Bill Text: PA SB1087 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: In professional employees, further providing for rating system.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-06-29 - Re-referred to APPROPRIATIONS [SB1087 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-SB1087-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 1267
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 1087 Session of2011
INTRODUCED BY PICCOLA AND DINNIMAN, JUNE 3, 2011
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, JUNE 3, 2011
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," in professional employees, further
providing for rating system.
The General Assembly finds that:
(1) Quality classroom teachers are critical to the
success of this Commonwealth's school system, to the
education of children and to the development of a well-
educated and capable work force.
(2) It is imperative that this Commonwealth have in
place a thorough and effective means of evaluating and rating
the quality of classroom teachers.
(3) For a teacher evaluation and rating system to be
thorough and effective, it is essential that the system
include student performance as an element in measuring
teacher quality.
(4) This Commonwealth's existing system for evaluating
and rating the quality of classroom teachers requires
updating to include student performance as a factor to be
considered in measuring teacher quality.
(5) This act is intended to allow the Department of
Education to begin its work of revising this Commonwealth's
teacher evaluation and rating system, with the expectation
that future enactments will provide for new methods and
criteria for teacher evaluation and rating in greater detail.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 1123 of the act of March 10, 1949
(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
amended March 29, 1996 (P.L.47, No.16), is amended to read:
Section 1123. Rating System.--
(a) (1) In determining whether a professional employe shall
be dismissed for incompetency or unsatisfactory teaching
performance as provided for in section 1122(a) of this act, and
in rating the services of a temporary professional employe, the
professional employe or temporary professional employe shall be
rated by an approved rating system which shall give due
consideration to personality, preparation, technique[,] and
pupil reaction, in accordance with standards and regulations for
such scoring as defined by rating cards to be prepared by the
Department of Education, and to be revised, from time to time,
by the Department of Education with the cooperation and advice
of a committee appointed by the Secretary of Education,
including representation from district superintendents of
schools, classroom teachers, school directors, school
supervisors, parents of school-age children enrolled in a public
school, a representative from a college or department of
education within a higher education institution located within
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this Commonwealth, and such other groups or interests as the
Secretary of Education may deem appropriate.
(2) In addition to the factors enumerated in paragraph (1),
the rating shall also give due consideration to student
performance.
(3) Rating shall be done by or under the supervision of the
superintendent of schools or, if so directed by him, the same
may be done by an assistant superintendent, a supervisor, or a
principal, who has supervision over the work of the professional
employe or temporary professional employe who is being rated:
Provided, That no unsatisfactory rating shall be valid unless
approved by the district superintendent.
(b) (1) Notwithstanding the process for revising rating
cards under subsection (a), the Department of Education shall
revise and implement the use of rating cards in conformity with
the provisions of subsection (a) relating to consideration of
student performance by not later than January 1, 2012. In
revising rating cards under this paragraph, the Department of
Education shall consult with classroom teachers, school
administrators, parents of school-age children enrolled in a
public school, school board members and representatives of
institutions of higher education.
(2) The Department of Education shall provide periodic
reports to the chairman and minority chairman of the Education
Committee of the Senate and the chairman and minority chairman
of the Education Committee of the House of Representatives
describing the status of the revision of rating cards under
paragraph (1). Periodic reports required under this paragraph
shall be due on September 1, 2011, November 1, 2011, and January
1, 2012. The periodic report due on September 1, 2011, shall
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include a proposal by the Department of Education for a
comprehensive revision of the professional employe rating
system.
(c) Upon implementation of the revised rating cards
described in this section, the rating form contained in 22 Pa.
Code Ch. 351 (relating to teacher tenure hearings) and any
alternative rating forms approved pursuant to 22 Pa. Code Ch.
351 shall be null and void.
(d) The provisions of subsections (a)(2), (b) and (c) shall
expire June 30, 2012.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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