Bill Text: CA SB657 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Teachers: evaluations.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-02-03 - Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [SB657 Detail]
Download: California-2013-SB657-Amended.html
BILL NUMBER: SB 657 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 1, 2013
INTRODUCED BY Senator Block
FEBRUARY 22, 2013
An act to amend Section 1001 of the Education Code,
relating to education. An act to add Article 10.8
(commencing with Section 44655) to, and to repeal Article 11
(commencing with Section 44660) of, Chapter 3 of Part 25 of Division
3 of Title 2 of the Education Code, relating to teachers.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 657, as amended, Block. County board of education:
elections. Teachers: evaluations.
(1) Existing law states the intent of the Legislature that
governing boards of school districts 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 repeal these provisions, and would revise and
recast the requirements for teacher evaluations. The bill would
express a legislative finding and declaration that teacher
evaluations be effective, comprehensive, and of high quality, and
would express legislative intent that teacher evaluations by local
educational agencies, as defined, be based on standards upon which a
teacher's performance is measured. The bill would specify
requirements for the evaluation and assessment of teachers by local
educational agencies. The bill would specify that unweighted multiple
measures, including pupil assessment data, may be used in teacher
evaluations. The bill would require that evaluations be used for,
among other purposes, the identification of a teacher's need for
professional learning and improved instructional practices. The bill
would require that evaluators be knowledgeable and trained to give
productive feedback, and that experts in the specific teaching field
of the teacher being evaluated be included in the evaluation process.
Because the bill would impose new duties on local educational
agencies, it would constitute a state-mandated local program.
(2) 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.
Existing law provides, in counties where the county superintendent
of schools has jurisdiction over a school district situated in 2 or
more counties, a qualified elector residing in the part of the school
district situated in a county whose county superintendent of schools
does not have jurisdiction of that school district is eligible to
vote for one or more members of the county board of education, as
provided.
This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to that law.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no
yes . State-mandated local program: no
yes .
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Article 10.8 (commencing with Section
44655) is added to Chapter 3 of Part 25 of Division 3 of
Title 2 of the Education Code , to read:
Article 10.8. Teacher Evaluations
44655. The Legislature finds and declares that teacher
evaluations should be effective, comprehensive, and of high quality.
It is the intent of the Legislature that teacher evaluations
conducted by local educational agencies be based on standards and
ensure that a teacher's performance is measured against those
standards.
44656. Evaluation and assessment of teachers at public elementary
and secondary schools shall be conducted by local educational
agencies in accordance with all of the following:
(a) Evaluations may include multifaceted evidence of teacher
practice, pupil learning, and professional contributions that are
considered in an integrated fashion, with relation to one another and
to the teaching context.
(b) An evaluation system under this article may include both
formative and summative assessments to ensure it helps improve
teaching and learning.
(c) An assessment used to make judgments about pupils' progress
shall be appropriate for the specific curriculum and pupils being
taught.
(d) The formative evaluation process may include the use of
unweighted multiple measures, including pupil assessment data.
(e) The development of a comprehensive, performance-based teacher
evaluation system shall be a high priority, and it is the intent of
the Legislature to provide the public education system with the
resources to provide the necessary time and training for evaluators
and mentors for teachers needing assistance.
(f) An evaluation under this article shall differentiate based on
the teacher's experience and individual needs. An evaluation under
this article shall be accompanied by useful feedback, and shall be
connected to professional learning opportunities that are relevant to
teachers' goals and needs, including both formal professional
development and peer collaboration, observation, and coaching, using
a peer assistance and review system.
(g) An evaluation under this article shall be used to identify a
teacher's needs for professional learning and improved instructional
practices.
(h) An evaluator under this article shall be a knowledgeable and
trained educator who is trained to give productive feedback and who
knows how to support ongoing learning. An expert in the specific
teaching field of the teacher being evaluated shall be included in
the evaluation process.
(i) The evaluation system under this article shall value and
promote teacher collaboration, which supports system improvement,
both in the standards and criteria that are used to assess a teacher'
s work and the way the results of the evaluation are used to shape a
teacher's professional learning opportunities.
(j) It is the intent of the Legislature that the evaluation system
meet legal, professional, and ethical standards for equitable
employment decisions. Therefore, evaluation decisions under this
article shall be made in an efficient, fair, and effective manner.
(k) This section shall not conflict with any rights pursuant to
Chapter 10.7 (commencing with Section 3540) of Division 4 of Title 1
of the Government Code.
44657. As used in this article:
(a) "Formative assessment" means an assessment of how well a
teacher is meeting the goals and objectives of his or her assignment,
and includes feedback to help a teacher being evaluated to improve
his or her performance.
(b) "Local educational agency" includes a school district, county
office of education, and charter school.
(c) "Summative assessment" means an assessment of the outcomes of
the work of the teacher being evaluated.
SEC. 2. Article 11 (commencing with Section 44660)
of Chapter 3 of Part 25 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the
Education Code is repealed.
SEC. 3. 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.
SECTION 1. Section 1001 of the Education Code
is amended to read:
1001. (a) In counties where the county superintendent of schools
has jurisdiction over a school district situated in two or more
counties, a qualified elector residing in the part of the school
district situated in a county whose county superintendent of schools
does not have jurisdiction of that school district shall be eligible
to vote for one or more members of the county board of education of
the county whose county superintendent of schools has jurisdiction
over the school district. The elector shall be eligible to vote for
the member of the county board of education representing the trustee
area of that county having jurisdiction as designated by the county
committee on school district organization. The committee shall
apportion the portion of the school district territory not situated
in the county having jurisdiction to one or more trustee areas of the
other county so that the territory shall, insofar as possible, be
represented as if it were situated in the county having jurisdiction.
The territory so apportioned shall not become a part of the trustee
area to which apportioned for any other purpose. As used in this
subdivision, "school district" means a joint union elementary school
district, joint union high school district, or joint unified school
district, but does not include a community college district.
(b) A person who is a resident of a county and is made eligible to
vote for the county board of education of another county pursuant to
subdivision (a) shall not be eligible to vote for the county board
of education of the county where the person resides. Notwithstanding
this subdivision, a person shall be eligible to vote for both county
boards of education if he or she is a resident of an elementary
school district of any type that is included in a joint union high
school district and the elementary school district and the joint
union high school district are under the jurisdiction of different
county superintendents of schools.
(c) "County," for purposes of this section, includes a county
other than a charter county for which the charter specifies that this
section does not apply.
