Bill Text: IA HF2128 | 2015-2016 | 86th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to the establishment of teacher quality demonstration pilot projects by school districts.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-02-03 - Subcommittee, Highfill, Forristall, and Steckman. H.J. 160. [HF2128 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2015-HF2128-Introduced.html
House File 2128 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY WILLS A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to the establishment of teacher quality 2 demonstration pilot projects by school districts. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 5633YH (3) 86 kh/rj PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 284.18 Teacher quality 1 2 demonstration pilot projects. 1 3 1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context 1 4 otherwise requires: 1 5 a. "Applicant" means the school superintendent of the school 1 6 district in which a cluster is located. 1 7 b. "Cluster" means a set of attendance centers consisting 1 8 of not less than one high school, not more than four middle 1 9 schools, and not more than seven elementary schools in a given 1 10 school district. 1 11 c. "Teacher" means a member of the instructional staff 1 12 who may or may not be licensed under chapter 272 and who is 1 13 employed by the school district to provide instruction in the 1 14 cluster on a part=time or full=time basis. 1 15 2. Department responsibilities. The department shall do all 1 16 of the following: 1 17 a. Make information available on its internet site regarding 1 18 teacher quality demonstration pilot project requirements and 1 19 the pilot project application and review process. 1 20 b. Approve applications for the creation of not less 1 21 than five, nor more than twelve, pilot projects submitted 1 22 by clusters that develop systems for attracting, retaining, 1 23 rewarding, and motivating teachers in accordance with this 1 24 section. 1 25 c. Review each pilot project annually based on the data 1 26 submitted in the school district's comprehensive school 1 27 improvement plan. The department may withdraw approval of a 1 28 teacher quality demonstration pilot project for failure of a 1 29 cluster to meet the pilot project requirements of subsection 1 30 3. If the department withdraws its approval, waivers and 1 31 exceptions granted to a school district or cluster for purposes 1 32 of this section under subsection 5; section 256.9, subsection 1 33 43; or section 256.11, subsection 8, are revoked. 1 34 3. Pilot project requirements. Each cluster shall meet the 1 35 following requirements: 2 1 a. Establish multiple career paths for teachers. 2 2 b. Place all teachers in expanded roles, which may include 2 3 but are not limited to leadership, program director, master 2 4 teacher, and mentor, and any other position approved by the 2 5 director. In expanding the roles, the director shall take into 2 6 consideration the interests, abilities, and accomplishments of 2 7 teachers within the cluster. 2 8 c. Notwithstanding chapter 20, provide for market=based 2 9 compensation of teachers under which teacher compensation 2 10 levels are based on the accomplishments and performance of 2 11 teachers, student academic achievement, and evaluation from 2 12 peers, senior teachers, and attendance center principals. 2 13 d. Offer performance=based accountability as follows: 2 14 (1) Eliminate teacher tenure and establish three=year 2 15 teaching contracts. 2 16 (2) Establish a system for teacher hiring and advancement 2 17 that is based on evaluation of a teacher's performance by peers 2 18 who are employed by the school district and by peers who are 2 19 not employed by the school district. 2 20 e. Include ongoing professional development activities that 2 21 meet all of the following requirements: 2 22 (1) Are directly related to the curriculum and content areas 2 23 in which the teacher provides instruction. 2 24 (2) Are tied to challenging state or local content and 2 25 student performance standards. 2 26 (3) Are related to the instruction in methods of 2 27 disciplining children at the grade level taught by the teacher. 2 28 (4) Are proven effective instructional strategies and 2 29 methods for improving student achievement. 2 30 f. Establish a formal teacher mentoring system in which 2 31 beginning teachers and teachers in need of intensive assistance 2 32 are mentored by master teachers. 2 33 g. Establish, notwithstanding section 256.7, subsection 2 34 3, and chapter 272, an alternative preparation program to 2 35 train and hire an individual who possesses, at a minimum, a 3 1 baccalaureate degree in the field in which the individual 3 2 will be employed to provide instruction as a teacher at 3 3 an attendance center in the cluster. The individual must 3 4 demonstrate expertise in the field in which they will provide 3 5 instruction. 3 6 h. Make available to an individual who is employed under 3 7 paragraph "g" opportunities to meet the requirements for a 3 8 teaching license under chapter 272 or to become certified by 3 9 the national board for professional teaching standards. 3 10 4. Pilot project application requirements. An application 3 11 to implement a teacher quality demonstration pilot project 3 12 under this section may only be submitted by the superintendent 3 13 of the school district in the time and manner determined by 3 14 the department. Each application shall include all of the 3 15 following information: 3 16 a. A description of how the pilot project will assist the 3 17 school district in achieving the student achievement goals in 3 18 the school district's comprehensive school improvement plan. 3 19 b. Identification and description of the attendance centers 3 20 that will comprise the cluster. 3 21 c. A description of the pilot project and how the cluster 3 22 will comply with the requirements of subsection 3. 3 23 d. An assurance that the school district will increase the 3 24 salaries of teachers who are employed at the attendance centers 3 25 that comprise the cluster, with descriptions of how teachers 3 26 will be compensated at the various role levels and the impact a 3 27 teacher's performance evaluation may reasonably be expected to 3 28 have on the teacher's salary. 3 29 e. A detailed description of the cost of the pilot 3 30 project, including but not limited to how the district will 3 31 reallocate or raise funds to cover the costs associated with 3 32 implementation of the pilot project. 3 33 f. A description of the statutes and rules requirements 3 34 and provisions that the department is requested to waive under 3 35 subsection 5; section 256.9, subsection 43; and section 256.11, 4 1 subsection 8. 4 2 5. Three=year statutory and rule exemption authority. 4 3 Notwithstanding chapter 20, the department may grant to a 4 4 cluster implementing a teacher quality demonstration pilot 4 5 project approved under this section a three=year exemption from 4 6 one or more of the teacher probation, evaluation, employment, 4 7 and due process requirements and provisions of sections 4 8 279.12, 279.13, 279.14, 279.15, 279.16, 279.17, 279.18, 279.19, 4 9 279.19A, 279.19B, 279.21, 279.27, and 279.43. The exemption 4 10 may be renewed. 4 11 6. Evaluation requirements == report. The department and 4 12 each school district operating a cluster approved under this 4 13 section shall regularly evaluate and document the activities 4 14 and approaches utilized and outcomes achieved under a pilot 4 15 project. The department shall compile and summarize the 4 16 results of the school districts' evaluations in an annual 4 17 report which shall include the department's findings and 4 18 recommendations and shall be submitted to the state board and 4 19 to the general assembly. 4 20 EXPLANATION 4 21 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 4 22 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 4 23 This bill relates to the establishment of teacher quality 4 24 demonstration pilot projects by clusters of attendance centers 4 25 within a school district and authorizes the department of 4 26 education to grant to a cluster a three=year exemption from one 4 27 or more of the teacher probation, evaluation, employment, and 4 28 due process requirements and provisions of Code chapter 279. 4 29 GENERAL PROVISIONS. Only the school district's 4 30 superintendent may apply to the department for approval to 4 31 operate a teacher quality demonstration pilot project. Each 4 32 pilot project is comprised of a cluster within the school 4 33 district. Each cluster must include not less than one high 4 34 school, not more than four middle schools, and not more than 4 35 seven elementary schools in a given school district. 5 1 The bill defines "teacher" to mean a member of the 5 2 instructional staff who may or may not be licensed under Code 5 3 chapter 272 and who is employed by the school district to 5 4 provide instruction in the cluster on a part=time or full=time 5 5 basis. 5 6 The department must make information regarding teacher 5 7 quality demonstration pilot project requirements and the 5 8 pilot project application and review process available on its 5 9 internet site; must approve applications for the creation 5 10 of between 5 and 12 pilot projects; and must review each 5 11 pilot project annually based on the data submitted in the 5 12 school district's comprehensive school improvement plan. 5 13 The department may withdraw approval of a pilot project for 5 14 failure to meet pilot project requirements. If the department 5 15 withdraws its approval, waivers and exceptions granted for 5 16 purposes of the pilot project are revoked. 5 17 PILOT PROJECT REQUIREMENTS. The bill lists the requirements 5 18 each cluster must meet, including but not limited to multiple 5 19 career paths for teachers; expanded roles for teachers; 5 20 market=based compensation for teachers; performance=based 5 21 accountability of teachers that includes elimination of teacher 5 22 tenure and establishment of three=year teaching contracts; 5 23 a system for teacher hiring and advancement based on peer 5 24 evaluation; ongoing professional development activities; and a 5 25 formal teacher mentoring system. 5 26 The pilot project must also establish an alternative 5 27 preparation program to train and hire an individual who 5 28 possesses, at a minimum, a baccalaureate degree in the field in 5 29 which the individual will be employed to provide instruction 5 30 as a teacher at an attendance center in the cluster. The bill 5 31 nullifies the practitioner preparation program provisions of 5 32 Code section 256.7, subsection 3, and the provisions of Code 5 33 chapter 272, for purposes of this pilot project requirement. 5 34 Such individuals must also be provided with opportunities 5 35 to meet the requirements for a teaching license under Code 6 1 chapter 272 or to become certified by the national board for 6 2 professional teaching standards. 6 3 PILOT PROJECT APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS. The bill requires 6 4 that a pilot project application include a description of how 6 5 the pilot project will assist the school district in achieving 6 6 the district's student achievement goals; identification and 6 7 description of the attendance centers that will comprise the 6 8 cluster; a description of the pilot project and how the cluster 6 9 will comply with the pilot project requirements; an assurance 6 10 that the school district will increase teacher salaries; 6 11 a detailed description of pilot project costs and how the 6 12 district will reallocate or raise funds to cover the costs; 6 13 and a description of the statutes and rules requirements and 6 14 provisions that the department is requested to waive. 6 15 THREE=YEAR STATUTORY AND RULE EXEMPTION AUTHORITY. The bill 6 16 nullifies the collective bargaining provisions of Code chapter 6 17 20 to authorize the department to grant a three=year renewable 6 18 exemption to the cluster from one or more of the teacher 6 19 probation, evaluation, employment, and due process requirements 6 20 and provisions of Code chapter 279. 6 21 EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS == REPORT. The department and each 6 22 school district operating an approved cluster must regularly 6 23 evaluate and document the activities and approaches utilized 6 24 and outcomes achieved under a pilot project. The department 6 25 shall compile and summarize the results of the evaluations in 6 26 an annual report which shall include the department's findings 6 27 and recommendations and shall be submitted to the state board 6 28 of education and to the general assembly. LSB 5633YH (3) 86 kh/rj
