WashingtonWashington requires school input in reviews of teacher and principal programs
Washington requires school and community input in reviews of teacher and principal training programs and requires programs that fall short to identify fixes.
What it does
Washington’s educator standards board reviews teacher and principal training programs using evidence and input from schools and communities. Programs that miss standards must identify steps to meet them.
Starting January 1, 2027, teacher training programs must update their school partnership plans at least once every three years, following a schedule set by the state educator standards board.
Argument forInput from classroom educators and school districts could help teacher and principal training programs better match the needs of schools.
Argument againstThe board’s authority to choose responses when programs miss standards could make it harder for programs to predict required fixes.
More detail
The Washington Professional Educator Standards Board must review approved programs and require programs that miss standards to identify steps to meet them. These requirements cover approved teacher and principal training programs. The board must publish review results online so people can compare programs. Reviews of fully approved programs must use program standards, educator standards, evidence from programs, and input from communities and school partners. The board must regularly update what reviews cover to reflect classroom needs and changes in state and federal requirements. Following a review, the board must choose a response to any unmet standards and requirements and notify the program.
Teacher training programs must submit school partnership plans and update them on a schedule set by the Washington Professional Educator Standards Board. The requirement covers board-approved teacher training programs, including alternative paths to teacher certification. Plans cover student teaching placements, and the board must publish plans and updates online. Programs must develop plans with nearby school districts that want to partner with them. Plans must consider placing student teachers in schools and subjects with high needs. Plans must consider mentors rated at least level 3 for responding to student needs and using student data on their latest full teaching evaluation. Mentors should have completed mentoring training or be receiving it. The requirements in Section 3 take effect January 1, 2027.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 14Effective date 6/11/2026*.Latest
- Mar 14Chapter 49, 2026 Laws.Major
- Mar 14Governor Bob Ferguson signed.Became Law
- Mar 10Delivered to Governor.To Governor
- Mar 5Speaker signed.Passed House
- Mar 4President signed.Passed Senate
- Mar 3Third reading, passed; yeas, 86; nays, 7; absent, 0; excused, 5.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#7). Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 3Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Feb 27Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.Minor
- Feb 25Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Feb 23ED - Majority; do pass.Minor
- Feb 23Executive action taken in the House Committee on Education at 1:30 PM.
- Feb 18Public hearing in the House Committee on Education at 10:30 AM.
- Feb 14First reading, referred to Education.Minor
- Feb 12Third reading, passed; yeas, 46; nays, 3; absent, 0; excused, 0.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#19). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 12Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Feb 10Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.Minor
- Feb 4Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- Feb 4Minority; without recommendation.Minor
- Feb 4EDU - Majority; do pass.Minor
- Feb 4Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 10:30 AM.
- Jan 27Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 8:00 AM.
- Jan 22First reading, referred to Early Learning & K-12 Education.Introduced
Education