OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has signed a bill that contains a number of policies that aim to reduce a shortage of public school teachers in the state.
Senate Bill 6455, signed by Inslee on Friday, in part will allow new paths to becoming a teacher in Washington, let some retired teachers become substitutes without hurting retirement benefits, and create a grant program to aid some beginning teachers in financial need.
The state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction reports a shortage of teachers that is most severe in math, science and special education. House Democrats proposed raising the state’s portion of a beginning teacher’s salary this session as another way to reduce the teacher shortage, but it was left out of the final budget agreement.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.