House Bill 1113 would require the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) to adopt rules for reviewing and vacating reprimands issued to certificated professional educators
Educators who have received a reprimand could have the opportunity for redemption under a bill introduced by Rep. Paul Harris for the 2023 legislative session.
House Bill 1113 would require the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) to adopt rules for reviewing and vacating reprimands issued to certificated professional educators. Currently, there is no process in place to vacate a reprimand on an educator’s certificate.
The bill, which received a public hearing on Tuesday in the House Education Committee, is similar to House Bill 1791, which Harris introduced last year.
“I brought this issue forward last session because I believe people deserve a second chance,” said Harris, R-Vancouver. “Teachers are not perfect, and sometimes they make poor judgments that can result in a reprimand on their educator certificate. That can leave a permanent mark on their record, which may limit career opportunities and advancement.”
HB 1113 would also direct the superintendent of public instruction to make reasonable efforts to contact certificated professional educators who were issued a reprimand during a specified period and whose reprimand is eligible for vacating under the PESB rules.
“This legislation provides a second chance for educators who have undertaken corrective action, especially at a time with the education system is facing a staff shortage,” said Harris. “I’m all for accountability, but mercy should be applied once justice has been met.”
The 2023 legislative session began Jan. 9 and is scheduled to last 105 consecutive days.
Information provided by Washington State House Republicans, houserepublicans.wa.gov
Also read:
- Vancouver firefighters spread Christmas cheer through 2nd annual toy drive
Vancouver firefighters collected and distributed more than 650 donated toys to students at six Evergreen Public School District elementary schools during their second annual holiday toy drive. - Person rescued after jumping from I-205 Bridge
Vancouver fire crews and a Port of Portland rescue boat pulled a man from the Columbia River after he jumped from the I-205 Bridge and rushed him to a local hospital. - Weather update: Heavy rains and strong wind gusts expected for the rest of Thursday
Heavy rain, wind gusts up to 45 mph, and ongoing flood risks are forecast for Southwest Washington as utilities continue restoring power after earlier storm damage. - BPA responding to widespread weather-related outages
Bonneville Power Administration crews are responding to more than 40 transmission outages caused by extreme weather across the Northwest. - Letter: A call for competent Interstate Bridge project management
Rick Vermeers argues that unchecked scope, rising costs, and missed timelines threaten the survival of the Interstate Bridge Replacement project unless light rail is removed. - CRESA officials ask public to call 911 only for emergencies during weather events
CRESA officials are urging residents to reserve 911 calls for life-threatening emergencies during weather events as storms continue to cause power outages and hazardous conditions. - Rep. John Ley introduces bill to balance representation on Washington transportation boards
Legislation introduced by Rep. John Ley seeks to change how transportation board seats are allocated and prevent funding penalties tied to population-based representation rules.
wpDiscuz
