Bill Text: CA AB5 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Amended
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Teachers: best practices teacher evaluation system.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2012-08-30 - From committee: Return to Senate floor for consideration. (Ayes 6. Noes 2.) (August 29). Ordered to third reading. [AB5 Detail]
Download: California-2011-AB5-Amended.html
Bill Title: Teachers: best practices teacher evaluation system.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2012-08-30 - From committee: Return to Senate floor for consideration. (Ayes 6. Noes 2.) (August 29). Ordered to third reading. [AB5 Detail]
Download: California-2011-AB5-Amended.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 5 AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 9, 2011 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 27, 2011 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 4, 2011 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 8, 2011 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Fuentes DECEMBER 6, 2010 An act to amend Section 44661.5 of,andto amend and add Sections 44660, 44661, 44662, and 44664 of, and to add Section 44662.5 to, the Education Code, relating to teachers. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 5, as amended, Fuentes. Teachers: best practices teacher evaluation. Existing law states the intent of the Legislature that school district governing boards establish a uniform system of evaluation and assessment of the performance of all certificated personnel within each school district of the state. Existing law requires the governing board of each school district to establish standards of expected pupil achievement at each grade level in each area of study and to evaluate and assess certificated employee performance on a continuing basis as it reasonably relates to the progress of pupils toward the established standards and, if applicable, the state adopted academic content standards as measured by state adopted criterion referenced assessments, the instructional techniques and strategies used by the employee, the employee's adherence to curricular objectives, and the establishment and maintenance of a suitable learning environment, within the scope of the employee's responsibilities. This bill would provide that the provisions described above would become inoperative on July 1 of the first fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the deficit factor, as specified, is reduced to zero. The bill would state findings and declarations of the Legislature regarding the nature of effective teachers and of the teaching profession. Commencing on July 1 of the first fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the deficit factor, as specified, is reduced to zero, the bill would require the governing board of each school district to adopt and implement a locally negotiated best practices teacher evaluation system, described as one in which each teacher is evaluated on a continuing basis on the degree to which he or she accomplishes specific objectives and multiple observations of instructional and other professional practices are conducted by trained evaluators. The bill would also require the governing board of each school district to establish and define job responsibilities for certificated, noninstructional employees and evaluate and assess their performance in relation to those responsibilities. By requiring school districts to perform additional duties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 44660 of the Education Code is amended to read: 44660. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that governing boards establish a uniform system of evaluation and assessment of the performance of all certificated personnel within each school district of the state, including schools conducted or maintained by county superintendents of education. The system shall involve the development and adoption by each school district of objective evaluation and assessment guidelines which may, at the discretion of the governing board, be uniform throughout the district or, for compelling reasons, be individually developed for territories or schools within the district, provided that all certificated personnel of the district shall be subject to a system of evaluation and assessment adopted pursuant to this article. (b) This article does not apply to certificated personnel who are employed on an hourly basis in adult education classes. (c) This section shall become inoperative on July 1 of the first fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the deficit factor set forth in Section 42238.146 is reduced to zero. SEC. 2. Section 44660 is added to the Education Code, to read: 44660. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) Teaching is a professional endeavor, in which effective practice is driven by an understanding of knowledge in the field and a commitment to all pupils and their families. (2) Excellent teaching requires knowledge, skills, artistry, passion, and commitment. (3) Effective teachers integrate ethical concern for children and society, extensive subject matter competence, thoughtfully selected pedological practices, and a depth of knowledge about their pupils, including knowledge of child and adolescent development and learning, an understanding of their individual strengths, interests, and needs, and knowledge about their families and communities. (4) Effective teachers share a common set of professional and ethical obligations that includes a profound and fundamental commitment to the growth and success of the individual pupils in their care as well as to the strengthening and continual revitalization of our democratic society. (5) Certificated, noninstructional employees share the same deep commitment to children, families, and communities, and they provide essential support and administrative services to pupils and teachers that enable pupils to succeed. (b) The Legislature further finds and declares that because teachers are the most important school-related factor for influencing pupil academic success the primary purpose of an evaluation system is to ensure that teachers meet the highest professional standards of effective teaching, thereby resulting in high levels of pupil learning. (c) This section shall become operative on July 1 of the first fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the deficit factor set forth in Section 42238.146 is reduced to zero. SEC. 3. Section 44661 of the Education Code is amended to read: 44661. (a) In the development and adoption of guidelines and procedures pursuant to this article, the governing board shall avail itself of the advice of the certificated instructional personnel in the district's organization of certificated personnel; provided, however, that the development and adoption of guidelines pursuant to this article shall also be subject to the provisions of Article 1 (commencing with Section 7100) of Chapter 2 of Part 5 of Division 1 of Title 1. (b) This section shall become inoperative on July 1 of the first fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the deficit factor set forth in Section 42238.146 is reduced to zero. SEC. 4. Section 44661 is added to the Education Code, to read: 44661. (a) The governing board of each school district shall adopt and implement a best practices teacher evaluation system as set forth in this article. (b) The best practices teacher evaluation system required to be adopted pursuant to this article shall be locally negotiated pursuant to Chapter 10.7 (commencing with Section 3540) of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code. If the certificated employees of the school district do not have an exclusive bargaining representative, the governing board of the school district shall adopt objective evaluation and support components, as applicable, that are consistent with this article. (c) This section shall become operative on July 1 of the first fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the deficit factor set forth in Section 42238.146 is reduced to zero. SEC. 5. Section 44661.5 of the Education Code is amended to read: 44661.5. (a) When developing and adopting objective evaluation and assessment guidelines pursuant to Section 44660, a school district may, by mutual agreement between the exclusive representative of the certificated employees of the school district and the governing board of the school district, include any objective standards from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or any objective standards from the California Standards for the Teaching Profession if the standards to be included are consistent with this article. If the certificated employees of the school district do not have an exclusive representative, the school district may adopt objective evaluation and assessment guidelines consistent with this section. (b) This section shall become inoperative on July 1 of the first fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the deficit factor set forth in Section 42238.146 is reduced to zero. SEC. 6. Section 44662 of the Education Code is amended to read: 44662. (a) The governing board of each school district shall establish standards of expected pupil achievement at each grade level in each area of study. (b) The governing board of each school district shall evaluate and assess certificated employee performance as it reasonably relates to: (1) The progress of pupils toward the standards established pursuant to subdivision (a) and, if applicable, the state adopted academic content standards as measured by state adopted criterion referenced assessments. (2) The instructional techniques and strategies used by the employee. (3) The employee's adherence to curricular objectives. (4) The establishment and maintenance of a suitable learning environment, within the scope of the employee's responsibilities. (c) The governing board of each school district shall establish and define job responsibilities for certificated noninstructional personnel, including, but not limited to, supervisory and administrative personnel, whose responsibilities cannot be evaluated appropriately under the provisions of subdivision (b) and shall evaluate and assess the performance of those noninstructional certificated employees as it reasonably relates to the fulfillment of those responsibilities. (d) Results of an employee's participation in the Peer Assistance and Review Program for Teachers established by Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 44500) shall be made available as part of the evaluation conducted pursuant to this section. (e) The evaluation and assessment of certificated employee performance pursuant to this section shall not include the use of publishers' norms established by standardized tests. (f) Nothing in this section shall be construed as in any way limiting the authority of school district governing boards to develop and adopt additional evaluation and assessment guidelines or criteria. (g) This section shall become inoperative on July 1 of the first fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the deficit factor set forth in Section 42238.146 is reduced to zero. SEC. 7. Section 44662 is added to the Education Code, to read: 44662. (a) A best practices teacher evaluation system has the following attributes: (1) Each teacher is evaluated on the degree to which he or she accomplishes the following objectives: (A) Engages and supports all pupils in learning, evidence of which may include, but is not limited to, evidence of high expectations and active pupil engagement for each pupil. (B) Creates and maintains effective environments for pupil learning , to the extent that those environments are within the teacher's control . (C) Understands and organizes subject matter for pupil learning, evidence of which may include, but is not limited to, extensive subject matter, content standards, and curriculum competence. (D) Plans instruction and designs learning experiences for all pupils, evidence of which may include, but is not limited to, use of differentiated instruction and practices based upon pupil progress and use of culturally responsive instruction, including, but not limited to, incorporation of multicultural information and content into the delivery of curriculum, to eliminate the achievement gap. (E) Uses pupil assessment information to inform instruction and to improve learning, evidence of which shall include, but is not limited to, use of formative and summative assessments to adjust instructional practices to meet the needs of individual pupils. For certified employees who directly instruct English learner pupils in acquiring English language fluency, the assessment information shall include the results of assessments adopted pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 60810) of Part 33 of Division 4. (F) Develops as a professional educator, evidence of which may include, but is not limited to, consistent and positive relationships with pupils, parents, staff, and administrators, use of collaborative professional practices for improving instructional strategies, participation in identified professional growth opportunities, and use of meaningful self-assessment to improve as a professional educator. (G) Contributes to pupil academic growth based upon multiple measures, which may include, but are not limited to, classroom work, local and state academic assessments, and pupil grades, classroom participation, presentations and performances, and projects and portfolios. Measures used for assessing pupil academic growth shall be valid and reliable for the purpose of teacher evaluation, provided that the evaluation and assessment of certificated employee performance pursuant to this section shall not include the use of publisher's norms established by standardized tests. For certificated employees who directly instruct English learner pupils in acquiring English, measures shall include the degree to which pupils acquire the English language development standards adopted pursuant to Section 60811 for the purpose of improving a pupil's English proficiency. Pupil data used for purposes of teacher evaluation shall be confidential in the same manner as all other elements of a teacher's personnel file. (2) Multiple observations of instructional and other professional practices are conducted by evaluators who have received appropriate training and who have demonstrated competence in teacher evaluation, as determined by the school district. (A) Multiple observations may include, but are not limited to, classroom observations, one-on-one discussions, and review of classroom materials and course of study. (B) Observations shall be conducted using a uniform evaluation tool that is appropriate to the teacher's assignment . (C) Prior to each observation, the observer shall meet with the teacher to discuss the purpose of the observation. (D) After each observation, the observer shall meet with the teacher to discuss recommendations, as necessary, with regard to areas of improvement in the performance of the teacher. (b) This section shall not be interpreted to prohibit a locally negotiated evaluation process from designating certificated employees to conduct, or participate in, evaluations of other certificated employees for purposes of determining needs for professional development or providing corrective advice for the certificated employee being evaluated. A nonsupervisory certificated employee who conducts, or participates in, an evaluation pursuant to this article shall not be deemed to be exercising a management or supervisory function as defined by subdivision (g) or (m) of Section 3540.1 of the Government Code. (c) This section shall become operative on July 1 of the first fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the deficit factor set forth in Section 42238.146 is reduced to zero. SEC. 8. Section 44662.5 is added to the Education Code , to read: 44662.5. (a) The governing board of each school district shall establish and define job responsibilities for certificated, noninstructional employees, including, but not limited to, supervisory and administrative personnel, whose responsibilities cannot be evaluated appropriately under the provisions of subdivision (a) of Section 44662. The governing board of each school district shall evaluate and assess the performance of certificated, noninstructional employees as it reasonably relates to the fulfillment of those responsibilities. (b) This section shall become operative on July 1 of the first fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the deficit factor set forth in Section 42238.146 is reduced to zero.SEC. 8.SEC. 9. Section 44664 of the Education Code is amended to read: 44664. (a) Evaluation and assessment of the performance of each certificated employee shall be made on a continuing basis as follows: (1) At least once each school year for probationary personnel. (2) At least every other year for personnel with permanent status. (3) At least every five years for personnel with permanent status who have been employed at least 10 years with the school district, are highly qualified, if those personnel occupy positions that are required to be filled by a highly qualified professional by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq.), as defined in Section 7801 of Title 20 of the United States Code, and whose previous evaluation rated the employee as meeting or exceeding standards, if the evaluator and certificated employee being evaluated agree. The certificated employee or the evaluator may withdraw consent at any time. (b) The evaluation shall include recommendations, if necessary, as to areas of improvement in the performance of the employee. If an employee is not performing his or her duties in a satisfactory manner according to the standards prescribed by the governing board, the employing authority shall notify the employee in writing of that fact and describe the unsatisfactory performance. The employing authority shall thereafter confer with the employee making specific recommendations as to areas of improvement in the employee's performance and endeavor to assist the employee in his or her performance. Ifanya permanent certificated employee has received an unsatisfactory evaluation, the employing authority shall annually evaluate the employee until the employee achieves a positive evaluation or is separated from the district. (c)AnyAn evaluation performed pursuant to this articlewhichthat contains an unsatisfactory rating of an employee's performance in the area of teaching methods or instruction may include the requirement that the certificated employee shall, as determined necessary by the employing authority, participate in a program designed to improve appropriate areas of the employee's performance and to further pupil achievement and the instructional objectives of the employing authority. If a district participates in the Peer Assistance and Review Program for Teachers established pursuant to Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 44500),anya certificated employee who receives an unsatisfactory rating on an evaluation performed pursuant to this section shall participate in the Peer Assistance and Review Program for Teachers. (d) Hourly and temporary hourly certificated employees, other than those employed in adult education classes who are excluded by the provisions of Section 44660, and substitute teachers may be excluded from the provisions of this section at the discretion of the governing board. (e) This section shall become inoperative on July 1 of the first fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the deficit factor set forth in Section 42238.146 is reduced to zero.SEC. 9.SEC. 10. Section 44664 is added to the Education Code, to read: 44664. (a) Evaluation and assessment of the performance of each certificated employee shall be made on a continuing basis as follows: (1) At least once each school year for probationary personnel. (2) At least every other year for personnel with permanent status. (3) Except as may be provided in the best practices teacher evaluation system locally negotiated pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 44661, at least every three years for personnel with permanent status who have been employed at least 10 years with the school district, are highly qualified, if those personnel occupy positions that are required to be filled by a highly qualified professional by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq.), as defined in Section 7801 of Title 20 of the United States Code, and whose previous evaluation rated the employee as meeting or exceeding standards, if the evaluator and certificated employee being evaluated agree. The certificated employee or the evaluator may withdraw consent at any time. (b) The evaluation shall include recommendations, if necessary, as to areas of improvement in the performance of the employee. If an employee is not performing his or her duties in a satisfactory manner according to the standards prescribed by the governing board, the employing authority shall notify the employee in writing of that fact and describe the unsatisfactory performance. The employing authority shall thereafter confer with the employee making specific recommendations as to areas of improvement in the employee's performance and endeavor to assist the employee in his or her performance. If any permanent certificated employee has received an unsatisfactory evaluation, the employing authority shall annually evaluate the employee until the employee achieves a positive evaluation or is separated from the district. (c) Any evaluation performed pursuant to this article which contains an unsatisfactory rating of an employee's performance in the area of teaching methods or instruction may include the requirement that the certificated employee shall, as determined necessary by the employing authority, participate in a program designed to improve appropriate areas of the employee's performance and to further pupil achievement and the instructional objectives of the employing authority. If a district participates in the Peer Assistance and Review Program for Teachers established pursuant to Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 44500),anya certificated employee who receives an unsatisfactory rating on an evaluation performed pursuant to this section shall participate in the Peer Assistance and Review Program for Teachers. (d) Hourly and temporary hourly certificated employees, other than those employed in adult education classes who are excluded by the provisions of Section 44660, and substitute teachers may be excluded from the provisions of this section at the discretion of the governing board. (e) This section shall become operative on July 1 of the first fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the deficit factor set forth in Section 42238.146 is reduced to zero.SEC. 10.SEC. 11. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.