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2000 SESSION

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SB 549 Teacher quality improvement.

Introduced by: William T. Bolling | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE:

Teacher quality improvement. Provides school boards with the discretion to adopt an alternative continuing contract employment process for probationary teachers. This provision authorizes school boards to require teachers to submit applications for continuing contract status, i.e., an employment status that is analogous, but not identical, to tenure. During the third year of their probationary service, teachers who were hired for a probationary term of service that begins in the year in which a school board adopts the alternative process would be subject to the school board's new process. The new procedure will be used by division superintendents and principals in the evaluation process and must be "appropriate to the tasks performed," e.g., student academic progress and the skills and knowledge of instructional personnel, including instructional methodology, classroom management, and knowledge of subject matter. The procedures must cover such matters as: the selection, training, and use of continuing contract review committees; the procedures whereby the committees will review the applications and make recommendations to the principal and division superintendent regarding applicants; the required application materials which must include evidence of pupil academic performance and may also include other data and materials to assist the continuing contract review committee in the application review process and the school board in making employment determinations, and the procedures for obtaining assistance in the preparation of the application data and attachments.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Teacher quality improvement. Provides school boards with the discretion to adopt a three- to five-year probationary term of service and an application process for continuing contract status. The Board of Education is required to develop guidelines for these local processes that must include, but need not be limited to: (i) selection, training, and use of continuing contract review committees, the membership of which shall include at least the principal of the school where the applicant is employed, teachers, parents of students enrolled in the school in which the applicant is employed, and citizens from the local community; (ii) procedures whereby such committees shall review continuing contract status applications and make recommendations to the principal and division superintendent regarding applicants; (iii) application materials that shall include evidence of pupil academic performance, and may also include other data and materials to assist the continuing contract review committee in the application review process and the school board in making an employment determination, e.g., professional credentials, employment evaluations, classroom observations, lesson plans and examinations, and the applicant's demonstrated mastery of the relevant Standards of Learning; and (iv) procedures for applicants to obtain assistance from other education professionals in the preparation of application materials. The Board's guidelines are specifically noted as not being regulations pursuant to the Administrative Process Act. The Board must, however, seek input from the public in developing these guidelines.