Washington State Administrative Certification and Cultural Diversity Requirements. Draft.

Most of the school districts in Washington State are small, rural, and contain a low percentage of minorities. However, the Hispanic student population has increased from 3.9 percent in 1985-86 to 6 percent in 1991-92, mostly due to migrant students. The percentage of other minority students has remained relatively stable. Consequently, there is increased pressure to improve cultural diversity awareness in administrative preparation programs. State regulations covering teacher and administrator licensure rules outline "general knowledge" or "general skills" requirements concerning cultural diversity awareness. However, the regulations do not require cultural diversity issues to be included in the course content of administrator preparation programs. A survey of the chief administrators at the five approved administrator preparation programs in the state found that the programs are meeting diversity requirements in four ways: recruitment of students with diverse backgrounds, diversity-oriented courses, inclusion of diversity "units" into other courses, and internship activities. However, a content analysis of internship plans designed by administrative students at one university found most of the plans failed to meet the specific requirements or spirit of state regulations on diversity in administrator preparation. Additional regulations may be needed in curriculum and program structure to correct this problem. (JPT)