CHAPTER 284
TEACHER PERFORMANCE, COMPENSATION,

 AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT

 
Legislative intent; 2001 Acts, ch 161, §1

  284.1  Student achievement and teacher quality program.
  A student achievement and teacher quality program is established to promote high student achievement. The program shall consist of the following four major elements:
  1.  Mentoring and induction programs that provide support for beginning teachers in accordance with section 284.5.
  2.  Career paths with compensation levels that strengthen Iowa’s ability to recruit and retain teachers.
  3.  Professional development designed to directly support best teaching practices.
  4.  Evaluation of teachers against the Iowa teaching standards.
2001 Acts, ch 161, §2; 2006 Acts, ch 1182, §5, 6; 2007 Acts, ch 108, §12; 2011 Acts, ch 34, §73

  284.2  Definitions.
  As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:
  1.  “Beginning teacher” means an individual serving under an initial or intern license, issued under chapter 272, who is assuming a position as a teacher. “Beginning teacher” includes an individual who is an initial teacher. For purposes of the beginning teacher mentoring and induction program created pursuant to section 284.5, “beginning teacher” also includes preschool teachers who are licensed under chapter 272 and are employed by a school district or area education agency. “Beginning teacher” does not include a teacher whose employment with a school district or area education agency is probationary unless the teacher is serving under an initial or teacher intern license issued under chapter 272.
  2.  “Comprehensive evaluation” means a summative evaluation of a beginning teacher conducted by an evaluator for purposes of determining a beginning teacher’s level of competency, for recommendation for licensure based upon the Iowa teaching standards, and to determine whether the teacher’s practice meets the school district expectations for a career teacher.
  3.  “Department” means the department of education.
  4.  “Director” means the director of the department of education.
  5.  “Evaluator” means an administrator or other practitioner who successfully completes an evaluator training program pursuant to section 284.10.
  6.  “Intensive assistance” means the provision of organizational support and technical assistance to teachers, other than beginning teachers, for the remediation of identified teaching and classroom management concerns for a period not to exceed twelve months.
  7.  “Mentor” means an individual employed by a school district or area education agency as a teacher or a retired teacher who holds a valid license issued under chapter 272. The individual must have a record of three years of successful teaching practice, must be employed on a nonprobationary basis, and must demonstrate professional commitment to both the improvement of teaching and learning and the development of beginning teachers.
  8.  “Performance review” means a summative evaluation of a teacher other than a beginning teacher that is used to determine whether the teacher’s practice meets school district expectations and the Iowa teaching standards in accordance with section 284.8.
  9.  “School board” means the board of directors of a school district, a collaboration of boards of directors of school districts, or the board of directors of an area education agency, as the context requires.
  10.  “State board” means the state board of education.
  11.  “Teacher” means an individual who holds a practitioner’s license issued under chapter 272, or a statement of professional recognition issued under chapter 272 who is employed in a nonadministrative position by a school district or area education agency pursuant to a contract issued by a board of directors under section 279.13. A teacher may be employed in both an administrative and a nonadministrative position by a board of directors and shall be considered a part-time teacher for the portion of time that the teacher is employed in a nonadministrative position.
2001 Acts, ch 161, §3; 2002 Acts, ch 1152, §7, 8; 2003 Acts, ch 180, §37; 2006 Acts, ch 1182, §7 – 10; 2007 Acts, ch 108, §13, 14; 2008 Acts, ch 1181, §76; 2009 Acts, ch 177, §34; 2013 Acts, ch 121, §58
Subsections 1, 7, and 8 amended

  284.3  Iowa teaching standards.
  1.  For purposes of this chapter and for developing teacher evaluation criteria under chapter 279, the Iowa teaching standards are as follows:
  a.  Demonstrates ability to enhance academic performance and support for and implementation of the school district’s student achievement goals.
  b.  Demonstrates competence in content knowledge appropriate to the teaching position.
  c.  Demonstrates competence in planning and preparing for instruction.
  d.  Uses strategies to deliver instruction that meets the multiple learning needs of students.
  e.  Uses a variety of methods to monitor student learning.
  f.  Demonstrates competence in classroom management.
  g.  Engages in professional growth.
  h.  Fulfills professional responsibilities established by the school district.
  2.  A school board shall provide for the following:
  a.  For purposes of comprehensive evaluations, standards and criteria which measure a beginning teacher’s performance against the Iowa teaching standards specified in subsection 1, and the criteria for the Iowa teaching standards developed by the department in accordance with section 256.9, to determine whether the teacher’s practice meets the requirements specified for a career teacher. These standards and criteria shall be set forth in an instrument provided by the department. The comprehensive evaluation and instrument are not subject to negotiations or grievance procedures pursuant to chapter 20 or determinations made by the board of directors under section 279.14. A local school board and its certified bargaining representative may negotiate, pursuant to chapter 20, evaluation and grievance procedures for beginning teachers that are not in conflict with this chapter. If, in accordance with section 279.19, a beginning teacher appeals the determination of a school board to an adjudicator under section 279.17, the adjudicator selected shall have successfully completed training related to the Iowa teacher standards, the criteria adopted by the state board in accordance with subsection 3, and any additional training required under rules adopted by the public employment relations board in cooperation with the state board.
  b.  For purposes of performance reviews for teachers other than beginning teachers, evaluations that contain, at a minimum, the Iowa teaching standards specified in subsection 1, as well as the criteria for the Iowa teaching standards developed by the department in accordance with section 256.9, subsection 46. A local school board and its certified bargaining representative may negotiate, pursuant to chapter 20, additional teaching standards and criteria. A local school board and its certified bargaining representative shall negotiate, pursuant to chapter 20, evaluation and grievance procedures for teachers other than beginning teachers that are not in conflict with this chapter.
  3.  The state board shall adopt by rule pursuant to chapter 17A the criteria developed by the department in accordance with section 256.9, subsection 46.
2001 Acts, ch 161, §4; 2002 Acts, ch 1152, §9, 10; 2003 Acts, ch 108, §49; 2003 Acts, ch 180, §38, 39; 2007 Acts, ch 108, §15; 2013 Acts, ch 121, §59

Subsection 2, paragraph a amended

  284.3A  Teacher compensation — single salary system.
  1.  a.  For the school year beginning July 1, 2009, if the licensed employees of a school district or area education agency receiving funds pursuant to sections 257.10 and 257.37A are organized under chapter 20 for collective bargaining purposes, the school board and the certified bargaining representative for the licensed employees shall negotiate the distribution of the funds among the teachers employed by the school district or area education agency according to chapter 20.
  b.  If the licensed employees of a school district or area education agency are not organized for collective bargaining purposes, the board of directors shall determine the method of distribution of such funds.
  c.  For the school years beginning July 1, 2008, and July 1, 2009, a school district or area education agency receiving funds pursuant to sections 257.10 and 257.37A, shall determine the amount to be paid to teachers in accordance with this subsection and the amount determined to be paid to an individual teacher shall be divided evenly by the appropriate number of pay periods and paid in each pay period of the fiscal year beginning with the October payroll.
  2.  a.  For the school budget year beginning July 1, 2010, and each succeeding school year, school districts and area education agencies shall combine payments made to teachers under sections 257.10 and 257.37A with regular wages to create a combined salary. The teacher contract issued under section 279.13 must include the combined salary. If a school district or area education agency uses a salary schedule, a combined salary schedule shall be used for regular wages and for distribution of payments under sections 257.10 and 257.37A, incorporating the salary minimums required in section 284.7, or required under a framework or comparable system approved pursuant to section 284.15. The combined salary schedule must use only the combined salary and cannot differentiate regular salaries and distribution of payments under sections 257.10 and 257.37A.
  b.  If the licensed employees of a school district or area education agency are organized under chapter 20 for collective bargaining purposes, the creation of the new combined salary shall be subject to the scope of negotiations specified in section 20.9. A reduction in the teacher salary supplement per pupil amount shall also be subject to the scope of negotiations specified in section 20.9.
  c.  If the licensed employees of a school district or area education agency are not organized for collective bargaining purposes, the board of directors shall create the new combined salary. The board of directors shall determine adjustments in salaries resulting from a reduction in the teacher salary supplement per pupil amount.
  3.  A school district or area education agency shall not be required to maintain a separate account within its budget based on source of funds for payments received and expenditures made pursuant to this section. The school district or area education agency shall annually certify to the department of education that funding received pursuant to sections 257.10 and 257.37A was expended on salaries for qualified teachers.
  4.  The teacher salary supplement district cost as calculated under section 257.10, subsection 9, and the area education agency teacher salary supplement district cost as calculated under section 257.37A, subsection 1, are not subject to a uniform reduction in accordance with section 8.31.
2009 Acts, ch 68, §9; 2010 Acts, ch 1183, §32, 33, 43; 2013 Acts, ch 121, §60

Subsection 2, paragraph a amended

  284.4  Participation.
  1.  A school district or area education agency is eligible to receive moneys appropriated for purposes specified in this chapter if the school board applies to the department to participate in the student achievement and teacher quality program and submits a written statement declaring the school district’s or agency’s willingness to do all of the following:
  a.  Commit and expend local moneys to improve student achievement and teacher quality.
  b.  Implement a beginning teacher mentoring and induction program as provided in this chapter.
  c.  Create a teacher quality committee. The committee shall have equal representation of administrators and teachers. The teacher members shall be appointed by the certified employee organization if one exists, and if not, by the school district’s or agency’s administration. The administrator members shall be appointed by the school board. However, if a school district can demonstrate that an existing professional development, curriculum, or student improvement committee has significant stakeholder involvement and a leadership role in the school district, the appointing authorities may mutually agree to assign to the existing committee the responsibilities set forth in this paragraph “c”, to appoint members of the existing committee to the teacher quality committee, or to authorize the existing committee to serve in an advisory capacity to the teacher quality committee. The committee shall do all of the following:
  (1)  Monitor the implementation of the requirements of statutes and administrative code provisions relating to this chapter, including requirements that affect any agreement negotiated pursuant to chapter 20.
  (2)  Monitor the evaluation requirements of this chapter to ensure evaluations are conducted in a fair and consistent manner throughout the school district or agency. In addition to any negotiated evaluation procedures, develop model evidence for the Iowa teaching standards and criteria. The model evidence will minimize paperwork and focus on teacher improvement. The model evidence will determine which standards and criteria can be met with observation and which evidence meets multiple standards and criteria.
  (3)  Determine, following the adoption of the Iowa professional development model by the state board of education, the use and distribution of the professional development funds calculated and paid to the school district or agency as provided in section 257.9, subsection 10, or section 257.10, subsection 10, based upon school district or agency, attendance center, and individual teacher and professional development plans.
  (4)  Monitor the professional development in each attendance center to ensure that the professional development meets school district or agency, attendance center, and individual professional development plans.
  (5)  Ensure the agreement negotiated pursuant to chapter 20 determines the compensation for teachers on the committee for work responsibilities required beyond the normal work day.
  d.  Adopt school district, attendance center, and teacher professional development plans in accordance with this chapter.
  e.  Adopt a teacher evaluation plan that, at minimum, requires a performance review of teachers in the district at least once every three years based upon the Iowa teaching standards and individual professional development plans, and requires administrators to complete evaluator training in accordance with section 284.10.
  f.  Adopt teacher career paths based upon demonstrated knowledge and skills in accordance with this chapter.
  2.  By July 1, 2002, each school district shall participate in the student achievement and teacher quality program if the general assembly appropriates moneys for purposes of the student achievement and teacher quality program established pursuant to this chapter.
2001 Acts, ch 161, §5; 2001 Acts, ch 177, §3, 15; 2002 Acts, ch 1152, §11, 12; 2003 Acts, ch 180, §40; 2005 Acts, ch 169, §29; 2006 Acts, ch 1182, §11; 2007 Acts, ch 108, §16 – 19; 2009 Acts, ch 177, §35

  284.5  Beginning teacher mentoring and induction program.
  1.  A beginning teacher mentoring and induction program is created to promote excellence in teaching, enhance student achievement, build a supportive environment within school districts and area education agencies, increase the retention of promising beginning teachers, and promote the personal and professional well-being of teachers.
  2.  Each school district and area education agency shall provide a beginning teacher mentoring and induction program for all teachers who are beginning teachers, and notwithstanding section 284.4, subsection 1, a school district and an area education agency shall be eligible to receive moneys under section 284.13, subsection 1, paragraph “b”, for purposes of implementing a beginning teacher mentoring and induction program in accordance with this section.
  3.  Each school district and area education agency shall develop a plan for the program. A school district shall include its plan in the school district’s comprehensive school improvement plan submitted pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 21. The plan shall, at a minimum, provide for a two-year sequence of induction program content and activities to support the Iowa teaching standards and beginning teacher professional and personal needs; mentor training that includes, at a minimum, skills of classroom demonstration and coaching, and district expectations for beginning teacher competence on Iowa teaching standards; placement of mentors and beginning teachers; the process for dissolving mentor and beginning teacher partnerships; district organizational support for release time for mentors and beginning teachers to plan, provide demonstration of classroom practices, observe teaching, and provide feedback; structure for mentor selection and assignment of mentors to beginning teachers; a district facilitator; and program evaluation.
  4.  A beginning teacher shall be informed by the school district or the area education agency, prior to the beginning teacher’s participation in a mentoring and induction program, of the criteria upon which the beginning teacher shall be evaluated and of the evaluation process utilized by the school district or area education agency.
  5.  Upon completion of the program, the beginning teacher shall be comprehensively evaluated to determine if the teacher meets expectations to move to the career level. The school district or area education agency that employs the beginning teacher shall recommend for a standard license a beginning teacher who is determined through a comprehensive evaluation to demonstrate competence in the Iowa teaching standards. A school district or area education agency may offer a beginning teacher a third year of participation in the program if, after conducting a comprehensive evaluation, the school district determines that the teacher is likely to successfully complete the mentoring and induction program by the end of the third year of eligibility. A teacher granted a third year of eligibility shall develop a teacher’s mentoring and induction program plan in accordance with this chapter and shall undergo a comprehensive evaluation at the end of the third year. The board of educational examiners shall grant a one-year extension of the beginning teacher’s initial license upon notification by the school district that the teacher will participate in a third year of the school district’s program.
  6.  If a beginning teacher who is participating in a mentoring and induction program leaves the employ of a school district or area education agency prior to completion of the program, the school district or area education agency subsequently hiring the beginning teacher shall credit the beginning teacher with the time earned in the program prior to the subsequent hiring.
  7.  If the general assembly appropriates moneys for purposes of this section, a school district or area education agency is eligible to receive state assistance for up to two years under this section for each teacher the school district or area education agency employs who was formerly employed in an accredited nonpublic school or in another state as a first-year teacher. The school district or area education agency employing the teacher shall determine the conditions and requirements of a teacher participating in a program in accordance with this subsection. The school district or area education agency that employs the teacher shall recommend the teacher for an educational license if the teacher, through a comprehensive evaluation, is determined to demonstrate competence in the Iowa teaching standards.
2001 Acts, ch 161, §6; 2001 Acts, ch 177, §4, 15; 2002 Acts, ch 1152, §13; 2003 Acts, ch 180, §41; 2003 Acts, ch 182, §15; 2006 Acts, ch 1182, §12; 2013 Acts, ch 121, §61, 62

Subsection 2 stricken and former subsection 3 renumbered as 2
Former subsection 4 amended and renumbered as 3
Former subsections 5 – 8 renumbered as 4 – 7

  284.6  Teacher professional development.
  1.  The department shall coordinate a statewide network of professional development for Iowa teachers. A school district or professional development provider that offers a professional development program in accordance with section 256.9, subsection 46, shall demonstrate that the program contains the following:
  a.  Support that meets the professional development needs of individual teachers and is aligned with the Iowa teaching standards.
  b.  Research-based instructional strategies aligned with the school district’s student achievement needs and the long-range improvement goals established by the district.
  c.  Instructional improvement components including student achievement data, analysis, theory, classroom demonstration and practice, technology integration, observation, reflection, and peer coaching.
  d.  An evaluation component that documents the improvement in instructional practice and the effect on student learning.
  2.  The department shall identify models of professional development practices that produce evidence of the link between teacher training and improved student learning.
  3.  A school district shall incorporate a district professional development plan into the district’s comprehensive school improvement plan submitted to the department in accordance with section 256.7, subsection 21. The district professional development plan shall include a description of the means by which the school district will provide access to all teachers in the district to professional development programs or offerings that meet the requirements of subsection 1. The plan shall align all professional development with the school district’s long-range student learning goals and the Iowa teaching standards. The plan shall indicate the school district’s approved professional development provider or providers.
  4.  In cooperation with the teacher’s evaluator, the career teacher employed by a school district shall develop an individual teacher professional development plan. The evaluator shall consult with the teacher’s supervisor on the development of the individual teacher professional development plan. The purpose of the plan is to promote individual and group professional development. The individual plan shall be based, at minimum, on the needs of the teacher, the Iowa teaching standards, and the student achievement goals of the attendance center and the school district as outlined in the comprehensive school improvement plan. The individual plan shall include goals for the individual which are beyond those required under the attendance center professional development plan developed pursuant to subsection 7.
  5.  The teacher’s evaluator shall annually meet with the teacher to review progress in meeting the goals in the teacher’s individual plan. The teacher shall present to the evaluator evidence of progress. The purpose of the meeting shall be to review the teacher’s progress in meeting professional development goals in the plan and to review collaborative work with other staff on student achievement goals and to modify as necessary the teacher’s individual plan to reflect the individual teacher’s and the school district’s needs and the individual’s progress in meeting the goals in the plan. The teacher’s supervisor and the evaluator shall review, modify, or accept modifications made to the teacher’s individual plan.
  6.  School districts, a consortium of school districts, area education agencies, higher education institutions, and other public or private entities including professional associations may be approved by the state board to provide teacher professional development. The professional development program or offering shall, at minimum, meet the requirements of subsection 1. The state board shall adopt rules for the approval of professional development providers and standards for the district development plan.
  7.  Each attendance center shall develop an attendance center professional development plan. The purpose of the plan is to promote group professional development. The attendance center plan shall be based, at a minimum, on the needs of the teachers, the Iowa teaching standards, district professional development plans, and the student achievement goals of the attendance center and the school district as set forth in the comprehensive school improvement plan.
  8.  For each year in which a school district receives funds calculated and paid to school districts for professional development pursuant to section 257.10, subsection 10, or section 257.37A, subsection 2, the school district shall create quality professional development opportunities. Not less than thirty-six hours in the school calendar, held outside of the minimum school day, shall be set aside during nonpreparation time or designated professional development time to allow practitioners to collaborate with each other to deliver educational programs and assess student learning, or to engage in peer review pursuant to section 284.8, subsection 1. The funds may be used to implement the professional development provisions of the teacher career paths and leadership roles specified in section 284.7 or 284.15, including but not limited to providing professional development to teachers, including additional salaries for time beyond the normal negotiated agreement; pay for substitute teachers, professional development materials, speakers, and professional development content; and costs associated with implementing the individual professional development plans. The use of the funds shall be balanced between school district, attendance center, and individual professional development plans, making every reasonable effort to provide equal access to all teachers.
  9.  Moneys received pursuant to section 257.10, subsection 10, or section 257.37A, subsection 2, shall be maintained as a separate listing within a school district’s or area education agency’s budget for funds received and expenditures made pursuant to this subsection. A school district shall certify to the department of education how the school district allocated the funds and that moneys received under this subsection were used to supplement, not supplant, the professional development opportunities the school district would otherwise make available.
  10.  If funds are allocated for purposes of professional development pursuant to section 284.13, subsection 1, paragraph “d”, the department shall, in collaboration with the area education agencies, establish teacher development academies for school-based teams of teachers and instructional leaders. Each academy shall include an institute and shall provide follow-up training and coaching.
2001 Acts, ch 161, §7; 2002 Acts, ch 1152, §14; 2003 Acts, ch 180, §42; 2006 Acts, ch 1182, §13, 14; 2007 Acts, ch 108, §20 – 23; 2009 Acts, ch 177, §36; 2011 Acts, ch 34, §74; 2012 Acts, ch 1119, §5; 2013 Acts, ch 121, §63

Subsection 8 amended

  284.7  Iowa teacher career path.
  To promote continuous improvement in Iowa’s quality teaching workforce and to give Iowa teachers the opportunity for career recognition that reflects the various roles teachers play as educational leaders, an Iowa teacher career path is established for teachers employed by school districts. A school district shall use funding calculated and paid pursuant to section 257.10, subsection 9, to raise teacher salaries to meet the requirements of this section. The Iowa teacher career path and salary minimums are as follows:
  1.  The following career path levels are established and shall be implemented in accordance with this chapter:
  a.  Beginning teacher.
  (1)  A beginning teacher is a teacher who meets the following requirements:
  (a)  Has successfully completed an approved practitioner preparation program as defined in section 272.1 or holds an intern teacher license issued by the board of educational examiners under chapter 272.
  (b)  Holds an initial or intern teacher license issued by the board of educational examiners.
  (c)  Participates in the beginning teacher mentoring and induction program as provided in this chapter.
  (2)  Beginning July 1, 2008, the minimum salary for a beginning teacher shall be twenty-eight thousand dollars.
  b.  Career teacher.
  (1)  A career teacher is a teacher who holds a statement of professional recognition issued by the board of educational examiners under chapter 272 or who meets the following requirements:
  (a)  Has successfully completed the beginning teacher mentoring and induction program and has successfully completed a comprehensive evaluation as provided in this chapter.
  (b)  Is reviewed by the school district as demonstrating the competencies of a career teacher.
  (c)  Holds a valid license issued by the board of educational examiners.
  (d)  Participates in teacher professional development as set forth in this chapter and demonstrates continuous improvement in teaching.
  (2)  Beginning July 1, 2008, the minimum salary for a first-year career teacher shall be thirty thousand dollars.
  2.  It is the intent of the general assembly to establish and require the implementation of and provide for the implementation of the following additional career path levels:
  a.  Career II teacher.
  (1)  A career II teacher is a teacher who meets the requirements of subsection 1, paragraph “b”, has met the requirements established by the school district that employs the teacher, and is evaluated by the school district as demonstrating the competencies of a career II teacher. The teacher shall have successfully completed a performance review in order to be classified as a career II teacher.
  (2)  It is the intent of the general assembly that the participating district shall establish a minimum salary for a career II teacher that is at least five thousand dollars greater than the minimum career teacher salary. It is further intended that the district shall adopt a plan that facilitates the transition of a career teacher to a career II level.
  b.  Advanced teacher.
  (1)  An advanced teacher is a teacher who meets the following requirements:
  (a)  Receives the recommendation of the review panel that the teacher possesses superior teaching skills and that the teacher should be classified as an advanced teacher.
  (b)  Holds a valid license from the board of educational examiners.
  (c)  Participates in teacher professional development as outlined in this chapter and demonstrates continuous improvement in teaching.
  (d)  Possesses the skills and qualifications to assume leadership roles.
  (2)  It is the intent of the general assembly that the participating district shall establish a minimum salary for an advanced teacher that is at least thirteen thousand five hundred dollars greater than the minimum career teacher salary. In conjunction with the development of the review panel pursuant to section 284.9, the department shall make recommendations to the general assembly by January 1, 2002, regarding the appropriate district-to-district recognition for advanced teachers and methods that facilitate the transition of a teacher to the advanced level.
  3.  A teacher shall be promoted one level at a time and a teacher promoted to the next career level shall remain at that level for at least one year before requesting promotion to the next career level.
  4.  A teacher employed in a district shall not receive less compensation in that district than the teacher received in the school year preceding participation, as set forth in section 284.4 due to implementation of this chapter. A teacher who achieves national board for professional teaching standards certification and meets the requirements of section 256.44 shall continue to receive the award as specified in section 256.44 in addition to the compensation set forth in this section.
  5.  A school district that is unable to meet the provisions of subsection 1 with funds calculated and paid to the school district pursuant to section 257.10, subsection 9, may request a waiver from the department to use funds calculated and paid under section 257.10, subsection 11, to meet the provisions of subsection 1 if the difference between the funds calculated and paid pursuant to section 257.10, subsection 9, and the amount required to comply with subsection 1 is not less than ten thousand dollars. The department shall consider the average class size of the school district, the school district’s actual unspent balance from the preceding year, and the school district’s current financial position.
  6.  This section is repealed July 1, 2016.
2001 Acts, ch 161, §8; 2001 Acts, ch 177, §5, 6, 15; 2002 Acts, ch 1152, §15, 16; 2003 Acts, ch 180, §43 – 46; 2006 Acts, ch 1182, §15 – 21; 2007 Acts, ch 108, §24 – 30; 2008 Acts, ch 1181, §77 – 80; 2009 Acts, ch 68, §8; 2009 Acts, ch 177, §37 – 39; 2013 Acts, ch 121, §64

NEW subsection 6

  284.8  Performance review requirements for teachers — peer group reviews.
  1.  A school district shall provide for an annual review of each teacher’s performance for purposes of assisting teachers in making continuous improvement, documenting continued competence in the Iowa teaching standards, identifying teachers in need of improvement, or to determine whether the teacher’s practice meets school district expectations for career advancement in accordance with section 284.7. The review shall include, at minimum, classroom observation of the teacher, the teacher’s progress, and implementation of the teacher’s individual professional development plan, subject to the level of resources provided to implement the plan; and shall include supporting documentation from parents, students, and other teachers. The first and second year of review shall be conducted by a peer group of teachers. The peer group shall review all of the peer group members. Peer group reviews shall be formative and shall be conducted on an informal, collaborative basis that is focused on assisting each peer group member in achieving the goals of the teacher’s individual professional development plan. Peer group reviews shall not be the basis for recommending that a teacher participate in an intensive assistance program, and shall not be used to determine the compensation, promotion, layoff, or termination of a teacher, or any other determination affecting a teacher’s employment status. However, as a result of a peer group review, a teacher may elect to participate in an intensive assistance program. Members of the peer group shall be reviewed every third year by at least one evaluator certified in accordance with section 284.10.
  2.  If a supervisor or an evaluator determines, at any time, as a result of a teacher’s performance that the teacher is not meeting district expectations under the Iowa teaching standards specified in section 284.3, subsection 1, paragraphs “a” through “h”, the criteria for the Iowa teaching standards developed by the department in accordance with section 256.9, subsection 46, and any other standards or criteria established in the collective bargaining agreement, the evaluator shall, at the direction of the teacher’s supervisor, recommend to the district that the teacher participate in an intensive assistance program. The intensive assistance program and its implementation are subject to negotiation and grievance procedures established pursuant to chapter 20. All school districts shall be prepared to offer an intensive assistance program.
  3.  If a teacher is denied advancement to the career II or advanced teacher level based upon a performance review, the teacher may appeal the decision to an adjudicator under the process established under section 279.17. However, the decision of the adjudicator is final.
  4.  A teacher who is not meeting the applicable standards and criteria based on a determination made pursuant to subsection 2 shall participate in an intensive assistance program.
2001 Acts, ch 161, §9; 2002 Acts, ch 1152, §17; 2003 Acts, ch 180, §47; 2006 Acts, ch 1182, §22; 2007 Acts, ch 108, §31, 32; 2007 Acts, ch 215, §253; 2008 Acts, ch 1181, §81; 2012 Acts, ch 1119, §6

  284.9  Review panel.
  1.  A career II teacher seeking to receive an advanced designation shall submit a portfolio of work evidence aligned with the Iowa teaching standards to a review panel established in accordance with subsection 2. A majority of the evidence in the portfolio shall be classroom-based. The review panel shall evaluate the career II teacher’s portfolio to determine whether the teacher demonstrates superior teaching skills and shall make a recommendation to the board of educational examiners whether or not the teacher shall receive an advanced designation. The standards for recommendation include, but are not limited to, meeting the Iowa teaching standards at an advanced level.
  2.  The department shall establish up to five regional review panels consisting of five members per panel. Each panel shall include, at a minimum, a nationally board-certified teacher and a school district administrator. Panel members shall be appointed by the director and shall possess the knowledge necessary to determine the quality of the evidence submitted in an applicant’s portfolio. Panel members shall serve staggered three-year terms and may be reappointed to a second term. The department shall provide support and evaluation training for panel members and convene panels as needed. Panel members shall be reimbursed for mileage expenses incurred while engaged in the performance of official duties and shall receive per diem compensation by the department.
  3.  To assure fairness and consistency in the evaluation process, the review panels may perform random audits of the comprehensive evaluations and performance reviews conducted by evaluators throughout the state, and may randomly review how the evaluators are evaluating teachers based upon the Iowa teaching standards.
  4.  A teacher who does not receive a recommendation from a review panel may appeal that denial to an administrative law judge located in the department of inspections and appeals. The state shall not be liable for a teacher’s attorney fees, costs, or damages that may result from an appeal of a review panel’s decision. The state board shall adopt rules to administer this section.
  5.  This section is repealed July 1, 2016.
2001 Acts, ch 161, §10; 2001 Acts, ch 177, §7, 15; 2003 Acts, ch 180, §48; 2013 Acts, ch 121, §65

NEW subsection 5

  284.10  Evaluator training program.
  1.  The department shall establish an evaluator training program to improve the skills of school district evaluators in making employment decisions, making recommendations for licensure, and moving teachers through a career path as established under this chapter. The department shall consult with persons representing teachers, national board-certified teachers, administrators, school boards, higher education institutions with approved practitioner and administrator preparation programs, and with persons from the private sector knowledgeable in employment evaluation and evaluator training in order to develop standards and requirements for the program. Evaluator training programs offered pursuant to this chapter may be provided by a public or private entity. The department shall distribute a list of evaluator training program providers to each school district.
  2.  An administrator licensed under chapter 272 who conducts evaluations of teachers for purposes of this chapter shall complete the evaluator training program. A practitioner licensed under chapter 272 who is not an administrator may enroll in the evaluator training program. Enrollment preference shall be given to administrators. Upon successful completion, the provider shall certify that the administrator or other practitioner is qualified to conduct evaluations for employment, make recommendations for licensure, and make recommendations that a teacher is qualified to advance from one career path level to the next career path level pursuant to this chapter. Certification is for a period of five years and may be renewed.
  3.  A higher education institution approved by the state board to provide an administrator preparation program shall incorporate the evaluator training program into the program offered by the institution.
  4.  The board of educational examiners shall require certification as a condition of issuing or renewing an administrator’s license.
  5.  By July 1, 2007, the director shall develop and implement an evaluator training certification renewal program for administrators and other practitioners who need to renew a certificate issued pursuant to this section.
2001 Acts, ch 161, §11, 25; 2001 Acts, ch 177, §8, 15; 2002 Acts, ch 1152, §18; 2003 Acts, ch 180, §49; 2004 Acts, ch 1175, §95; 2006 Acts, ch 1182, §23

  284.11  State supplemental assistance for high-need schools.
  1.  Findings and intent.  The general assembly finds that students whose first language is not English, who have special needs, or who come from low-income backgrounds face potential obstacles to learning. Schools across Iowa, both urban and rural, have increasing numbers of students who face these challenges. Therefore, it is the intent of the general assembly to provide supplemental assistance to the highest-need schools in Iowa to address these challenges. This section provides for state assistance to allow school districts to develop extended learning time programs, hire instructional support staff, provide additional professional development, or supplement the salary of teachers in the identified schools.
  2.  Department’s responsibilities.  The department shall do the following:
  a.  Collect relevant data and establish a list of high-need schools eligible for state supplemental assistance. The department shall establish a process and criteria to determine which schools are placed on the list and the department shall revise the list annually. Criteria for the determination of which high-need schools shall be placed on the list shall be based upon factors that include but are not limited to the socioeconomic status of the students enrolled in the school, the percentage of the school’s student body who are limited English proficient students, student academic growth, certified instructional staff attrition, and geographic balance. The department may approve or disapprove requests for revision of the list, which a school district submits pursuant to subsection 3. 
  b.  Develop a standardized process for distributing moneys appropriated for supplemental assistance for high-need schools under section 284.13, subsection 1, paragraph “f”, to school districts. In determining the process for distribution of such moneys, the department shall take into consideration the amount of moneys appropriated for supplemental assistance in high-need schools for the given year and the minimal amount of moneys needed to increase the academic achievement of students. A school district receiving moneys pursuant to this section shall certify annually to the department how the moneys distributed to the school district pursuant to this section were used by the school district. 
  c.  Review the use and effectiveness of the funds distributed to school districts for supplemental assistance in high-need schools under this section, and consider the findings and recommendations of the commission on educator leadership and compensation submitted pursuant to section 284.15, subsection 13, relating to the use and effectiveness of the funds distributed to school districts under this section. The department shall submit its findings and recommendations in a report to the general assembly by January 15 annually.
  3.  School district request for approval.  A school district may request on an annual basis approval from the department for additions to the list of high-need schools the department maintains pursuant to subsection 2 based upon the unique local conditions and needs of the school district. The criteria used to determine the placement of high-need schools on the list in accordance with subsection 2 does not restrict the department from adding a high-need school to the list as requested by a school district on the basis of unique local conditions and needs pursuant to this subsection. 
  4.  Moneys received and miscellaneous income.  The distribution of moneys allocated pursuant to section 284.13, subsection 1, paragraph “f”, to a school district shall be made in one payment on or about October 15 of the fiscal year for which the appropriation is made, taking into consideration the relative budget and cash position of the state resources. Such moneys shall not be commingled with state aid payments made under section 257.16 to a school district and shall be accounted for by the local school district separately from state aid payments. Payments made to school districts under this section are miscellaneous income for purposes of chapter 257. A school district shall maintain a separate listing within its budget for payments received and expenditures made pursuant to this section.
  5.  Moneys received to supplement salaries.  Moneys received by a school district pursuant to section 284.13, subsection 1, paragraph “f”, shall be used to supplement and not supplant the salary being received by a teacher in a high-need school, and shall not be considered under chapter 20 by an arbitrator or other third party in determining a comparison of the wages of teachers in that high-need school with the wages of teachers in other buildings or in another school district.
2013 Acts, ch 121, §66

NEW section

  284.12  Reports — rules.
  1.  The department shall annually report the statewide progress on the following:
  a.  Student achievement scores in mathematics and reading at the fourth and eighth grade levels on a district-by-district basis as reported to the local communities pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 21, paragraph “c”.
  b.  Evaluator training program.
  c.  Changes and improvements in the evaluation of teachers under the Iowa teaching standards.
  2.  The report shall be made available to the chairpersons and ranking members of the senate and house committees on education, the deans of the colleges of education at approved practitioner preparation institutions in this state, the state board, the governor, and school districts by January 1. School districts shall provide information as required by the department for the compilation of the report and for accounting and auditing purposes.
  3.  In developing administrative rules for consideration by the state board, the department shall consult with persons representing teachers, administrators, school boards, approved practitioner preparation institutions, and other appropriate education stakeholders.
2001 Acts, ch 161, §13; 2001 Acts, ch 177, §11, 15; 2003 Acts, ch 45, §1; 2005 Acts, ch 19, §39; 2007 Acts, ch 108, §34, 35

  284.13  State program allocation.
  1.  For each fiscal year in which moneys are appropriated by the general assembly for purposes of the student achievement and teacher quality program, the moneys shall be allocated as follows in the following priority order:
  a.  For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, and ending June 30, 2014, to the department of education, the amount of eight hundred forty-six thousand two hundred fifty dollars for the issuance of national board certification awards in accordance with section 256.44. Of the amount allocated under this paragraph, not less than eighty-five thousand dollars shall be used to administer the ambassador to education position in accordance with section 256.45.
  b.  For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, and ending June 30, 2014, an amount up to three million five hundred thirty-seven thousand eight hundred seventy-five dollars for first-year and second-year beginning teachers, to the department of education for distribution to school districts and area education agencies for purposes of the beginning teacher mentoring and induction programs. A school district or area education agency shall receive one thousand three hundred dollars per beginning teacher participating in the program. If the funds appropriated for the program are insufficient to pay mentors, school districts, and area education agencies as provided in this paragraph, the department shall prorate the amount distributed to school districts and area education agencies based upon the amount appropriated. Moneys received by a school district or area education agency pursuant to this paragraph shall be expended to provide each mentor with an award of five hundred dollars per semester, at a minimum, for participation in the school district’s or area education agency’s beginning teacher mentoring and induction program; to implement the plan; and to pay any applicable costs of the employer’s share of contributions to federal social security and the Iowa public employees’ retirement system or a pension and annuity retirement system established under chapter 294, for such amounts paid by the district or area education agency.
  c.  For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, and ending June 30, 2014, up to seven hundred eighty-six thousand eight hundred sixteen dollars to the department for purposes of implementing the professional development program requirements of section 284.6, assistance in developing model evidence for teacher quality committees established pursuant to section 284.4, subsection 1, paragraph “c”, and the evaluator training program in section 284.10. A portion of the funds allocated to the department for purposes of this paragraph may be used by the department for administrative purposes and for not more than four full-time equivalent positions.
  d.  For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, and ending June 30, 2014, an amount up to one million one hundred thirty-six thousand four hundred ten dollars to the department for the establishment of teacher development academies in accordance with section 284.6, subsection 10. A portion of the funds allocated to the department for purposes of this paragraph may be used for administrative purposes.
  e.  (1)  For the following years, to the department of education, for purposes of teacher leadership supplemental aid payments to school districts for implementing the career paths, leadership roles, and compensation framework or comparable system approved in accordance with section 284.15, subsection 6, the following amounts: 
  (a)  For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014, and ending June 30, 2015, fifty million dollars.
  (b)  For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2015, and ending June 30, 2016, fifty million dollars. 
  (c)  For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2016, and ending June 30, 2017, fifty million dollars.
  (2)  (a)  For the initial school year for which a school district receives department approval for and implements a framework or comparable system in accordance with section 284.15, teacher leadership supplement foundation aid payable to that school district shall be paid from the allocation made in subparagraph (1) for that school year. For that school year, the teacher leadership supplement foundation aid payable to the school district is the product of the teacher leadership district cost per pupil for the school year multiplied by the school district’s budget enrollment.
  (b)  For budget years subsequent to the initial school year for which a school district implemented a system and received funding pursuant to subparagraph division (a), the teacher leadership supplement foundation aid payable to that school district shall be paid from the appropriation made in section 257.16. 
  (3)  Of the moneys allocated to the department for the purposes of this paragraph “e”, for each fiscal year included in subparagraph (1), not more than seven hundred thousand dollars shall be used by the department for the development of a delivery system to assist in implementing the career paths and leadership roles considered pursuant to sections 284.15, 284.16, and 284.17, including but not limited to planning grants to school districts and area education agencies, technical assistance for the department, technical assistance for districts and area education agencies, training and staff development, and the contracting of external expertise and services. In using moneys allocated for purposes of this subparagraph (3), the department shall give priority to school districts with certified enrollments of fewer than six hundred students. A portion of the moneys allocated annually to the department for purposes of this subparagraph (3) may be used by the department for administrative purposes and for not more than five full-time equivalent positions.
  (4)  Of the moneys allocated to the department for purposes of this paragraph “e”, for each fiscal year of the fiscal period beginning July 1, 2014, and ending June 30, 2017, the amount remaining after the allocations in subparagraph (3) shall be payable to the school districts that have an approved career path, leadership roles, and compensation framework or approved comparable system as provided in section 284.15.
  (5)  For each fiscal year of the fiscal period beginning July 1, 2014, and ending June 30, 2017, moneys received by a school district pursuant to this paragraph “e” shall not be considered under chapter 20 by an arbitrator or other third party in determining a comparison of the wages of teachers in that school district with the wages of teachers in another school district. 
  (6)  The receipt of funding by a school district for the purposes of this paragraph “e”, and the need for additional funding for the purposes of this paragraph “e”, or the enrollment count of eligible students under this chapter, shall not be considered to be unusual circumstances, create an unusual need for additional funds, or qualify under any other circumstances that may be used by the school budget review committee to grant supplemental aid to or establish a modified supplemental amount for a school district under section 257.31.
  f.  For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014, and for each subsequent fiscal year, to the department of education, ten million dollars for purposes of implementing the supplemental assistance for high-need schools provisions of section 284.11. Annually, of the moneys allocated to the department for purposes of this paragraph, up to one hundred thousand dollars may be used by the department for administrative purposes and for not more than one full-time equivalent position.
  g.  Notwithstanding section 8.33, any moneys remaining unencumbered or unobligated from the moneys allocated for purposes of paragraphs “a” through “f” shall not revert but shall remain available in the succeeding fiscal year for expenditure for the purposes designated. The provisions of section 8.39 shall not apply to the funds appropriated pursuant to this subsection.
  2.  Moneys received by a school district under this chapter are miscellaneous income for purposes of chapter 257 or are considered encumbered. A school district shall maintain a separate listing within its budget for payments received and expenditures made pursuant to this section.
  3.  The state board may adopt rules which assure the allocation of resources under this section in a manner that optimizes the fulfillment of the purposes specified in sections 284.11, 284.15, 284.16, and 284.17.
2001 Acts, ch 177, §12, 15; 2002 Acts, ch 1152, §19, 20; 2003 Acts, ch 179, §116, 117; 2003 Acts, ch 182, §16, 17, 19, 20; 2004 Acts, ch 1175, §97, 98, 100; 2005 Acts, ch 169, §30 – 33; 2006 Acts, ch 1180, §26, 27; 2006 Acts, ch 1182, §25, 26; 2007 Acts, ch 108, §36 – 45, 64; 2007 Acts, ch 215, §103; 2008 Acts, ch 1181, §82 – 85; 2009 Acts, ch 177, §40 – 42, 45, 48; 2010 Acts, ch 1183, §34; 2011 Acts, ch 132, §19, 106; 2012 Acts, ch 1132, §13; 2013 Acts, ch 121, §67 – 69; 2013 Acts, ch 141, §20

Subsection 1, paragraphs a – d amended
Subsection 1, NEW paragraphs e and f and former paragraph e amended and redesignated as g
NEW subsection 3

  284.14  Pay-for-performance program.
  1.  Intent.  The intent of this section is to create a process by which select Iowa school districts research, develop, and implement projects designed to identify promising practices related to enhanced teacher compensation career ladders and performance pay models.
  2.  Commission.  A pay-for-performance commission is established to design and implement a pay-for-performance pilot project and provide a study relating to teacher and staff compensation containing a pay-for-performance component. The study shall measure the cost and effectiveness in raising student achievement of a compensation system that provides financial incentives based on student performance. The commission is part of the executive branch of government.
  3.  Development of program.  Beginning July 1, 2006, the commission shall gather sufficient information to identify a pay-for-performance program based upon student achievement gains and global content standards where student achievement gains cannot be easily measured. The commission shall review pay-for-performance programs in both the public and private sectors.
  a.  Commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2007, the commission shall initiate planning pilots, in selected kindergarten through grade twelve schools, to test the effectiveness of the pay-for-performance program. The purpose of the planning pilots is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of various pay-for-performance program designs, evaluate cost effectiveness, analyze student achievement needs, select formative and summative student achievement measures that align to identify needs, consider necessary supports related to the student achievement goals in the school district’s comprehensive school improvement plan, review assessment needs, identify mechanisms to account for existing teacher contract provisions within the proposed career ladder salary increments, allow thorough review of data, and make necessary adjustments before proposing implementation of the pay-for-performance program statewide.
  b.  Commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2007, the commission shall select two school districts as planning pilots. Participants shall provide reports or other information as required by the commission.
  c.  Commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2008, the commission shall administer two implementation pilots in the school districts selected for planning pilots under paragraph “b”.
  4.  Reports and final study.  Based on the information generated by the planning and implementation pilots, the commission shall prepare an interim report by January 14, 2008, followed by interim progress reports annually, followed by a final study report analyzing the effectiveness of pay-for-performance in raising student achievement levels. The final study report shall be completed no later than six months after the completion of the planning and implementation pilots. The commission shall provide copies of the final study report to the department of education and to the general assembly.
  5.  Iowa excellence fund.
  a.  An Iowa excellence fund is created within the office of the treasurer of state, to be administered by the commission. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys in the fund that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain in the fund.
  b.  The commission may provide grants from this fund, according to criteria developed by the commission, for implementation of the pay-for-performance program.
2006 Acts, ch 1182, §27; 2007 Acts, ch 108, §46 – 48; 2010 Acts, ch 1061, §102

  284.14A  Career ladder pilots.  Repealed by 2012 Acts, ch 1119, §  8.

  284.15  Iowa teacher career paths, leadership roles, and compensation framework.
  1.  To promote continuous improvement in Iowa’s quality teaching workforce and to give Iowa teachers the opportunity for career recognition that reflects the various roles teachers play as educational leaders, a framework for Iowa teacher career paths, leadership roles, and compensation is established under subsection 2 for teachers employed by school districts. Pursuant to subsection 6, a school district may apply to the department for approval to implement the framework or a comparable system of career paths and compensation for teachers that contains differentiated, multiple leadership roles as provided in this section, and sections 284.16 and 284.17. A teacher employed by an area education agency may be included in a framework or comparable system established by a school district if the area education agency and the school district enter into a contract for such purpose. The framework is designed to accomplish the following goals:
  a.  To attract able and promising new teachers by offering competitive starting salaries and offering short-term and long-term professional development and leadership opportunities.
  b.  To retain effective teachers by providing enhanced career opportunities.
  c.  To promote collaboration by developing and supporting opportunities for teachers in schools and school districts statewide to learn from each other.
  d.  To reward professional growth and effective teaching by providing pathways for career opportunities that come with increased leadership responsibilities and involve increased compensation.
  e.  To improve student achievement by strengthening instruction.
  2.  The Iowa teacher career paths, leadership roles, and compensation requirements under the framework shall be as follows:
  a.  Initial teacher.
  (1)  The salary for an initial teacher who has successfully completed an approved practitioner preparation program as defined in section 272.1 or holds an initial or intern teacher license issued under chapter 272, and who participates in the initial teacher mentoring and induction program as provided in this chapter, shall be at least thirty-three thousand five hundred dollars, which shall also constitute the minimum salary for an Iowa teacher.
  (2)  An initial teacher shall complete a teacher residency during the first year of employment that has all of the following characteristics:
  (a)  Intensive supervision or mentoring by a mentor teacher or lead teacher.
  (b)  Sufficient collaboration time for the initial teacher in the residency year to be able to observe and learn from model teachers, mentor teachers, and lead teachers employed by school districts located in this state.
  (c)  A teaching contract issued under section 279.13 that establishes an employment period which is five days longer than that required for career teachers employed by the school district of employment. The five additional contract days shall be used to strengthen instructional leadership in accordance with this subsection.
  (d)  Frequent observation, evaluation, and professional development opportunities.
  b.  Career teacher. A career teacher is a teacher who holds a statement of professional recognition issued under chapter 272 or who meets all of the following requirements:
  (1)  Has successfully completed the initial teacher mentoring and induction program and has successfully completed a comprehensive evaluation.
  (2)  Has demonstrated the competencies of a career teacher as determined under the school district’s comprehensive evaluation of the initial teacher.
  (3)  Holds a valid license issued under chapter 272.
  (4)  Participates in teacher professional development as set forth in this chapter and demonstrates continuous improvement in teaching.
  c.  Model teacher. A model teacher is a teacher who meets the requirements of paragraph “b”, has met the requirements established by the school district that employs the teacher, is evaluated by the school district as demonstrating the competencies of a model teacher, has participated in a rigorous review process, and has been recommended for a one-year assignment as a model teacher by a site-based review council appointed pursuant to subsection 4. A school district shall designate at least ten percent of its teachers as model teachers, though the district may enter into an agreement with one or more other districts or an area education agency to meet this requirement through a collaborative arrangement. The terms of the teaching contracts issued under section 279.13 to model teachers shall exceed by five days the terms of teaching contracts issued under section 279.13 to career teachers, and the five additional contract days shall be used to strengthen instructional leadership in accordance with this subsection. A model teacher shall receive annually a salary supplement of at least two thousand dollars.
  d.  Mentor teacher. A mentor teacher is a teacher who is evaluated by the school district as demonstrating the competencies and superior teaching skills of a mentor teacher, and has been recommended for a one-year assignment as a mentor teacher by a site-based review council appointed pursuant to subsection 4. In addition, a mentor teacher shall hold a valid license issued under chapter 272, participate in teacher professional development as outlined in this chapter, demonstrate continuous improvement in teaching, and possess the skills and qualifications to assume leadership roles. A mentor teacher shall have a teaching load of not more than seventy-five percent student instruction to allow the teacher to mentor other teachers. A school district shall designate at least ten percent of its teachers as mentor teachers, though the district may enter into an agreement with one or more other districts or an area education agency to meet this requirement through a collaborative arrangement. The terms of the teaching contracts issued under section 279.13 to mentor teachers shall exceed by ten days the terms of teaching contracts issued under section 279.13 to career teachers, and the ten additional contract days shall be used to strengthen instructional leadership in accordance with this subsection. A mentor teacher shall receive annually a salary supplement of at least five thousand dollars.
  e.  Lead teacher. A lead teacher is a teacher who holds a valid license issued under chapter 272 and has been recommended for a one-year assignment as a lead teacher by a site-based review council appointed pursuant to subsection 4. The recommendation from the council must assert that the teacher possesses superior teaching skills and the ability to lead adult learners. A lead teacher shall assume leadership roles that may include but are not limited to the planning and delivery of professional development activities designed to improve instructional strategies; the facilitation of an instructional leadership team within the lead teacher’s building, school district, or other school districts; the mentoring of other teachers; and participation in the evaluation of student teachers. A lead teacher shall have a teaching load of not more than fifty percent student instruction to allow the lead teacher to spend time on co-teaching; co-planning; peer reviews; observing career teachers, model teachers, and mentor teachers; and other duties mutually agreed upon by the superintendent and the lead teacher. A school district shall designate at least five percent of its teachers as lead teachers, though the district may enter into an agreement with one or more other districts or an area education agency to meet this requirement through a collaborative arrangement. The terms of the teaching contracts issued under section 279.13 to lead teachers shall exceed by fifteen days the terms of teaching contracts issued under section 279.13 to career teachers, and the fifteen additional contract days shall be used to strengthen instructional leadership in accordance with this subsection. A lead teacher shall receive annually a salary supplement of at least ten thousand dollars.
  3.  The salary supplement received by a teacher assigned to a leadership role shall fully cover the salary costs of the additional contract days required of teachers in those leadership roles. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the determinations of salary supplements paid pursuant to this section are not subject to appeal.
  4.  The school board shall appoint a site-based review council for the district’s attendance centers. Attendance centers may share a site-based review council if the appointments meet the requirements specified in paragraph “a”. 
  a.  Each council shall be comprised of equal numbers of teachers and administrators.
  b.  The council shall accept and review applications submitted to the school’s or the school district’s administration for assignment or reassignment in a teacher leadership role, and shall make recommendations regarding the applications to the superintendent of the school district. In developing recommendations, the council shall utilize measures of teacher effectiveness and professional growth, consider the needs of the school district, and review the performance and professional development of the applicants. Any teacher recommended for assignment or reassignment in a teacher leadership role shall have demonstrated to the council’s satisfaction competency on the Iowa teaching standards as set forth in section 284.3.
  c.  An assignment in a teacher leadership role under an approved framework or comparable system shall be subject to review by the school’s or the school district’s administration at least annually. The review shall include peer feedback on the effectiveness of the teacher’s performance of duty specific to the teacher’s career path. A teacher who completes the time period of assignment in a teacher leadership role may apply to the school’s or the school district’s administration for assignment in a new role, if appropriate, or for reassignment.
  5.  A teacher employed in a school district shall not receive less compensation in that district than the teacher received in the school year preceding implementation of the framework or a comparable system approved pursuant to this section. A teacher who achieves national board for professional teaching standards certification and meets the requirements of section 256.44 shall continue to receive the award as specified in section 256.44 in addition to the compensation set forth in this section.
  6.  a.  A school district may apply to the department for approval to implement the career paths, leadership roles, and compensation framework specified in subsection 2, or a comparable system of career paths and compensation for teachers that contains differentiated multiple leadership roles. The director shall consider the recommendations of the commission established pursuant to subsection 12 when approving or disapproving applications submitted pursuant to this section. A school district may modify an approved framework or comparable system if the director approves the modification. A school district may appeal the director’s decision to the state board and the state board’s decision is final.
  b.  At any time during a school year, a school district approved to implement the framework or a comparable system pursuant to this subsection may apply to the department to waive full or partial implementation of the approved framework or system for the current school year. The school district shall submit to the department for approval a modified implementation plan for the school year following the school year for which the district received a waiver pursuant to this paragraph if the school district wishes to continue partial implementation beyond the school year for which the district received a waiver. The state board may adopt by rule a limitation on the number of times a school district may apply for a waiver in accordance with this paragraph.
  c.  A school district approved to implement the framework or a comparable system pursuant to this subsection shall submit to the department for approval any proposed change to the framework or comparable system.
  d.  By March 1 of the school year preceding implementation, a school district that has been approved to implement the framework or a comparable system pursuant to this subsection may opt out of implementation of the framework or comparable system by notifying the department of its intent to withdraw from implementation. The department shall notify the department of management that the school district is no longer approved to implement the framework or comparable system and is not eligible to receive teacher leadership supplement foundation aid under chapter 257 or this chapter.
  e.  A school district whose application for approval to implement a comparable system or modified comparable system is denied may appeal the department’s decision to the state board.
  7.  The department shall establish criteria and a process for application and approval of the framework established under subsection 1, and for comparable systems that meet the requirements of section 284.16 or 284.17, which a school district may implement pursuant to subsection 6 in order to receive teacher leadership supplement foundation aid calculated under section 257.10, subsection 12.
  8.  For purposes of this section a comparable system means either of the following:
  a.  An instructional coach model as set forth in section 284.16 and approved by the department pursuant to this section.
  b.  A system of career paths and compensation for teachers that contains differentiated, multiple leadership roles as set forth in section 284.17 and approved by the department pursuant to this section. 
  9.  A school district is encouraged to utilize appropriately licensed teachers emeritus in the implementation of this section and sections 284.16 and 284.17.
  10.  The framework or comparable system approved and implemented by a school district in accordance with this section shall be applicable to teachers in every attendance center operated by the school district.
  11.  Subject to an appropriation by the general assembly for purposes of this subsection, a school district may apply to the department for a planning grant to design an implementation strategy for the framework established pursuant to subsection 1 or a comparable system of career paths and compensation for teachers that contains differentiated multiple leadership roles. The planning grant shall be used to facilitate a local decision-making process that includes representation of administrators, teachers, and parents and guardians of students. The department shall establish and make available an application for the awarding of planning grants for purposes of this subsection.
  12.  The department shall establish, and provide staffing and administrative support for a commission on educator leadership and compensation. The commission shall monitor with fidelity the implementation of the frameworks and comparable systems by school districts pursuant to this section and sections 284.16 and 284.17. The commission shall also evaluate and make recommendations to the department on applications for approval of a framework or comparable system submitted to the department pursuant to subsection 6, and on the expenditure of moneys appropriated for purposes of this section. In addition, the commission shall review the use and effectiveness of the funds distributed to school districts for supplemental assistance to high-need schools under section 284.11.
  a.  The commission shall be comprised of nineteen voting members. The director of the department or the director’s designee shall serve as a nonvoting, ex officio member. The voting members shall include the following:
  (1)  Members appointed by the following designated organizations, at the discretion of the organization:
  (a)  Five teachers by the Iowa state education association.
  (b)  Three school administrators by the school administrators of Iowa.
  (c)  Two school board members by the Iowa association of school boards.
  (d)  One person appointed jointly by the administrators of the area education agencies created under chapter 273.
  (2)  Members appointed by the director as follows:
  (a)  Two teachers, each of whom shall be employed by a school district, an area education agency, or an accredited nonpublic school.
  (b)  One person who is a parent of a child enrolled in a school district.
  (c)  One person who is a business leader.
  (d)  One person who represents the largest approved practitioner preparation institution in the state.
  (3)  The executive director of the Iowa state education association or the executive director’s designee.
  (4)  The executive director of the school administrators of Iowa or the executive director’s designee.
  (5)  The executive director of the Iowa association of school boards or the executive director’s designee.
  b.  Members shall be appointed to staggered three-year terms which begin and end as provided in section 69.19. Appointments shall comply with sections 69.16, 69.16A, and 69.16C. Vacancies on the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. A person appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve only for the unexpired portion of the term. Members are entitled to reimbursement of actual expenses incurred in performance of their official duties.
  c.  By December 15 annually, the commission shall submit its findings and any recommendations, including but not limited to any recommendations for changes to the framework established in subsections 1 and 2, and the comparable systems set forth in sections 284.16 and 284.17, and for changes to section 284.11 relating to state supplemental assistance to high-need schools, in a report to the director, the state board, the governor, and the general assembly.
  13.  a.  Teacher leadership supplement foundation aid calculated under section 257.10, subsection 12, shall be paid as part of the state aid payments made to school districts in accordance with section 257.16. 
  b.  Notwithstanding section 284.3A, teacher leadership supplement foundation aid shall not be combined with regular wages to create a combined salary. 
  c.  The teacher leadership supplement district cost as calculated under section 257.10, subsection 12, is not subject to a uniform reduction in accordance with section 8.31.
  14.  The provisions of this chapter shall be subject to legislative review at least every three years. The review shall be based upon a status report from the commission on educator leadership and compensation, which shall be prepared with the assistance of the departments of education, management, and revenue. The status report shall review and report on the department’s assignment and utilization of full-time equivalent positions, and shall include information on teacher retention, teacher compensation, academic quality of beginning teachers, teacher evaluation results, student achievement trend and comparative data, and recommendations for changes to the teacher leadership supplement foundation aid and the framework or comparable systems approved pursuant to this section. The first status report shall be submitted to the general assembly by January 15, 2017, with subsequent status reports prepared and submitted to the general assembly by January 15 at least every third year thereafter.
2013 Acts, ch 121, §70

For FY 2013-2014 appropriation for implementation of education reform provisions, see 2013 Acts, ch 121, §110; 2013 Acts, ch 141, §6 
NEW section

  284.16  Instructional coach model.
  1.  Instructional coach model.  The instructional coach and curriculum and professional development leader model shall include, at a minimum, the following levels and requirements:
  a.  Beginning teacher level.  The beginning teacher shall be paid not less than thirty-three thousand five hundred dollars and shall meet the following requirements:
  (1)  Has successfully completed an approved practitioner preparation program as defined in section 272.1 or holds an intern teacher license issued under chapter 272.
  (2)  Holds an initial or intern teacher license issued under chapter 272.
  (3)  Participates in the beginning teacher mentoring and induction program as provided in this chapter.
  (4)  Completes, during the initial year of teaching, a teacher residency that meets the requirements set forth in section 284.15, subsection 2, paragraph “a”, subparagraph (2).
  b.  Career teacher level.  A career teacher is a teacher who holds a statement of professional recognition issued under chapter 272 or who meets the following requirements:
  (1)  Has successfully completed the beginning teacher mentoring and induction program and has successfully completed a comprehensive evaluation.
  (2)  Is reviewed by the school district as demonstrating the competencies of a career teacher.
  (3)  Holds a valid license issued under chapter 272.
  (4)  Participates in teacher professional development as set forth in this chapter and demonstrates continuous improvement in teaching.
  c.  Instructional coach level.
  (1)  An instructional coach shall, at a minimum, meet the requirements specified for a career teacher in paragraph “b”, and engage full-time in instructional coaching.
  (2)  For purposes of this paragraph, “instructional coaching” means additional guidance in one or more aspects of the teaching profession provided to teachers.
  (3)  Assignment as an instructional coach to an individual teacher shall be based on either a request from a principal or from an individual teacher upon approval of a principal.
  (4)  Instructional coaching shall include detailed preliminary discussions as to areas in which the teachers being coached desire to improve; formulation of an action plan to bring about such improvement; in-class supervision by the instructional coach; postclass discussion of strengths, weaknesses, and strategies for improvement; and dialogue between the instructional coach and students and school officials regarding the teachers being coached. An instructional coach shall coordinate instructional coaching activities relating to training and professional development with an area education agency where appropriate.
  (5)  The contract term for an instructional coach shall exceed by ten days the contract term issued to career teachers under section 279.13. An instructional coach shall receive a stipend of not less than five thousand nor more than seven thousand dollars annually in addition to the teacher’s salary as a career teacher. 
  d.  Curriculum and professional development leader level.  The contract term for a curriculum and professional development leader shall exceed by fifteen days the contract term issued to model teachers under section 279.13, and the curriculum and professional development leader shall receive a stipend of not less than ten thousand nor more than twelve thousand dollars annually in addition to the teacher’s salary as a career teacher. A curriculum and professional development leader shall do the following:
  (1)  Provide and demonstrate teaching on an ongoing basis.
  (2)  Routinely work strategically with teachers in planning, monitoring, reviewing, and implementing best instructional practices.
  (3)  Observe and coach teachers in effective instructional practices.
  (4)  Support teacher growth and reflective practices.
  (5)  Work with and train classroom teachers to provide interventions aligned by subject area.
  (6)  Support instruction and learning through the use of technology.
  (7)  Actively participate in collaborative problem solving and reflective practices which include but are not limited to professional study groups, peer observations, grade level planning, and weekly team meetings.
  (8)  Plan and deliver professional development activities designed to improve instructional strategies.
  (9)  Engage in the development, adoption, and implementation of curriculum and curricular materials.
  e.  Model teacher level.
  (1)  A model teacher is a teacher who meets the requirements of paragraph “b”, has met the requirements established by the school district that employs the teacher, is evaluated by the school district as demonstrating the competencies of a model teacher, has participated in a rigorous review process, and has been recommended for a one-year assignment as a model teacher by a site-based review council in the manner provided under section 284.15, subsection 4. 
  (2)  The contract term for a model teacher shall exceed by five days the contract term issued to career teachers under section 279.13, and the five additional contract days shall be used to strengthen instructional leadership. A model teacher shall receive annually a salary supplement of at least two thousand dollars.
  2.  Goals.  Each school district approved under section 284.15 to implement the instructional coach model as specified in this section shall establish the following goals for leadership participation:
  a.  Instructional coach goal.  Assignment, annually, of at least one instructional coach at each attendance center or at least one instructional coach for every five hundred students enrolled in an attendance center, whichever number is greater.
  b.  Model teacher goal.  Assignment of at least ten percent of its teachers annually as model teachers.
  c.  Equivalent leadership participation goal.  As nearly as possible, the total number of hours of coaching and leadership duties performed by instructional coaches and curriculum and professional development leaders shall be equal to the total number of hours of noninstructional, mentoring, and leadership duties for a school district teaching staff of equal size implementing the framework as set forth in section 284.15, subsection 2.
  3.  Requirements for implementation and receipt of teacher leadership supplement funds.  A school district implementing the instructional coach model shall receive funds under section 257.10, subsection 12.
  4.  Applicability.  The provisions of section 284.15, subsections 3 through 11, shall apply to school districts implementing the instructional coach model.
2013 Acts, ch 121, §71

NEW section

  284.17  Comparable system criteria.
  Any comparable system of career paths and compensation for teachers approved pursuant to section 284.15, including the instructional coach model set forth in section 284.16, shall include, at a minimum, all of the following components:
  1.  A minimum salary of thirty-three thousand five hundred dollars for a full-time teacher.
  2.  Increased support for new teachers and veteran teachers where appropriate, such as additional coaching, mentoring, and opportunities for observing exceptional instructional practice.
  3.  Differentiated, multiple teacher leadership roles beyond the initial teacher and career teacher levels, in which a goal of at least twenty-five percent of the teacher workforce serves additional contract days with compensation commensurate with the responsibilities for the leadership role. A district shall demonstrate that a good-faith effort has been made to attain participation by twenty-five percent of the teacher workforce and that no other practical alternative is available to meet the goal. These leadership roles may include but shall not be limited to all of the following:
  a.  Instructional coaches who engage full-time or part-time in instructional coaching.
  b.  Peer coaches who provide additional guidance in one or more aspects of the teaching profession to other teachers during normal noninstructional time. Peer coaches may be used only as one element of a more extensive teacher leadership plan.
  c.  Curriculum and professional development leaders who engage full-time or part-time in the planning, development, and implementation of curriculum and professional development.
  d.  Model teachers who teach full-time and serve as models of exemplary teaching practice.
  e.  Mentor teachers who teach full-time or part-time and also support the professional development of initial and career teachers.
  f.  Lead teachers who teach full-time or part-time and also plan and deliver professional development activities or engage in other activities designed to improve instructional strategies.
  4.  A rigorous selection process for placement into and retention in teacher leadership roles. The process shall include all of the following components:
  a.  The use of measures of effectiveness and professional growth to determine suitability for the role.
  b.  A selection committee that includes teachers and administrators who shall accept and review applications for assignment or reassignment to a teacher leadership role and shall make recommendations regarding the applications to the superintendent of the school district.
  c.  An annual review of the assignment to a teacher leadership role by the school’s or school district’s administration. The review shall include peer feedback on the effectiveness of the teacher’s performance of duty specific to the teacher’s leadership role. A teacher who completes the time period of assignment to a leadership role may apply to the school’s or the school district’s administration for assignment in a new leadership role, if appropriate, or for reassignment.
  d.  A requirement that a teacher assigned to a leadership role must have at least three years of teaching experience, and at least one year of experience in the school district.
  5.  A professional development system facilitated by teachers and other education experts and aligned with the Iowa professional development model adopted by the state board.
  6.  A school district approved to implement a comparable system pursuant to section 284.15, and which meets the requirements of this section, shall receive funds under section 257.10, subsection 12.
2013 Acts, ch 121, §72

NEW section