds are available after qualified paraeducators have been accepted, individuals who participated in one of the Recruiting Washington Teachers programs for high school students can participate in the Pipeline for Pareducators conditional scholarship program.

HB 2654 passed out of committee amended as follows: (1) In the prototypical school funding formula, removes the separate allocation of one Elementary Math Specialist per elementary school, but includes them as a type of “professional development coach” (which is an existing staffing category in the formula); (2) Specifies that the PESB must develop the standards for the new specialty endorsement by July 1, 2011; (3) Revises the description of the role of an Elementary Math Specialist to include not only direct instruction to students, but also serving as a coach by demonstrating best practices to the regularly assigned teacher, using a research-based coaching model; and (4) Makes the standards for the specialty endorsement reflect the coaching role.

Evergreen shared our excitement about the potential prospect of incorporating a track for this training in The Evergreen State College’s M.Ed. program. In addition, Evergreen shared two ways in which HB 2654 could be strengthened. First, Evergreen hopes the Committee will think broadly with regard to the current terminology in the bill, “widely accessible to elementary teachers across the state,” to mean more than online coursework. Second, we encourage legislators to push for more than the “minimum of additional coursework” required in the bill.

House Bill 2852 passed out of committee with no amendments. HB 2852 excludes public and accredited institutions of higher education from laws that regulate providers of online learning in K-12 schools and authorizes school districts to claim basic education funding for students enrolled in college credit-bearing courses offered by these types of higher education institutions. Evergreen did not weigh in on the bill. HB 2852 will have a public hearing before House Education Appropriations tomorrow, February 4.

A substitute bill for House Bill 3059 was passed out of committee. Substitute HB 3059, among other changes,: (1) Clarifies candidates who complete residency program in 2012-13 must take the new assessment, (2) Adds authority for the PESB to contract for the administration of the assessment with a third party, and (3) Requires all public colleges of education that offer a residency certificate who are not already offering an alternative route program to submit a proposal to PESB, does not allow these colleges to submit a “summary of flexible procedures” as an alternative to submitting a proposal. Instead makes this a part of the proposal.

Evergreen expressed concerns regarding the lack of funding that accompanies the requirement to provide a teacher preparation alternative route program and the impact on institutional mission. HB 3059 will have a public hearing before House Education Appropriations tomorrow, February 4.

House Bill 3035 passed out of committee as amended. HB 3035 requires all school districts to establish revised evaluation criteria and a four-level rating system for classroom teachers and principals and specifies minimum criteria for each system. HB 3035 was amended as follows: (1) Directs the Superintendent of Public Instruction to create common, statewide models for the criteria and the rating system, (2) Beginning in 2013-14, requires all school districts to either: a) implement the common statewide models; or b) submit a modified evaluation system to SPI, (3) Requires any modifications to the teacher evaluation system to have been developed through collective bargaining, and (4) Revises one of the minimum criteria for teacher evaluation to be “communicating and collaborating with parents and the school community.”

House Bill 3035 moved to House Ways & Means.

Teacher Preparation Legislation in Senate

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This morning the Senate Committee on Early Learning and K-12 Education held a public hearing on Senate Bill 6761. Senate Bill 6761 implements recommendations put forth by the Quality Education Council (QEC).

The QEC was established as a part of the Basic Education overhall legislation passed in 2009 (HB 2261). The QEC develops strategic recommendations for implementation of a new definition of Basic Education and the financing necessary to support it.

Though this may seem only to be a K-12 related policy council, the QEC and the implementing legislation (HB 2261) also established criteria for teacher evaluations and teacher compensations. Both of which are critical issues for Masters in Teaching and Masters in Education faculty and students.

The implementing legislation created a compensation work group that is tasked with developing an enhanced, collaboratively designed salary allocation model. The new model will align educator development and certification with compensation. A critical part of this conversation is the relationship between earning an advanced teaching degree and receiving an increase in salary for this achievement.

Evergreen worked hard during the 2009 session to bring legislative attention to the value-added when an educator earns an advanced degree in education. Evergreen was successful in refocusing the conversation on compensation and away from the initial assumption that education beyond a bachelors was not value-added in the classroom.

As a result of Evergreen’s work and the work of others a compensation work group was created to develop a compensation model in Washington for teachers. This replaced the initial proposal to not provide increases in compensation for teachers who earn an advanced degree.

That is the long way of saying, one of the recommendations of the QEC, as stated in SB 6761, is to convene the compensation work group in 2010 with a report due December 2010. This would move the convening of the work group and the recommendations of the group up a year.

Evergreen did not weigh in on this change to the implementing legislation. Instead Evergreen attended the public hearing to learn more about SB 6761 and to hear public testimony from other partners.

SB 6761 is expected to be moved out of committee early next week.

Evergreen Speaks to Race to the Top Legislation

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A trio of bills were heard before the House Education Committee today that would better position Washington for Race to the Top dollars. The Race to the Top Fund provides competitive grants to encourage and reward States that are creating the conditions for education innovation and reform at the K-12 level.

Washington plans to apply for Race to the Top in the second phase. 

Evergreen weighed in on two of the three bills heard by the House Education Committee.

Evergreen expressed support with concerns regarding Senate Bill 3059. SB 3059 expands opportunities for teacher preparation by requiring all teacher preparation programs to provide alternative routes to earning a teaching credential.

Evergreen expressed concerns with regard to the lack of funding that accompanies the mandate laid out in SB 3059. Without additional funds to support this effort, Evergreen could find itself assuming the costs of developing and implementing an alternative route program at a time of declining resources for higher education.

In addition, Evergreen raised the strength to the state of the varied missions among higher education institutions. The requirement in the bill to create an alternative route program may require the Collee to move away from Evergreen’s mission and the mission of the College’s teacher preparation programs.

Evergreen encouraged the Committee to consider an amendment that would remove the mandate language in the bill.

Several other organizations and individuals, including the Professional Educators Standards Board (PESB) and the Washington Education Association (WEA), testified to the legislation before the House Committee.

Randy Dorn, Superintendent of Public Instruction, spoke to all three bills before the Committee. He stated Washington needs legislation that strengthens current accountability and data systems to allow the state to be a player in the arena of the Race to the Top.

He also recognized that the Race to the Top criteria is built on the priorities of  the federal government. He encouraged policymakers to keep in mind the need to determine what works for Washington and move these efforts forward.

Bills Move Quickly

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A familiar and quick-paced trend has appeared on The Hill. Bills are introduced, heard via a public hearing one day and the next are moved out of committee either to the floor or an appropriations committee.

This is to be expected as committee cut-off dates near (early next week) and the Legislature approaches the half-way mark in the session (4th week is next week).

So here is the latest news:

Evergreen Supported Legislation

The Senate Govenrment Operations & Elections held a public hearing and moved Senate Bill 5041. SB 5041 encourages agencies to contract and purchsefrom veteran-owned businesses. Evergreen supported the legislation which was reinforced with testimony in favor of the bill by The Council of Presidents.

The House Higher Education Committee held a public hearing on House Bill 2930. House Bill 2930 extends the Future Teacher Conditional Scholarships to students seeking a mathematics endorsement.

Evergreen testified in support of the bill and encouraged policymakers to work towards offering similar scholarship opportunities in the future to individuals seeking endorsements in special education and ELL. 

Legislation of Concern to Evergreen

The House Commerce & Labor Committee held a public hearing on House Bill 2805. House Bill 2805 requires contractors on public works projects (i.e. higher education capital projects) that are over $1 million to provide additional reporting. 

Evergreen expressed concerns with regard to additional reporting at a time of declining resources and the potential for increased costs to public works projects.

HB 2805 is expected to be moved out of committee later today.

Bills of Interest to Evergreen

The Senate Ways & Means Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 6572. Evergreen did not weigh in during the public hearing but is tracking this legislation as it moves through the process.

Senate Bill 6572 eliminates several inactive funds and accounts and transfers any remaining balances in these accounts to the General Fund. In addition, any balances in the School Construction Revolving Fund are transferred to the General Fund.

The accounts and funds to be eliminated include: City and County Advance Right-of-Way Revolving Account; Community and Technical College Fund for Innovation and Quality Account; Dairy Products Commission Facility Account; Data Processing Building Construction Account; Education Technology Account; Energy Efficiency Construction Account; Fruit Commission Facility Account; Geothermal Account; K-20 Technology Account; Morrill Account; Personal Health Services Account; Prescription Drug Purchasing Account;Regional Transportation Investment District Account; Purpose District Research Services Account; Two-year Student Child Care in Higher Education Account; Warren G. Magnuson Institute Trust Account; Washington Fruit Express Account; and Washington Service Corps Scholarship Account.

No further action has been scheduled on this bill.

Higher Education in the House Education Committee

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The House Education Committee, which focuses K-12 education, heard House Bill 2654 focusing on preparing teachers for a career in teaching during its hearing on Wednesday. Teacher preparation is one of many areas in which higher education intersects with K-12.

House Bill 2654 defines an Elementary Math Specialist as an elementary teacher with a specialty endorsement in elementary mathematics and directs the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) to adopt a specialty endorsement for Specialists, based on standards that include enhanced mathematics content knowledge for grades K-6 and instructional strategies.

The Evergreen State College testified in support of HB 2654 and offered two major suggestions for improving the bill. First, Evergreen believes that the current terminology in the bill, “widely accessible to elementary teachers across the state,” should be broadly interpreted to mean more than online coursework. A critical element of coursework in math education is that teachers learn math from teachers who model good pedagogy. Without this modeling the ability to learn effective teaching methods is limited.

Second, we encouraged legislators to push for more than the “minimum of additional coursework” required in the bill. If the state truly wants to scale up teachers in the mathematical and pedagogical preparation it is critical that teachers receive substantive opportunities to learn.