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2008 SESSION

087763712
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 161
Offered January 9, 2008
Prefiled January 9, 2008
Establishing a joint subcommittee to study the efficacy and appropriateness of establishing a merit pay and bonus program for public school teachers in the Commonwealth. Report.
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Patron-- Saxman
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, a merit pay and bonus program may reward exceptional educational performance of public school teachers and also recognize continued improvement toward excellence in education; and

WHEREAS, local school divisions in the Commonwealth now have the authority to provide "incentives for excellence in teaching," pursuant to § 22.1-295, but there is no similar statewide program in place; and

WHEREAS, rewarding teachers with merit or bonus pay for raising student achievement may help invigorate veteran teachers across the Commonwealth and possibly attract new teachers to the profession; and

WHEREAS, the creation of such a program requires consideration of a variety of issues, including the appropriate criteria for determining improvement in educational performance and funding sources for a statewide merit pay and bonus program; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study the efficacy and appropriateness of establishing a merit pay and bonus system for public school teachers in the Commonwealth.  The joint subcommittee shall have a total membership of 12 members that shall consist of eight legislative members and four nonlegislative citizen members. Members shall be appointed as follows: five members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; three members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; two nonlegislative citizen members who shall be principals from school divisions in the Commonwealth to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; and two nonlegislative citizen members who shall be teachers from school divisions in the Commonwealth to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. Nonlegislative citizen members of the joint subcommittee shall be citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unless otherwise approved in writing by the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk, nonlegislative citizen members shall only be reimbursed for travel originating and ending within the Commonwealth of Virginia for the purpose of attending meetings. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required. The joint subcommittee shall elect a chairman and vice chairman from among its membership, who shall be members of the General Assembly.

In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall consider: (i) merit pay and bonus systems currently in place in other states; (ii) current incentive programs utilized across the Commonwealth to reward public school teachers; (iii) possible criteria for a statewide merit pay and bonus system, such as student academic performance, Standards of Learning test scores, student and teacher attendance rates, graduation rates, peer reviews, and enrollment in particular courses; and (iv) possible funding sources.

Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the House of Delegates. Legal, research, policy analysis, and other services as requested by the joint subcommittee shall be provided by the Division of Legislative Services.  Technical assistance shall be provided by Department of Education. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the joint subcommittee for this study, upon request.

The joint subcommittee shall be limited to four meetings for the 2008 interim and four meetings for the 2009 interim, and the direct costs of this study shall not exceed $9,600 for each year without approval as set out in this resolution. Approval for unbudgeted nonmember-related expenses shall require the written authorization of the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk.  If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required.

No recommendation of the joint subcommittee shall be adopted if a majority of the House members or a majority of the Senate members appointed to the joint subcommittee (i) vote against the recommendation and (ii) vote for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the joint subcommittee.

The joint subcommittee shall complete its meetings for the first year by November 30, 2008, and for the second year by November 30, 2009, and the chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the next Regular Session of the General Assembly for each year. Each executive summary shall state whether the joint subcommittee intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summaries and reports shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee.  The Committee may approve or disapprove expenditures for this study, extend or delay the period for the conduct of the study, or authorize additional meetings during the 2008 or 2009 interim.