Text: HF00638 Text: HF00640 Text: HF00600 - HF00699 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 256.16, Code 1999, is amended to read 1 2 as follows: 1 3 256.16 SPECIFIC CRITERIA FOR TEACHER PREPARATION AND 1 4 CERTAIN EDUCATORS. 1 5 1. Pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 5, the state 1 6 board shall adopt rules requiring all higher education 1 7 institutions providing practitioner preparation to provide for 1 8 exposure to regular classroom experiences within the first 1 9 eighteen months of a student's acceptance into the program, 1 10 and include in the professional education program, preparation 1 11 that contributes to the education of students with 1 12 disabilities and students who are gifted and talented, which 1 13 must be successfully completed before graduation from the 1 14 practitioner preparation program. 1 15 2. A person initially applying for a license shall 1 16 successfully complete a professional education program 1 17 containing the subject matter specified in this section, 1 18 before the initial action by the board of educational 1 19 examiners takes place. 1 20 3. The state board shall adopt rules requiring higher 1 21 education institutions providing practitioner preparation to 1 22 maintain data on program graduates for at least three years 1 23 after the students' graduation. 1 24 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 280.27 PEER ASSISTANCE AND REVIEW 1 25 PROGRAMS. 1 26 1. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise 1 27 requires: 1 28 a. "Beginning teacher" means an individual serving under 1 29 an initial provisional or conditional license, issued by the 1 30 board of educational examiners under chapter 272, who is 1 31 assuming a position as a classroom teacher. 1 32 b. "Classroom teacher" means an individual who holds a 1 33 valid practitioner's license and who is employed by a school 1 34 district under sections 279.13 through 279.19 to provide 1 35 instruction to students. 2 1 c. "Consultant" means a professional licensed pursuant to 2 2 chapter 272. 2 3 d. "Mentor" means an individual employed by a school 2 4 district as a classroom teacher who holds a valid license to 2 5 teach issued under chapter 272. The individual shall have a 2 6 record of four years of successful teaching practice, shall be 2 7 employed as a classroom teacher on a nonprobationary basis, 2 8 and must demonstrate professional commitment to the 2 9 improvement of teaching and learning, and the development of 2 10 beginning teachers. 2 11 e. "Peer in need of assistance" means an experienced 2 12 classroom teacher who is experiencing difficulty in the 2 13 classroom. 2 14 f. "Peer review panel" means a panel composed of school 2 15 district or accredited nonpublic school administrators, 2 16 teachers, and representatives from the collective bargaining 2 17 unit representing the teachers. 2 18 2. Each area education agency shall prepare a model peer 2 19 assistance and review program plan and shall provide each 2 20 school district and accredited nonpublic school within its 2 21 area with a copy of the model plan. The plan shall include a 2 22 model evaluation component which a school district or 2 23 nonpublic school may use to measure the effectiveness of its 2 24 peer assistance and review program. Any modifications to the 2 25 model plan shall be submitted to school districts and schools 2 26 as soon as practical. The board of directors of a school 2 27 district and the authorities in charge of a nonpublic school 2 28 shall adopt a peer assistance and review program plan and 2 29 written procedures for the program, and may use, alter, or 2 30 revise the model plan provided by the area education agency at 2 31 their discretion. 2 32 3. The peer review assistance and review program plan 2 33 adopted by the board of directors of a school district or the 2 34 authorities in charge of a nonpublic school shall require that 2 35 all beginning teachers and peers in need of assistance, who 3 1 are employed by the school district or nonpublic school, 3 2 enroll in the program and be teamed with a mentor. At a 3 3 minimum, the plan shall also provide for a process for 3 4 training mentors; an orientation meeting for beginning 3 5 teachers; assignment of a beginning teacher or peer in need of 3 6 assistance to a mentor prior to the beginning of the school 3 7 calendar; the minimum amount of contact time between the 3 8 mentor and beginning teacher or peer in need of assistance; 3 9 the minimum amount of release time for meetings for planning, 3 10 demonstration, observation, feedback, and workshops; the 3 11 process for dissolving the partnership between a mentor and a 3 12 beginning teacher or peer in need of assistance; and the 3 13 process for measuring the results of the program. 3 14 4. The peer review panel shall create a list of classroom 3 15 teachers eligible to act as mentors and from this list shall 3 16 appoint a consultant, preferably an individual who has 3 17 achieved certification by the national board for professional 3 18 teaching standards, upon the approval of the board of 3 19 directors of a school district or the authorities in charge of 3 20 a nonpublic school, to direct the peer assistance and review 3 21 program. The consultant shall be released from daily 3 22 classroom teaching duties for not more than three years. The 3 23 salary paid to the consultant by a school district shall be 3 24 equal to the amount of salary the person would have received 3 25 from the district in the person's regular classroom teacher 3 26 position for the school year during which the person serves as 3 27 a consultant. 3 28 5. Peer review assistance and review program plans shall 3 29 provide for at least weekly visits by the mentor to the 3 30 classroom of a beginning teacher or peer in need of 3 31 assistance. Mentors shall provide bimonthly progress reports 3 32 to the consultant. The consultant shall provide the peer 3 33 review panel and the beginning teacher or peer in need of 3 34 assistance with a copy of the monthly progress report. The 3 35 panel shall meet periodically with the consultant to discuss 4 1 progress, formulate goals, and share experiences with and 4 2 provide guidance to the consultant. The consultant shall 4 3 provide a final evaluation of each beginning teacher and peer 4 4 in need of assistance to the peer review panel. A beginning 4 5 teacher's contract shall be renewed only upon the approval of 4 6 the panel. The panel may recommend contract termination to 4 7 the board of directors of a school district or the authorities 4 8 in charge of a nonpublic school based on the final evaluation 4 9 of a peer in need of assistance. 4 10 6. School districts and nonpublic schools are encouraged 4 11 to work with area education agencies, collective bargaining 4 12 units representing the teachers, and postsecondary 4 13 institutions in the preparation and implementation of a peer 4 14 assistance and review program plan. 4 15 Sec. 3. STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED. In accordance 4 16 with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring 4 17 compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall 4 18 be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid 4 19 received by the school district under section 257.16. This 4 20 specification of the payment of the state cost shall be deemed 4 21 to meet all the state funding-related requirements of section 4 22 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional state funding shall be 4 23 necessary for the full implementation of this Act by and 4 24 enforcement of this Act against all affected school districts. 4 25 EXPLANATION 4 26 This bill requires the state board of education to adopt 4 27 rules requiring postsecondary institutions with approved 4 28 practitioner preparation programs to provide exposure to 4 29 regular classroom experiences within the first 18 months of a 4 30 student's acceptance in a program, and to maintain data on 4 31 program graduates for at least three years after graduation. 4 32 The bill also requires that all schools and school districts 4 33 implement a peer assistance and review program. 4 34 Each area education agency is required to prepare a model 4 35 peer assistance and review program plan and provide the plan 5 1 to all schools and school districts. The schools and school 5 2 districts must adopt a plan, and may use, alter, or revise the 5 3 plan provided by an area education agency. 5 4 The plan adopted by the school or school district must 5 5 require that all beginning teachers and peers in need of 5 6 assistance, who are employed by the school district or 5 7 nonpublic school, enroll in the program and be teamed with a 5 8 mentor. A "peer in need of assistance" is defined as an 5 9 experienced classroom teacher who is experiencing difficulty 5 10 in the classroom. 5 11 At a minimum, the plan shall also provide for a process for 5 12 training mentors; an orientation meeting for beginning 5 13 teachers; assignment of a beginning teacher or peer in need of 5 14 assistance with a mentor prior to the beginning of the school 5 15 calendar; the minimum amount of contact time between the 5 16 mentor and beginning teacher or peer in need of assistance; 5 17 the minimum amount of release time for meetings for planning, 5 18 demonstration, observation, feedback, and workshops; the 5 19 process for dissolving the partnership between a mentor and a 5 20 beginning teacher or peer in need of assistance; and the 5 21 process for measuring the results of the program. 5 22 "Peer review panel" means a panel composed of school 5 23 district or school administrators, teachers, and 5 24 representatives from the collective bargaining unit 5 25 representing the teachers. 5 26 A peer review panel, which is a panel composed of school 5 27 district or school administrators, teachers, and 5 28 representatives from the collective bargaining unit 5 29 representing the teachers, creates a list of classroom 5 30 teachers eligible to act as mentors and from this list 5 31 appoints a consultant to direct the peer assistance and review 5 32 program. A consultant employed by a school district is to 5 33 receive the same salary that person would have received from 5 34 performing the person's regular position, but is to be 5 35 released from daily classroom teaching duties. 6 1 Plans must provide for weekly visits by the mentor to the 6 2 classroom of a beginning teacher or peer in need of 6 3 assistance. Mentors are to provide bimonthly progress reports 6 4 to the consultant, who provides the peer review panel and the 6 5 beginning teacher or peer in need of assistance with a copy of 6 6 the report. 6 7 The panel must meet periodically with the consultant to 6 8 discuss progress, formulate goals, and share experiences with 6 9 and provide guidance to the consultant. The consultant is to 6 10 provide a final evaluation of each beginning teacher and peer 6 11 in need of assistance to the peer review panel. A beginning 6 12 teacher's contract can be renewed only upon the approval of 6 13 the panel. The panel may recommend contract termination to 6 14 the board of directors of a school district or the authorities 6 15 in charge of a nonpublic school based on the final evaluation 6 16 of a peer in need of assistance. 6 17 This bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code 6 18 section 25B.3. The bill requires that the state cost of any 6 19 state mandate included in the bill be paid by a school 6 20 district from state school foundation aid received by the 6 21 school district under section 257.16. The specification is 6 22 deemed to constitute state compliance with any state mandate 6 23 funding-related requirements of Code section 25B.2. The 6 24 inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the 6 25 requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state 6 26 mandates included in the bill. 6 27 LSB 2079YH 78 6 28 kh/jw/5
Text: HF00638 Text: HF00640 Text: HF00600 - HF00699 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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