Bill would help students with teacher certification costs

OLYMPIA — The Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee heard testimony on a bill that would create a program to financially assist teacher certification testing.

The Teacher Endorsement and Certification Help (TEACH) program would be a temporary project, and the effectiveness and cost of it would be evaluated in 2020.

House Bill 1983 would create the TEACH program to provide grants for teacher candidates taking basic skills and content tests for teacher certification. These fees can range from $155 to $225. Fees for content knowledge tests can range from $95 to $155.

The bill would make grants available to students who are eligible to receive the state need grant. The grants would be prioritized so applicants registered for competency tests in subject areas where there is a shortage would be awarded first.

Rep. Gerry Pollet, D-Seattle, is the prime sponsor on the bill. He said he learned from talking to students and staff at teacher education colleges that students on financial need grants aren’t taking endorsement tests for shortage areas because of the high cost.

Bob Cooper, Washington Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, mentioned comments the House Education Committee heard from students at Central Washington University.

“One of the things that teacher candidates pointed out to them is the repeated hits that they have to take, over and over and over again, through their preparation program, financially,” Cooper said.

Endorsements are specific subject areas listed on an educator’s teaching certificate. Endorsement tests are required to be able to teach in that particular subject in the state.

The individual grants would vary from around $50 to $150, based on test fees.

Pollet said the House budget proposes to appropriate $150,000 for this program out of the larger appropriation for other loans designed for teachers and teacher candidates.

The Washington Student Achievement Council and the Professional Educator Stands Board would evaluate the program.

WSAC and PESB would submit a final report to the legislature by Dec. 31, 2020 to recommend whether the project should be continued, modified or expanded.

The bill passed through the House on Feb. 15 with a vote of 58-39. The Senate committee has not yet scheduled a vote on HB 1983.