Concerning professional learning, equity, cultural competency, and dismantling institutional racism in the public school system.
Summary
Directs the Washington State School Directors' Association (WSSDA) and the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) to separately develop standards on cultural competency, diversity, equity, and inclusion (CCDEI), to collaborate to align the standards, and to separately review the standards every 10 years.
Defines the terms "cultural competency," "diversity," "equity," and inclusion, and directs the WSSDA and the PESB to report to the Legislature every 10 years with any recommendations for revising the definitions.
Requires each member of a school district and charter school board to complete a CCDEI governance training program provided (and identified or developed) by the WSSDA at least once every four years, beginning with the 2022 calendar year.
Requires school districts and charter schools to use one of the state-funded professional learning days every other year to train staff on CCDEI and, beginning with the 2023-24 school year, provide staff with a variety of learning opportunities aligned with CCDEI standards developed by the PESB.
Requires alignment of paraeducator and educator preparation and development programs to the CCDEI standards.
From the Engrossed Substitute House Bill Report (ESSB 5044), written by the Legislature's nonpartisan staff. Read the full report ↗