Text: HF00671                           Text: HF00673
Text: HF00600 - HF00699                 Text: HF Index
Bills and Amendments: General Index     Bill History: General Index



House File 672

Partial Bill History

Bill Text

PAG LIN
  1  1    Section 1.  INTENT.  It is the intent of the general
  1  2 assembly to create a student achievement program that
  1  3 acknowledges that outstanding teachers are a key component in
  1  4 student success.  This Act establishes a student achievement
  1  5 and teacher quality program that includes a career path for
  1  6 teachers, with compensation levels that strengthen Iowa's
  1  7 ability to attract and retain quality teachers.  This Act also
  1  8 establishes a team-based variable pay plan that rewards
  1  9 teachers when student achievement reaches or exceeds academic
  1 10 performance goals.  The total comprehensive education
  1 11 improvement plan set forth in this Act also includes
  1 12 provisions for beginning teacher mentoring and induction
  1 13 programs and for professional development designed to directly
  1 14 improve teacher skills and knowledge.
  1 15    Sec. 2.  NEW SECTION.  284.1  STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND
  1 16 TEACHER QUALITY PROGRAM.
  1 17    A student achievement and teacher quality program is
  1 18 established to promote high student achievement.  The program
  1 19 shall consist of the following four major elements:
  1 20    1.  Mentoring and induction programs that provide support
  1 21 for beginning teachers in accordance with sections 284.5 and
  1 22 284.6.
  1 23    2.  Career paths with compensation levels that strengthen
  1 24 Iowa's ability to recruit and retain teachers.
  1 25    3.  Professional development designed to directly support
  1 26 best teaching practices.
  1 27    4.  Team-based variable pay that provides additional
  1 28 compensation when student performance improves.
  1 29    Sec. 3.  NEW SECTION.  284.2  DEFINITIONS.
  1 30    As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise
  1 31 requires:
  1 32    1.  "Beginning teacher" means, except as provided in
  1 33 section 272.28, an individual serving under a provisional, or
  1 34 a conditional license as defined in section 272.1, subsection
  1 35 3A, issued by the board of educational examiners under chapter
  2  1 272, who is assuming a position as a classroom teacher.
  2  2    2.  "Classroom teacher" means an individual who holds a
  2  3 valid practitioner's license and who is employed under a
  2  4 teaching contract with a school district or area education
  2  5 agency in this state to provide classroom instruction to
  2  6 students.
  2  7    3.  "Department" means the department of education.
  2  8    4.  "Director" means the director of the department of
  2  9 education.
  2 10    5.  "Evaluator" means a practitioner who successfully
  2 11 completes an evaluator training program pursuant to section
  2 12 284.10.
  2 13    6.  "Mentor" means an individual employed by a school
  2 14 district or area education agency as a classroom teacher who
  2 15 holds a valid practitioner's license issued under chapter 272.
  2 16 The individual must have a record of four years of successful
  2 17 teaching practice, must be employed as a classroom teacher on
  2 18 a nonprobationary basis, and must demonstrate professional
  2 19 commitment to both the improvement of teaching and learning
  2 20 and the development of beginning teachers.
  2 21    7.  "School board" means the board of directors of a school
  2 22 district or a collaboration of boards of directors of school
  2 23 districts.
  2 24    8.  "State board" means the state board of education.
  2 25    9.  "Teacher" means an individual holding a practitioner's
  2 26 license issued under chapter 272, who is employed as a
  2 27 teacher, librarian, media specialist, or counselor in a
  2 28 nonadministrative position by a school district or area
  2 29 education agency pursuant to a contract issued by a board of
  2 30 directors under section 279.13.  A teacher may be employed in
  2 31 both an administrative and a nonadministrative position by a
  2 32 board of directors and shall be considered a part-time teacher
  2 33 for the portion of time that the teacher is employed in a
  2 34 nonadministrative position.  "Teacher" includes a licensed
  2 35 individual employed on a less than full-time basis by a school
  3  1 district through a contract between the school district and an
  3  2 institution of higher education with a practitioner
  3  3 preparation program in which the licensed teacher is enrolled.
  3  4    Sec. 4.  NEW SECTION.  284.3  IOWA TEACHING STANDARDS.
  3  5    1.  For purposes of this chapter and for developing teacher
  3  6 evaluation criteria under chapter 279, the Iowa teaching
  3  7 standards are as follows:
  3  8    a.  Content knowledge.
  3  9    b.  Planning and preparation for instruction.
  3 10    c.  Instructional delivery.
  3 11    d.  Monitoring student learning.
  3 12    e.  Classroom management.
  3 13    f.  Professional responsibilities.
  3 14    2.  A school board has the responsibility to adopt core
  3 15 knowledge and skill components based upon the standards
  3 16 established in this section and the models developed pursuant
  3 17 to section 256.9, subsection 51, for purposes of creating a
  3 18 professional development program, teacher evaluations under
  3 19 chapter 279, and for performance review, advancement, and
  3 20 licensure of teachers in accordance with chapter 272 and this
  3 21 chapter.  Faculty shall be involved in developing the core
  3 22 knowledge and skill components adopted by the school board.
  3 23    Sec. 5.  NEW SECTION.  284.4  PARTICIPATION.
  3 24    It is the intent of the general assembly that all school
  3 25 districts participate in the student achievement and teacher
  3 26 quality program.  A school district is eligible to receive
  3 27 moneys appropriated for purposes specified in this chapter if
  3 28 the school board applies to the department to participate in
  3 29 the student achievement and teacher quality program and
  3 30 submits a written statement declaring the school district's
  3 31 commitment to do all of the following:
  3 32    1.  Commit and expend local moneys to improve student
  3 33 achievement and teacher quality.
  3 34    2.  Implement a beginning teacher mentoring and induction
  3 35 program as provided in this chapter.
  4  1    3.  Provide two more contract days than provided in the
  4  2 school year beginning July 1, 2001, and two more contract days
  4  3 than provided in the school year beginning July 1, 2002, and
  4  4 to remain at no less than that number of contract days for
  4  5 each succeeding school year, to provide additional time for
  4  6 teachers to engage in research-based professional development
  4  7 that aligns with student learning and teacher development
  4  8 needs in order to achieve attendance center and districtwide
  4  9 student achievement goals outlined in the district
  4 10 comprehensive school improvement plan.  The department shall
  4 11 provide school districts with strategies for restructuring the
  4 12 school calendar to provide for the most effective professional
  4 13 development.
  4 14    4.  Adopt teacher career paths based upon demonstrated
  4 15 knowledge and skills in accordance with this chapter.
  4 16    5.  Adopt a team-based variable pay plan, based upon a
  4 17 statewide model.  The pay plan shall reward attendance center
  4 18 success.
  4 19    Sec. 6.  NEW SECTION.  284.5  BEGINNING TEACHER MENTORING
  4 20 AND INDUCTION PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.
  4 21    1.  The department shall coordinate a beginning teacher
  4 22 mentoring and induction program to promote excellence in
  4 23 teaching, build a supportive environment within school
  4 24 districts, increase the retention of promising beginning
  4 25 teachers, and promote the personal and professional well-being
  4 26 of teachers.  By July 1, 2002, a school board shall provide
  4 27 for an approved two-year beginning teacher mentoring and
  4 28 induction program.
  4 29    2.  The state board shall adopt rules providing for an
  4 30 approval process for beginning teacher mentoring and induction
  4 31 program plans submitted in accordance with section 284.6.  The
  4 32 department may disapprove a plan submitted by a school board
  4 33 if the plan does not meet the minimum criteria set forth in
  4 34 section 284.6.  However, if the department disapproves the
  4 35 plan, the department shall provide the school board with
  5  1 recommendations for plan improvements and allow the school
  5  2 district to resubmit the plan for consideration.  It is the
  5  3 intent of the general assembly that the department approve
  5  4 plans that incorporate local innovation and take into
  5  5 consideration local needs.
  5  6    Sec. 7.  NEW SECTION.  284.6  BEGINNING TEACHER MENTORING
  5  7 AND INDUCTION PROGRAM PLANS.
  5  8    1.  Each participating school district shall develop and
  5  9 submit to the department a beginning teacher mentoring and
  5 10 induction program plan which shall, at a minimum, provide the
  5 11 process for the selection of and the number of mentors; the
  5 12 mentor training process; the timetable by which the plan shall
  5 13 be implemented; placement of mentors and beginning teachers;
  5 14 release time for mentors and beginning teachers for planning,
  5 15 demonstration, observation, feedback, and workshops;
  5 16 additional compensation for mentors; the process for
  5 17 dissolving mentor and beginning teacher partnerships; the
  5 18 programs utilized to train mentors and evaluators; and the
  5 19 process for measuring the results of the program.
  5 20    2.  Prior to the start of each school year, the school
  5 21 district shall prepare, in consultation with a mentor and
  5 22 beginning teacher, that teacher's mentoring and induction
  5 23 program plan and shall inform the teacher of the criteria upon
  5 24 which the teacher will be evaluated.
  5 25    Sec. 8.  NEW SECTION.  284.7  TEACHER CAREER DEVELOPMENT.
  5 26    1.  The department shall coordinate a statewide network of
  5 27 professional development programs that, at a minimum, shall:
  5 28    a.  Support individual teacher improvement based upon the
  5 29 Iowa teaching standards.
  5 30    b.  Align with district and attendance center student
  5 31 achievement goals as outlined in the district's comprehensive
  5 32 school improvement plan.
  5 33    c.  Provide teachers with research-based strategies in
  5 34 teaching, learning, and leadership.
  5 35    d.  Contain an evaluation component to determine the
  6  1 changes in teacher instructional practices that impact on
  6  2 student learning.
  6  3    2.  The state board shall prescribe standards and
  6  4 procedures for the approval of professional development
  6  5 programs and providers.  Professional development offered
  6  6 under this chapter may be provided by an approved public or
  6  7 private entity.
  6  8    3.  A participating school district shall establish and
  6  9 maintain a district teacher career development plan that is
  6 10 linked to the Iowa teaching standards, the core knowledge and
  6 11 skill components adopted by the school board, and the
  6 12 comprehensive school improvement plan submitted to the
  6 13 department in accordance with section 256.7, subsection 21.
  6 14 In addition, at a minimum, the district teacher career
  6 15 development plan shall:
  6 16    a.  Focus teaching practices on the academic indicators and
  6 17 goals specified in the comprehensive school improvement plan.
  6 18    b.  Provide a comprehensive professional development plan
  6 19 for teachers that meets the needs of the district and the
  6 20 individual teachers.
  6 21    4.  The school district shall provide access by teachers to
  6 22 professional development, through public and private providers
  6 23 approved by the state board, that meets the criteria set forth
  6 24 in subsection 1.
  6 25    5.  In cooperation with the teacher's supervisor, the
  6 26 teacher employed by a participating school district shall
  6 27 develop an individual teacher career development plan.  The
  6 28 individual plan shall be based, at a minimum, on the Iowa
  6 29 teaching standards, the needs of the teacher, the students,
  6 30 the attendance center, and the school district as outlined in
  6 31 the comprehensive school improvement plan.  The individual
  6 32 plan shall be reviewed at the teacher's annual evaluation.
  6 33    Sec. 9.  NEW SECTION.  284.8  IOWA TEACHER CAREER PATH.
  6 34    To promote continuous improvement in Iowa's quality
  6 35 teaching workforce and to give Iowa teachers the opportunity
  7  1 for career recognition that reflects the various roles
  7  2 teachers play as educational leaders, an Iowa teacher career
  7  3 path is established for teachers employed by participating
  7  4 school districts.
  7  5    1.  PROVISIONAL TEACHER.  A provisional teacher is a
  7  6 teacher who meets the following requirements:
  7  7    a.  Successfully completed an approved practitioner
  7  8 preparation program as defined in section 272.1.
  7  9    b.  Holds a provisional teacher license issued by the board
  7 10 of educational examiners.
  7 11    c.  Participates in the beginning teacher mentoring and
  7 12 induction program as provided in this chapter.
  7 13    2.  CAREER I TEACHER.  A career I teacher is a teacher who
  7 14 meets the following requirements:
  7 15    a.  Successfully completed the beginning teacher mentoring
  7 16 and induction program as provided in this chapter.
  7 17    b.  Is evaluated by the school district as demonstrating
  7 18 the competencies of a career I teacher.
  7 19    c.  Holds a career teacher license issued by the board of
  7 20 educational examiners.
  7 21    d.  Participates in teacher career development as set forth
  7 22 in this chapter and demonstrates continuous improvement in
  7 23 teaching.
  7 24    3.  CAREER II TEACHER.  A career II teacher is a teacher
  7 25 who meets the requirements of subsection 2, paragraphs "a",
  7 26 "c", and "d", and who has met endorsement requirements
  7 27 established by the school district that employs the teacher,
  7 28 and who is evaluated by the school district as demonstrating
  7 29 the competencies of a career II teacher.
  7 30    4.  ADVANCED TEACHER.  An advanced teacher is a teacher who
  7 31 meets the following requirements:
  7 32    a.  Is evaluated by the school district as demonstrating
  7 33 the competencies of an advanced teacher.
  7 34    b.  Holds an advanced teacher license from the board of
  7 35 educational examiners.
  8  1    e.  Participates in teacher career development as outlined
  8  2 in this chapter and demonstrates continuous improvement in
  8  3 teaching.
  8  4    d.  Possesses the skills and qualifications to assume
  8  5 leadership roles.
  8  6    Sec. 10.  NEW SECTION.  284.9  EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS –
  8  7 PANEL.
  8  8    1.  a.  The principal at an attendance center shall
  8  9 annually evaluate the teachers employed at the attendance
  8 10 center.  The principal may designate another evaluator to
  8 11 conduct the annual evaluation of a teacher.  The evaluation
  8 12 shall include classroom observation of the teacher and may
  8 13 include supporting documentation from other supervisors,
  8 14 parents, and students.
  8 15    b.  A teacher may be comprehensively evaluated for purposes
  8 16 of performance review, advancement, or licensure.  A teacher
  8 17 shall be comprehensively evaluated at least once every five
  8 18 years or each time advancement to a higher career path level
  8 19 is contemplated.  Comprehensive evaluations shall be conducted
  8 20 by the principal of the attendance center that employs the
  8 21 teacher or by another evaluator designated by the principal or
  8 22 by the principal's designee and one additional evaluator
  8 23 chosen from a pool of evaluators available to the school
  8 24 district.  A school district may collaborate with one or more
  8 25 other school districts and with one or more area education
  8 26 agencies to establish a pool of evaluators.
  8 27    c.  If a comprehensive evaluation conducted for a teacher
  8 28 does not include a recommendation for advancement, a
  8 29 comprehensive evaluation shall be conducted for the teacher no
  8 30 sooner than one year from the date of the last comprehensive
  8 31 evaluation.
  8 32    2.  The director, in consultation with representatives of
  8 33 classroom teachers, national board-certified teachers,
  8 34 administrators, school board members, the two largest
  8 35 organizations representing teachers in the state, and
  9  1 institutions of higher education, shall appoint a review panel
  9  2 consisting of seven individuals knowledgeable in making a
  9  3 determination of whether the evidence submitted by a teacher
  9  4 demonstrates that a teacher has superior teaching skills.  A
  9  5 panel member shall serve a three-year term with the terms of
  9  6 panel members staggered.  A panel member may serve two terms
  9  7 on a review panel.  A panel shall convene as necessary and the
  9  8 department of education shall provide staff support for the
  9  9 review panels.  The purpose of the panel is to perform random
  9 10 audits of the comprehensive evaluations conducted by
  9 11 evaluators throughout the state.
  9 12    3.  The state board shall adopt rules to administer this
  9 13 section.
  9 14    Sec. 11.  NEW SECTION.  284.10  EVALUATOR TRAINING PROGRAM.
  9 15    1.  The department shall establish an evaluator training
  9 16 program to improve the skills of school district evaluators in
  9 17 making employment decisions, making recommendations for
  9 18 licensure, and moving teachers through a career path as
  9 19 established under this chapter.  The department shall consult
  9 20 with persons representing classroom teachers, national board-
  9 21 certified teachers, administrators, school boards, higher
  9 22 education institutions with approved practitioner and
  9 23 administrator preparation programs, the two largest
  9 24 organizations representing teachers in this state, and with
  9 25 persons from the private sector knowledgeable in employment
  9 26 evaluation and evaluator training in order to develop
  9 27 standards and requirements for the program.  Evaluator
  9 28 training programs offered pursuant to this chapter may be
  9 29 provided by an approved public or private entity.
  9 30    2.  A practitioner licensed under chapter 272 who conducts
  9 31 evaluations of teachers for purposes of this chapter shall
  9 32 complete the evaluator training program.  Upon successful
  9 33 completion, the provider shall provide evidence to the board
  9 34 of educational examiners that the practitioner is qualified to
  9 35 conduct evaluations for employment, make recommendations for
 10  1 licensure, and make recommendations that a teacher is
 10  2 qualified to advance from one career path level to the next
 10  3 career path level pursuant to this chapter.  Certification by
 10  4 the board of educational examiners is for a period of five
 10  5 years and may be renewed.
 10  6    3.  Effective until July 1, 2004, a school district shall
 10  7 pay an award, from moneys allocated pursuant to section
 10  8 284.14, subsection 2, paragraph "c", in the amount of one
 10  9 thousand dollars to each individual who is licensed as a
 10 10 practitioner under chapter 272 on or after July 1, 2001, and
 10 11 who has been certified in accordance with this section.  By
 10 12 July 1 annually, the school district shall notify the
 10 13 department of education of the number of individuals who have
 10 14 achieved certification in accordance with this section, and
 10 15 shall submit any documentation requested by the department.
 10 16    4.  The department shall establish statewide
 10 17 recommendations for the number of evaluators each district
 10 18 should have available based on the enrollment of the district.
 10 19 A school district may collaborate with other school districts
 10 20 to meet the recommended number of evaluators.
 10 21    5.  By July 1, 2002, a higher education institution
 10 22 approved by the state board to provide an administrator
 10 23 preparation program shall incorporate the evaluator training
 10 24 program into the program offered by the institution.
 10 25    6.  Beginning July 1, 2004, the board of educational
 10 26 examiners shall require certification as a condition of
 10 27 issuing or renewing an administrator's license.
 10 28    Sec. 12.  NEW SECTION.  284.11  CAREER PATH COMPENSATION.
 10 29    1.  A participating school district shall use funding
 10 30 allocated under section 284.14, subsection 3, to do the
 10 31 following:
 10 32    a.  Raise the district's minimum salary for a first-year
 10 33 beginning teacher by at least one thousand dollars above the
 10 34 salary paid to beginning teachers in the previous fiscal year.
 10 35 However, a district is not required to raise the minimum
 11  1 salary if the district's average beginning teacher salary is
 11  2 twenty-five thousand dollars or more.
 11  3    b.  Raise the salary of a second-year beginning teacher by
 11  4 at least one thousand dollars above the salary paid to a
 11  5 first-year beginning teacher in the previous fiscal year.
 11  6 However, a district is not required to raise the salary of a
 11  7 second-year beginning teacher as provided in this subsection
 11  8 if the district's average beginning teacher salary is twenty-
 11  9 six thousand dollars or more.
 11 10    c.  Provide a two thousand dollar difference between the
 11 11 maximum beginning teacher salary and the minimum career I
 11 12 teacher salary.  After receiving a salary as a career I
 11 13 teacher for five years, a career I teacher shall not be
 11 14 eligible for a cost-of-living increase negotiated pursuant to
 11 15 chapter 20 until the teacher successfully advances to the
 11 16 level of career II teacher.
 11 17    d.  Establish, not later than July 1, 2002, or one fiscal
 11 18 year after becoming a participating district, a minimum salary
 11 19 for an advanced teacher that is at least fifteen thousand
 11 20 dollars greater than the minimum career I teacher salary.
 11 21    2.  A teacher employed in a participating district shall
 11 22 not receive less compensation in that participating district
 11 23 than the teacher received in the school year starting July 1,
 11 24 2001, due to implementation of this chapter.
 11 25    Sec. 13.  NEW SECTION.  284.12  TEAM-BASED VARIABLE PAY FOR
 11 26 STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
 11 27    1.  The state shall, by July 1, 2003, develop and implement
 11 28 a team-based variable pay plan that will utilize valid and
 11 29 reliable assessments to accurately measure the growth in
 11 30 performance of Iowa students.  The pay plan shall do the
 11 31 following:
 11 32    a.  Focus on student performance in kindergarten through
 11 33 grade twelve with the emphasis at the elementary and middle
 11 34 school level placed on student performance in the core
 11 35 courses, including but not limited to reading and mathematics.
 12  1    b.  Provide for incentive awards to those school attendance
 12  2 centers that achieve annual performance standards.
 12  3    2.  A school district shall use moneys appropriated for
 12  4 purposes of this section to provide a cash award to all of the
 12  5 licensed practitioners at an attendance center that meets or
 12  6 exceeds annual standards of performance.  The school district
 12  7 may extend cash awards to other staff employed at the
 12  8 attendance center.  The cash award shall not be included
 12  9 within an employee's base pay.
 12 10    3.  A performance fund is established in the office of the
 12 11 treasurer of state under the control of the department.
 12 12 Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys in the fund shall not
 12 13 revert and shall be available for expenditure for purposes of
 12 14 team-based variable pay in accordance with this section.
 12 15    4.  Moneys received under this section by a school district
 12 16 shall not be used for payment of any collective bargaining
 12 17 agreement or arbitrator's decision negotiated or awarded under
 12 18 chapter 20.
 12 19    Sec. 14.  NEW SECTION.  284.13  REPORT.
 12 20    1.  The department shall annually report the statewide
 12 21 progress on the following:
 12 22    a.  Beginning teacher mentoring and induction program.
 12 23    b.  Improvement in teacher compensation.
 12 24    c.  Evaluator training program.
 12 25    d.  Changes and improvements in the evaluation of teachers
 12 26 under the Iowa teaching standards.
 12 27    e.  Team-based variable pay for student achievement.
 12 28    f.  Impact on attracting and retaining teachers in the
 12 29 profession.
 12 30    2.  The report shall be made available to the chairpersons
 12 31 and ranking members of the senate and house committees on
 12 32 education, the state board, and school districts by January 1.
 12 33 School districts shall provide information as required by the
 12 34 department for the compilation of the report and for
 12 35 accounting and auditing purposes.
 13  1    3.  The department of education shall annually submit to
 13  2 the chairpersons and ranking members of the senate and house
 13  3 committees on education the findings of the review panel
 13  4 created pursuant to section 284.9.
 13  5    4.  The board of educational examiners shall compile
 13  6 statistical information from the results of the examinations
 13  7 administered pursuant to section 272.2, subsection 16.  The
 13  8 information compiled shall identify the practitioner
 13  9 preparation programs from which the applicants graduated, but
 13 10 shall not identify applicants individually.  The statistical
 13 11 information compiled by the board pursuant to this subsection
 13 12 is a public record.  The board shall submit a review of the
 13 13 statistical information to the chairpersons and ranking
 13 14 members of the senate and house education committees and the
 13 15 state board by December 1, 2003.
 13 16    Sec. 15.  NEW SECTION.  284.14  STATE PROGRAM ALLOCATION.
 13 17    1.  For the fiscal years beginning on or after July 1,
 13 18 2001, the department shall deposit not less than fifteen
 13 19 percent of any moneys appropriated for purposes of this
 13 20 chapter into the performance fund established in section
 13 21 284.12.  It is the intent of the general assembly that the
 13 22 percentage of funds provided for purposes of team-based
 13 23 variable pay shall increase annually until the level of thirty
 13 24 percent is reached.  Commencing with the fiscal year beginning
 13 25 July 1, 2002, for each fiscal year in which moneys are
 13 26 appropriated by the general assembly for purposes of team-
 13 27 based variable pay pursuant to section 284.12, the amount of
 13 28 moneys allocated to school districts shall be in the
 13 29 proportion that the basic enrollment of a school district
 13 30 bears to the sum of the basic enrollments of all school
 13 31 districts in the state for the budget year.
 13 32    2.  Except as provided in subsection 1, for each fiscal
 13 33 year in which moneys are appropriated by the general assembly
 13 34 for purposes of the student achievement and teacher quality
 13 35 program, the moneys shall be allocated as follows:
 14  1    a.  For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2001, and ending
 14  2 June 30, 2002, to the department of education, the amount of
 14  3 one million nine hundred thousand dollars for the issuance of
 14  4 national board certification awards in accordance with section
 14  5 256.44.
 14  6    b.  For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2001, and ending
 14  7 June 30, 2002, an amount up to two million four hundred
 14  8 thousand dollars, and for the fiscal year beginning July 1,
 14  9 2002, and ending June 30, 2003, an amount up to four million
 14 10 seven hundred thousand dollars, to the department of education
 14 11 for distribution to school districts for purposes of the
 14 12 beginning teacher mentoring and induction programs, based upon
 14 13 the proportion that the number of beginning teachers employed
 14 14 by a school district during the fiscal year in which moneys
 14 15 are appropriated for the program bears to the total number of
 14 16 beginning teachers employed by all school districts in the
 14 17 state during the fiscal year.  A participating school district
 14 18 shall receive five hundred dollars per beginning teacher
 14 19 participating in the program, per semester, at a minimum.
 14 20 Moneys received by a school district in accordance with this
 14 21 paragraph shall be expended to implement the program and to
 14 22 pay any applicable costs of the employer's share of
 14 23 contributions to federal social security and the Iowa public
 14 24 employees' retirement system or a pension and annuity
 14 25 retirement system established under chapter 294, for such
 14 26 amounts paid by the district.
 14 27    c.  For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2001, and ending
 14 28 June 30, 2002, up to one million five hundred thousand dollars
 14 29 to the department of education for purposes of establishing
 14 30 the evaluator training program, including but not limited to
 14 31 the development of criteria models; an evaluation process; the
 14 32 training of providers; development of a provider approval
 14 33 process; training materials and costs; awards for
 14 34 practitioners under section 284.10, subsection 3, and to pay
 14 35 any applicable costs of the employer's share of contributions
 15  1 to federal social security and the Iowa public employees'
 15  2 retirement system or a pension and annuity retirement system
 15  3 established under chapter 294, for such amounts paid by the
 15  4 district; and for subsidies to school districts for training
 15  5 costs.  Moneys distributed to school districts for the
 15  6 purposes of evaluator training programs shall be distributed
 15  7 based upon the proportion that the number of administrators
 15  8 employed by a school district during the fiscal year in which
 15  9 moneys are appropriated for the program bears to the total
 15 10 number of administrators employed by all school districts in
 15 11 the state during the fiscal year.
 15 12    d.  For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2001, and ending
 15 13 June 30, 2002, up to one million dollars to the department of
 15 14 education for purposes of implementing the professional
 15 15 development program requirements of section 284.7, and the
 15 16 review panel requirements of section 284.9.
 15 17    e.  For each fiscal year in the fiscal period beginning
 15 18 July 1, 2001, and ending June 30, 2003, up to five hundred
 15 19 thousand dollars to the board of educational examiners for the
 15 20 fees and costs incurred in administering the Praxis II
 15 21 examination in accordance with section 272.2, subsection 16.
 15 22    3.  For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2001, and ending
 15 23 June 30, 2002, the amount of moneys remaining after
 15 24 distribution as provided in subsection 2, shall be allocated
 15 25 to school districts in accordance with the following formula:
 15 26    a.  Fifty percent of the allocation shall be in the
 15 27 proportion that the basic enrollment of a school district
 15 28 bears to the sum of the basic enrollments of all school
 15 29 districts in the state for the budget year.
 15 30    b.  Fifty percent of the allocation shall be based upon the
 15 31 proportion that the number of full-time equivalent teachers
 15 32 employed by a school district and the number of full-time
 15 33 equivalent classroom teachers employed by the area education
 15 34 agency that serves the school district bears to the sum of the
 15 35 number of full-time equivalent teachers who are employed by
 16  1 all school districts and the number of full-time equivalent
 16  2 classroom teachers employed by all area education agencies in
 16  3 the state for the base year.
 16  4    4.  If a school district does not choose to participate in
 16  5 the student achievement and teacher quality program during the
 16  6 school year beginning July 1, 2001, the amount of moneys to be
 16  7 allocated to the school district pursuant to subsection 3
 16  8 shall be held for the school district by the department until
 16  9 June 30, 2003, or until the school district participates in
 16 10 the program, whichever occurs earlier.  Notwithstanding
 16 11 section 8.33, unencumbered or unobligated funds remaining on
 16 12 June 30, 2002, shall not revert but shall be available for
 16 13 expenditure for the following fiscal year for the purposes of
 16 14 this chapter.
 16 15    5.  Moneys received by a school district under this chapter
 16 16 are miscellaneous income for purposes of chapter 257 or are
 16 17 considered encumbered.  A school district shall maintain a
 16 18 separate listing within its budget for payments received and
 16 19 expenditures made pursuant to this section.
 16 20    Sec. 16.  Section 256.9, Code 2001, is amended by adding
 16 21 the following new subsections:
 16 22    NEW SUBSECTION.  51.  Develop models of core knowledge and
 16 23 skill components, based upon the Iowa teaching standards, for
 16 24 the evaluation, the advancement, and for teacher career
 16 25 development purposes pursuant to chapter 284.  The components
 16 26 shall further define the characteristics of quality teaching
 16 27 as established by the Iowa teaching standards.
 16 28    NEW SUBSECTION.  52.  Establish an evaluator training
 16 29 program to train evaluators on the process and procedures and
 16 30 content of an evaluation based upon the Iowa teaching
 16 31 standards.
 16 32    Sec. 17.  Section 272.2, subsection 1, Code 2001, is
 16 33 amended to read as follows:
 16 34    1.  a.  License practitioners, who do not hold or receive a
 16 35 license from another professional licensing board, and
 17  1 professional development programs, except for programs
 17  2 developed and offered by practitioner preparation institutions
 17  3 or area education agencies and approved by the state board of
 17  4 education.  Licensing authority includes the authority to
 17  5 establish criteria for the licenses, including but not limited
 17  6 to, establish issuance and renewal requirements, creation of
 17  7 create application and renewal forms, creation of create
 17  8 licenses that authorize different instructional functions or
 17  9 specialties, development of develop a code of professional
 17 10 rights and responsibilities, practice, and ethics, and the
 17 11 authority to develop any other classifications, distinctions,
 17 12 and procedures which may be necessary to exercise licensing
 17 13 duties in this chapter.  A code of professional rights and
 17 14 responsibilities, practice, and ethics shall address but not
 17 15 be limited to the habitual failure of a practitioner to
 17 16 fulfill contractual obligations under section 279.13.
 17 17    b.  License teachers employed by a school district as
 17 18 provided in paragraph "a" and in accordance with the
 17 19 requirements of section 284.8, as provisional, career, and
 17 20 advanced teachers.  A school district shall submit in a timely
 17 21 manner, on forms provided by the board, evidence that a
 17 22 teacher employed by the district has met the career path
 17 23 requirements of section 284.8.  A license issued to a career
 17 24 or advanced teacher, pursuant to this paragraph, shall be
 17 25 valid for five years.
 17 26    c.  Notwithstanding section 272.28, subsection 1, a teacher
 17 27 shall be licensed in accordance with rules adopted pursuant to
 17 28 chapter 272, Code 2001, if the teacher successfully completes
 17 29 a beginning teacher mentoring program approved pursuant to
 17 30 chapter 256E on or before June 30, 2002, or is employed by a
 17 31 school district that does not offer a beginning teacher
 17 32 mentoring and induction program approved in accordance with
 17 33 this chapter during the school year beginning July 1, 2001.
 17 34    d.  Notwithstanding section 272.28, subsection 1, a teacher
 17 35 shall be licensed as a career teacher if the teacher meets the
 18  1 licensing requirements of chapter 272 and, prior to July 1,
 18  2 2003, successfully completes a two-year beginning teacher
 18  3 mentoring and induction program approved pursuant to this
 18  4 chapter.
 18  5    Sec. 18.  Section 272.2, Code 2001, is amended by adding
 18  6 the following new subsections:
 18  7    NEW SUBSECTION.  16.  a.  Administer the Praxis II
 18  8 examination for knowledge of pedagogies and for not more than
 18  9 one content area in which the applicant intends to teach to
 18 10 each applicant for a provisional license prior to issuance of
 18 11 the license.  Examination fees for the examination required
 18 12 under this subsection shall be paid from moneys appropriated
 18 13 to the board for this purpose.  Costs incurred for additional
 18 14 content area examinations shall be paid by the applicant.
 18 15    b.  This subsection is repealed effective June 30, 2003.
 18 16    NEW SUBSECTION.  17.  Certify practitioners who are
 18 17 licensed pursuant to this chapter and who have successfully
 18 18 completed an evaluator training program in accordance with
 18 19 section 284.10.  Certification authority includes, but is not
 18 20 limited to, issuance and renewal requirements, creation of
 18 21 application and renewal forms, and to the establishment,
 18 22 collection, and refunding of fees for a certificate.
 18 23    Sec. 19.  NEW SECTION.  272.28  MENTORING AND INDUCTION
 18 24 REQUIREMENT.
 18 25    1.  Effective July 1, 2003, requirements for teacher
 18 26 licensure beyond a provisional license shall include
 18 27 successful completion of a beginning teacher mentoring and
 18 28 induction program approved by the state board of education.
 18 29    2.  A teacher from an accredited nonpublic school or
 18 30 another state or country is exempt from the requirement of
 18 31 subsection 1 if the teacher can document two years of
 18 32 successful teaching experience within the past four years and
 18 33 meet or exceed the requirements contained in rules adopted
 18 34 under this chapter for endorsement and licensure.
 18 35    Sec. 20.  Section 279.14, subsection 2, Code 2001, is
 19  1 amended to read as follows:
 19  2    2.  The determination of standards of performance expected
 19  3 of school district personnel and of evaluation criteria
 19  4 pursuant to section 284.3 shall be reserved as an exclusive
 19  5 management right of the school board and shall not be subject
 19  6 to mandatory negotiations under chapter 20.  Notwithstanding
 19  7 chapter 20, objections to the procedures, use, or content of
 19  8 an evaluation in a teacher termination proceeding brought
 19  9 before the school board in a hearing held in accordance with
 19 10 section 279.16 or 279.27 shall not be subject to the grievance
 19 11 procedures negotiated in accordance with chapter 20.  A school
 19 12 district shall not be obligated to process any evaluation
 19 13 grievance after service of a notice and recommendation to
 19 14 terminate an individual's continuing teaching contract in
 19 15 accordance with chapter 279.
 19 16    Sec. 21.  LEGISLATIVE IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE.  The
 19 17 legislative council is requested to establish a two-year
 19 18 legislative implementation committee to conduct a
 19 19 comprehensive study of team-based variable pay and make
 19 20 recommendations for the implementation of a team-based
 19 21 variable pay plan component of the student achievement and
 19 22 teacher quality program.  The legislative council is also
 19 23 requested to authorize up to $75,000 for the expenses of the
 19 24 committee.
 19 25    The committee shall establish the manner in which standards
 19 26 of performance are to be determined, the level of expected
 19 27 growth, the development of a student academic database, the
 19 28 timeline and procedure for the collection of student
 19 29 achievement data, identification of the structures of a team
 19 30 for purposes of equitable operation of the plan, and a
 19 31 timeline for implementation of the plan.
 19 32    The committee shall recommend a means of evaluation
 19 33 designed to determine the effect of the student achievement
 19 34 and teacher quality plan on raising student achievement.  The
 19 35 committee shall submit preliminary recommendations to the
 20  1 general assembly by December 15, 2001, and shall make its
 20  2 final recommendations to the general assembly by December 15,
 20  3 2002.
 20  4    The committee shall be composed of six members representing
 20  5 both political parties and both houses of the general
 20  6 assembly.  Three members shall be appointed by the president
 20  7 of the senate, after consultation with the majority leader of
 20  8 the senate and the minority leader of the senate.  The
 20  9 remaining three members shall be appointed by the speaker of
 20 10 the house of representatives after consultation with the
 20 11 majority and minority leaders of the house of representatives.
 20 12    Sec. 22.  Chapter 256E, Code 2001, is repealed.
 20 13    Sec. 23.  Section 272.33, Code 2001, is repealed effective
 20 14 July 1, 2002.
 20 15    Sec. 24.  STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED.  In accordance
 20 16 with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring
 20 17 compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall
 20 18 be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid
 20 19 received by the school district under section 257.16.  This
 20 20 specification of the payment of the state cost shall be deemed
 20 21 to meet all the state funding-related requirements of section
 20 22 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional state funding shall be
 20 23 necessary for the full implementation of this Act by and
 20 24 enforcement of this Act against all affected school districts.  
 20 25                           EXPLANATION
 20 26    This bill establishes a student achievement and teacher
 20 27 quality program to improve student achievement and teacher
 20 28 quality in Iowa.  The program has four major elements:
 20 29 providing teachers with a career path, a team-based variable
 20 30 pay plan that rewards teachers when student performance
 20 31 improves, professional development designed to support best
 20 32 teaching practices, and beginning teacher mentoring and
 20 33 induction programs.
 20 34    SCHOOL DISTRICT RESPONSIBILITIES.  A school district is
 20 35 eligible for state program assistance only if the district
 21  1 applies to the department of education and agrees to commit
 21  2 and expend local moneys, implement a beginning teacher
 21  3 mentoring and induction program, provide more contract days
 21  4 for professional development, adopt teacher career paths, and
 21  5 to adopt a team-based variable pay plan, once a statewide
 21  6 model is established, to reward attendance center success in
 21  7 improving student achievement.
 21  8    The bill requires a school district to establish and
 21  9 maintain a district teacher career development plan linked to
 21 10 Iowa's teaching standards, the core knowledge and skill
 21 11 components its school board adopts, and the district's
 21 12 comprehensive school improvement plan.  The district plan is
 21 13 to focus teaching practices on the indicators and goals
 21 14 specified in the comprehensive school improvement plan and
 21 15 focus on an individual teacher's professional development
 21 16 plan.  The district must provide access to staff development.
 21 17    MENTORING AND INDUCTION.  The bill repeals Code chapter
 21 18 256E but provides for the statewide expansion of the program
 21 19 it established.  The bill extends the one-year program to two
 21 20 years and requires that all school districts provide a
 21 21 mentoring and induction program for beginning teachers by July
 21 22 1, 2002.
 21 23    The bill provides for the development of the mentoring and
 21 24 induction plan by the school district.  The mentoring and
 21 25 induction plan, under the bill, must identify the programs
 21 26 utilized to train mentors and evaluators.
 21 27    The bill allows beginning teachers who complete a one-year
 21 28 program prior to July 1, 2002, to be licensed as a regular
 21 29 teacher.  The bill also provides that those who successfully
 21 30 complete a program prior to July 1, 2003, will be licensed as
 21 31 career teachers.
 21 32    STATE BOARD AND DEPARTMENT DUTIES.  The bill directs the
 21 33 department of education to establish an evaluation training
 21 34 program and models of core teaching knowledge and skills.  The
 21 35 department must also provide school districts with strategies
 22  1 for restructuring the school day for professional development
 22  2 purposes.
 22  3    Each school district must also prepare an individual
 22  4 mentoring and induction program plan for each beginning
 22  5 teacher and inform the beginning teacher of its evaluation
 22  6 criteria.
 22  7    The bill provides that the person who evaluates each
 22  8 beginning teacher against the core teaching knowledge and
 22  9 skills standards must successfully complete evaluator
 22 10 training.  The bill directs the department to approve
 22 11 providers of evaluator training.  Providers can include an
 22 12 approved public or private entity.
 22 13    STATEWIDE TEACHING STANDARDS.  The bill establishes
 22 14 teaching standards, but provides school districts with the
 22 15 responsibility of adopting core knowledge and skill components
 22 16 based on the standards and the models developed by the
 22 17 department, with the involvement of faculty.
 22 18    LICENSURE.  Under the bill, licensure beyond a provisional
 22 19 license is tied to successful completion of a mentoring and
 22 20 induction program for teachers applying for licensure beyond a
 22 21 provisional license on or after July 1, 2003.  The bill
 22 22 exempts teachers from accredited nonpublic schools and other
 22 23 states or countries who can document three recent years of
 22 24 successful teaching experience.  The bill requires that the
 22 25 board of educational examiners administer a Praxis II
 22 26 examination to all provisional license applicants.  The fees
 22 27 and costs of the basic examination are to be paid from moneys
 22 28 appropriated by the general assembly for that purpose.
 22 29    CAREER DEVELOPMENT PLANNING/CAREER PATH.  Each teacher,
 22 30 with the cooperation of the teacher's supervisor, must develop
 22 31 an individual teacher career development plan based upon the
 22 32 Iowa teaching standards, the needs of the teacher, students,
 22 33 the attendance center, and the school district as described in
 22 34 the district's comprehensive school improvement plan.
 22 35    The bill also sets forth the requirements a teacher must
 23  1 meet along a career path as a beginning, career I, career II,
 23  2 and advanced teacher.  The bill directs the board of
 23  3 educational examiners to license teachers at the beginning,
 23  4 career, and advanced levels when a district submits evidence
 23  5 that the teacher has met the requirements.
 23  6    The bill also provides for the establishment of a review
 23  7 panel charged with performing random audits of the
 23  8 comprehensive evaluations performed throughout the state.
 23  9    EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS.  The bill requires the principal
 23 10 at an attendance center to annually evaluate the teachers
 23 11 employed at the attendance center.  A teacher shall be
 23 12 comprehensively evaluated at least once every five years or
 23 13 each time advancement to a higher career path level is
 23 14 contemplated.  Comprehensive evaluations must be conducted by
 23 15 the principal or the principal's designee, or by the designee
 23 16 and one additional evaluator chosen from a pool of evaluators
 23 17 available to the school district.  School district and area
 23 18 education agencies may collaborate to establish a pool of
 23 19 evaluators.  If a teacher is not recommended for advancement,
 23 20 a comprehensive evaluation shall be conducted no sooner than
 23 21 one year from the date of the last comprehensive evaluation.
 23 22 The bill also provides for the establishment of a review panel
 23 23 to perform audits of the comprehensive evaluations conducted
 23 24 statewide.
 23 25    CAREER PATH COMPENSATION.  The bill provides that a first-
 23 26 year beginning teacher must be paid $1,000 more than the
 23 27 previous year's beginning teacher salary, that a second-year
 23 28 beginning teacher will receive another $1,000 increase in
 23 29 salary, up to limits of $25,000 and $26,000, respectively, and
 23 30 that a career teacher will earn a salary at least $2,000
 23 31 higher than that paid a beginning teacher.  Advanced teachers
 23 32 earn $15,000 more than the minimum career teacher salary.
 23 33 However, no teacher shall receive less under the bill than the
 23 34 teacher receives for the 2001-2002 school year.
 23 35    VARIABLE PAY TEAM-BASED PLAN.  The bill requires that the
 24  1 state develop and implement, by July 1, 2003, a team-based
 24  2 variable pay plan.  The bill permits a participating school
 24  3 district to use any state moneys appropriated for the program
 24  4 to provide a cash award to all of the licensed practitioners
 24  5 employed at an attendance center that has demonstrated
 24  6 exceptional improvement in student achievement.  Other staff
 24  7 may also receive a cash award.
 24  8    REPORT.  The bill requires the department to report
 24  9 statewide program progress to the senate and house education
 24 10 committees, the state board, and the school districts
 24 11 annually.
 24 12    PROGRAM ALLOCATION FORMULA.  The bill provides for the
 24 13 allocation of any moneys the general assembly would
 24 14 appropriate for purposes set forth in the bill.  At least 15
 24 15 percent of any moneys appropriated by the general assembly for
 24 16 purposes of the program are to be used for cash awards under
 24 17 the team-based variable pay plan.  Those moneys are to be
 24 18 distributed on a per pupil basis.  For FY 2001-2002 and each
 24 19 succeeding fiscal year, $1.9 million is allocated to the
 24 20 department of education for national board certification
 24 21 awards.  For FY 2001-2002, up to $2.4 million and for FY 2002-
 24 22 2003, up to $4.7 million is allocated to the department for
 24 23 beginning teacher mentoring and induction programs.  For FY
 24 24 2001-2002, up to $1.5 million is allocated to the department
 24 25 for establishment of an evaluator training program, and $1
 24 26 million for implementation of the professional development
 24 27 program and the review panel requirements.  For FY 2001-2002,
 24 28 up to $500,000 is allocated to the board of educational
 24 29 examiners for administration of the Praxis II examination to
 24 30 provisional license applicants.  Fifty percent of the
 24 31 remaining moneys appropriated by the general assembly for the
 24 32 program are to be allocated on the basis of the number of
 24 33 teachers employed, and the other 50 percent based on
 24 34 enrollment.  If a school district chooses not to participate
 24 35 in the first year of the program, its allocations for career
 25  1 path purposes and team-based pay will carry over and be
 25  2 available for allocation to the school district in FY 2002-
 25  3 2003.
 25  4    LEGISLATIVE IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE.  The bill requests
 25  5 that the legislative council establish a two-year legislative
 25  6 implementation committee to conduct a comprehensive study of
 25  7 team-based variable pay.
 25  8    STATE MANDATE.  The bill may include a state mandate as
 25  9 defined in Code section 25B.3.  The bill requires that the
 25 10 state cost of any state mandate included in the bill be paid
 25 11 by a school district from state school foundation aid received
 25 12 by the school district under Code section 257.16.  The
 25 13 specification is deemed to constitute state compliance with
 25 14 any state mandate funding-related requirements of Code section
 25 15 25B.2.  The inclusion of this specification is intended to
 25 16 reinstate the requirement of political subdivisions to comply
 25 17 with any state mandates included in the bill.  
 25 18 LSB 2003HV 79
 25 19 kh/cf/24
     

Text: HF00671                           Text: HF00673
Text: HF00600 - HF00699                 Text: HF Index
Bills and Amendments: General Index     Bill History: General Index

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