Bill Text: CT HB06980 | 2015 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: An Act Concerning The Timing Of Teacher Performance Evaluations.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-06 - Public Hearing 03/11 [HB06980 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2015-HB06980-Introduced.html

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General Assembly		Raised Bill No. 6980
January Session, 2015		LCO No. 4668
		*04668_______ED_*
Referred to Committee on EDUCATION
Introduced by:
(ED)

AN ACT CONCERNING THE TIMING OF TEACHER PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 10-151b of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2015):

(a) The superintendent of each local or regional board of education shall annually evaluate or cause to be evaluated each teacher, and for the school year commencing July 1, 2013, and each school year thereafter, such annual evaluations shall be the teacher evaluation and support program adopted pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. The superintendent may conduct additional formative evaluations toward producing an annual summative evaluation. An evaluation pursuant to this subsection shall include, but need not be limited to, strengths, areas needing improvement, strategies for improvement and multiple indicators of student academic growth. Claims of failure to follow the established procedures of such teacher evaluation and support program shall be subject to the grievance procedure in collective bargaining agreements negotiated subsequent to July 1, 2004. In the event that a teacher does not receive a summative evaluation during the school year, such teacher shall receive a "not rated" designation for such school year. The superintendent shall report (1) the status of teacher evaluations to the local or regional board of education on or before June [first] thirtieth of each year, and (2) the [status] results of the implementation of the teacher evaluation and support program for the previous school year, including the frequency of evaluations, aggregate evaluation ratings, the number of teachers who [have] were not [been] evaluated and other requirements as determined by the Department of Education, to the Commissioner of Education on or before [June thirtieth] September fifteenth of each year. For purposes of this section, the term "teacher" [shall include] includes each professional employee of a board of education, below the rank of superintendent, who holds a certificate or permit issued by the State Board of Education.

(b) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, not later than [September 1, 2013] October fifteenth, annually, each local and regional board of education shall adopt and [implement] submit to the State Board of Education for approval, a teacher evaluation and support program that is consistent with the guidelines for a model teacher evaluation and support program adopted by the State Board of Education, pursuant to subsection (c) of this section. Such teacher evaluation and support program shall be developed through mutual agreement between the local or regional board of education and the professional development and evaluation committee for the school district, established pursuant to subsection (b) of section 10-220a. If a local or regional board of education is unable to develop a teacher evaluation and support program through mutual agreement with such professional development and evaluation committee, then such board of education and such professional development and evaluation committee shall consider the model teacher evaluation and support program adopted by the State Board of Education, pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, and such board of education may adopt, through mutual agreement with such professional development and evaluation committee, such model teacher evaluation and support program. If a local or regional board of education and the professional development and evaluation committee are unable to mutually agree on the adoption of such model teacher evaluation and support program, then such board of education shall adopt and implement a teacher evaluation and support program developed by such board of education, provided such teacher evaluation and support program is consistent with the guidelines adopted by the State Board of Education, pursuant to subsection (c) of this section. [Each] Following approval of the teacher evaluation and support program by the State Board of Education, each local and regional board of education [may commence implementation of] shall implement the teacher evaluation and support program adopted and approved pursuant to this subsection. [in accordance with a teacher evaluation and support program implementation plan adopted pursuant to subsection (d) of this section.]

(c) (1) On or before July 1, 2012, the State Board of Education shall adopt, in consultation with the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council established pursuant to section 10-151d, guidelines for a model teacher evaluation and support program. Such guidelines shall include, but not be limited to, (A) the use of four performance evaluations designators: Exemplary, proficient, developing and below standard; (B) the use of multiple indicators of student academic growth and development in teacher evaluations; (C) methods for assessing student academic growth and development; (D) a consideration of control factors tracked by the state-wide public school information system, pursuant to subsection (c) of section 10-10a, that may influence teacher performance ratings, including, but not limited to, student characteristics, student attendance and student mobility; (E) minimum requirements for teacher evaluation instruments and procedures, including scoring systems to determine exemplary, proficient, developing and below standard ratings; (F) the development and implementation of periodic training programs regarding the teacher evaluation and support program to be offered by the local or regional board of education or regional educational service center for the school district, to teachers who are employed by such local or regional board of education and whose performance is being evaluated and to administrators who are employed by such local or regional board of education and who are conducting performance evaluations; (G) the provision of professional development services based on the individual or group of individuals' needs that are identified through the evaluation process; (H) the creation of individual teacher improvement and remediation plans for teachers whose performance is developing or below standard, designed in consultation with such teacher and his or her exclusive bargaining representative for certified teachers chosen pursuant to section 10-153b, and that (i) identify resources, support and other strategies to be provided by the local or regional board of education to address documented deficiencies, (ii) indicate a timeline for implementing such resources, support, and other strategies, in the course of the same school year as the plan is issued, and (iii) include indicators of success, including a summative rating of proficient or better immediately at the conclusion of the improvement and remediation plan; (I) opportunities for career development and professional growth; and (J) a validation procedure to audit evaluation ratings of exemplary or below standard by the department or a third-party entity approved by the department.

(2) The State Board of Education shall, following the completion of the teacher evaluation and support pilot program, pursuant to section 10-151f, and the submission of the study of such pilot program, pursuant to section 10-151g, review and may revise, as necessary, the guidelines for a model teacher evaluation and support program and the model teacher evaluation and support program adopted under this subsection.

(3) On and after July 1, 2015, the State Board of Education may revise, as necessary, in consultation with the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council established pursuant to section 10-151d, the guidelines for a model teacher evaluation and support program and the model teacher evaluation and support program adopted under this subsection.

(d) [A local or regional board of education may phase in full implementation of the teacher evaluation and support program adopted pursuant to subsection (b) of this section during the school years commencing July 1, 2013, and July 1, 2014, pursuant to a teacher evaluation and support program implementation plan adopted by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council, not later than July 1, 2013. The Commissioner of Education may waive the provisions of subsection (b) of this section and the implementation plan provisions of this subsection for any local or regional board of education that has expressed an intent, not later than July 1, 2013, to adopt a teacher evaluation program for which such board requests a waiver in accordance with this subsection.] The Commissioner of Education may grant a waiver of the provisions of subsection (b) of this section for any requesting local or regional board of education that has adopted a teacher evaluation and support program that the State Board of Education determines is in substantial compliance with the model teacher evaluation and support program guidelines.

Sec. 2. Subsection (b) of section 10-151d of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2015):

(b) The council shall be responsible for (1) assisting the State Board of Education in the development of (A) guidelines for a model teacher evaluation and support program, and (B) a model teacher evaluation and support program, pursuant to subsection (c) of section 10-151b, and (2) the data collection and evaluation support system, pursuant to subsection (c) of section 10-10a. [, and (3) assisting the State Board of Education in the development of a teacher evaluation and support program implementation plan, pursuant to subsection (e) of section 10-151b.] The council shall meet at least quarterly.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	July 1, 2015	10-151b
Sec. 2	July 1, 2015	10-151d(b)

Statement of Purpose:

To extend the deadline for when a superintendent shall report on the teacher evaluation and support program to the local or regional board of education and the Commissioner of Education, to require boards of education to annually adopt teacher evaluation and support programs and to require the State Board of Education to annually approve such teacher evaluation and support programs, to extend the deadline for boards of education to adopt such teacher evaluation and support programs, and to authorize the State Board of Education to revise, as necessary, in consultation with the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council, the guidelines for a model teacher evaluation and support program and the model teacher evaluation and support program.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]