SOURCE: IC 20-6.1-12; (03)IN1722.1.1. -->
SECTION 1.
IC 20-6.1-12
IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
AS A
NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
JULY 1, 2003]:
Chapter 12. Beginning Teacher Assessment Program
Sec. 1. This chapter applies to an individual who receives an
initial standard or reciprocal license after June 30, 2003.
Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "assessment plan" means a plan
adopted under section 18 of this chapter.
Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "assessment program" means the
beginning teacher assessment program established under this
chapter.
Sec. 4. As used in this chapter, "beginning teacher" means an
individual who:
(1) receives an initial standard or reciprocal license;
(2) is employed as a teacher by:
(A) a school corporation or charter school under a contract
described in
IC 20-6.1-4
; or
(B) an accredited nonpublic school; and
(3) has not successfully completed:
(A) an internship program under 515 IAC 1-5-1 or under
this chapter; or
(B) an equivalent program in another state and has less
than two (2) years of creditable teaching experience (as
defined by the board) in another state.
Sec. 5. Notwithstanding
IC 20-6.1-1-1
, as used in this chapter,
"board" refers to the professional standards board.
Sec. 6. As used in this chapter, "designated teacher" means the
teacher identified by a school who has primary academic
responsibility for:
(1) a class; or
(2) the delivery of services specific to a license.
The term includes a teacher of record (as defined in 511
IAC 7-3-50).
Sec. 7. As used in this chapter, "equivalent out-of-state
assessment" means a standards based performance assessment for
beginning teachers established by another state that is recognized
by the board as equivalent to the assessment under this chapter.
Sec. 8. As used in this chapter, "first assessment year" means
one (1) of the following:
(1) For a beginning teacher who begins teaching in an Indiana
public or accredited nonpublic school at the beginning of a
school year, the first year of teaching.
(2) For a beginning teacher who begins teaching in an Indiana
public or accredited nonpublic school after the beginning of
a school year, the remainder of that school year and the next
full school year of teaching.
Sec. 9. As used in this chapter, "internship program" refers to
the beginning internship program established under this chapter.
Sec. 10. As used in this chapter, "mentor" means a teacher who:
(1) has met the qualifications and received the training
required by the board; and
(2) is assigned under section 19 of this chapter.
Sec. 11. As used in this chapter, "performance assessment"
means:
(1) a performance based assessment, if a performance based
assessment has been approved by the board for a licensing
area;
(2) an alternative assessment of experience approved by the
board, if a performance based assessment has not been
approved by the board for the relevant licensing area; or
(3) a general assessment of professional teaching knowledge
or performance related to standards based teaching required
under rules adopted by the board.
Sec. 12. As used in this chapter, "school" includes a public
school, a charter school, or an accredited nonpublic school.
Sec. 13. As used in this chapter, "second assessment year"
means the full school year of teaching in an Indiana public or
accredited nonpublic school that follows the first assessment year.
Sec. 14. As used in this chapter, "teacher training institution"
means a college or university offering a program of teacher
education approved by the board.
Sec. 15. As used in this chapter, "teaching credential" refers to
a license or permit issued by the board.
Sec. 16. The beginning teacher assessment program is
established for the following purposes:
(1) To determine whether a beginning teacher has
demonstrated the competence necessary to attain a proficient
practitioner license through content specific, standards based,
or alterative performance assessments established by the
board.
(2) To collect data to be used by:
(A) teacher training institutions to evaluate and improve
the effectiveness of the training programs; and
(B) the board as a part of the board's accreditation process
for teacher training institutions.
(3) To support beginning teachers in their understanding and
integration of standards based teaching practices into their
classrooms.
(4) To support beginning teachers as new employees.
(5) To identify teaching skills and educational practices
necessary to acquire and maintain excellence in teaching.
(6) To define a program that enables a school to satisfy the
requirements of
IC 20-1-1-6.5.
Sec. 17. (a) A beginning teacher must comply with the following
provisions:
(1) A beginning teacher shall participate in an assessment
program for at least two (2) years. During:
(A) the first assessment year, the beginning teacher is
responsible for:
(i) participating in the activities set forth in the
assessment plan prepared under this chapter; and
(ii) working with a mentor teacher; and
(B) the second assessment year, the beginning teacher must
complete an assessment determined by the board.
(2) A beginning teacher who does not successfully complete
the assessment required under subdivision (1)(B) may
participate in one (1) additional assessment year during the
school year that follows the second assessment year. A
beginning teacher who is participating in an additional
assessment year:
(A) may undertake the additional assessment year while
employed by the school at which the teacher was employed
during the second assessment year or another school; and
(B) shall be provided with individualized assistance.
(b) A beginning teacher's initial practitioner's license is valid for
two (2) consecutive school years, beginning not later than four (4)
years after the effective date of the license.
Sec. 18. (a) As a part of each school's:
(1) strategic and continuous improvement plan under
IC 20-10.2; and
(2) professional development program under
IC 20-1-1-6.5
;
the school must annually adopt an assessment plan for each
beginning teacher at the school to participate in the assessment
program and complete the required assessments.
(b) An assessment plan adopted under subsection (a) must
include activities designed to:
(1) support a beginning teacher during the teacher's first
assessment year; and
(2) prepare the teacher to begin an assessment program at the
start of the following school year.
(c) The board may:
(1) develop and make available models for a school to use in
developing assessment plans under subsection (a); and
(2) require schools to file assessment plans with the board.
Sec. 19. (a) During a beginning teacher's first assessment year,
the principal of the school in which the beginning teacher teaches
shall, with the consent of the mentor, assign a mentor to work with
the beginning teacher.
(b) Before becoming eligible to be assigned as a mentor, a
teacher must meet the qualifications and receive the training
required by the board.
(c) A teacher may not be considered a supervisor (as defined in
IC 20-7.5-1-2
(h)) for acting as a mentor under this chapter.
(d) The principal and superintendent of a mentor shall ensure
that the mentor is provided an adequate amount of time to carry
out the mentor's duties.
(e) A teacher who serves as a mentor is entitled to an annual
stipend of six hundred dollars ($600), paid by the state, for
carrying out the duties of a mentor during a beginning teacher's
first assessment year. A teacher who serves as a mentor during a
second or subsequent assessment year is not entitled to receive a
stipend paid by the state.
Sec. 20. (a) A beginning teacher must successfully complete the
required performance assessments to meet the performance based
eligibility requirements for a proficient practitioner license.
(b) If the board has approved an assessment portfolio for a
licensing area in which a beginning teacher is a designated teacher
during the beginning teacher's second assessment year, the
beginning teacher must submit a portfolio in that licensing area. If
a beginning teacher is a designated teacher in more than one (1)
licensing area for which the board has approved an assessment
portfolio, the beginning teacher may select the licensing area in
which to submit the assessment portfolio.
(c) When a beginning teacher completes an assessment portfolio,
the beginning teacher shall submit the following to the board:
(1) The completed assessment portfolio in a format approved
by the board.
(2) A completed application for a proficient practitioner
license.
(3) Verification from the beginning teacher's principal that all
materials submitted as part of the portfolio are either:
(A) original work of the beginning teacher; or
(B) in the case of original student work, produced under
the supervision of the beginning teacher.
(d) When a beginning teacher completes an alternative
assessment in a licensing area for which the board has not
approved an assessment portfolio, the beginning teacher shall
submit the following to the board:
(1) The completed assessment or verification of experience in
a format approved by the board.
(2) A completed application for a proficient practitioner
license.
(3) Verification from the beginning teacher's principal that all
materials submitted as part of the portfolio are either:
(A) original work of the beginning teacher; or
(B) in the case of original student work, produced under
the supervision of the beginning teacher.
(e) If a beginning teacher demonstrates competence through an
assessment submitted under this section, the board shall:
(1) issue a proficient practitioner license to the beginning
teacher; and
(2) provide the beginning teacher with information that:
(A) is based upon the board's evaluation of the beginning
teacher's assessment; and
(B) will assist the beginning teacher in planning for future
professional growth.
(f) If a beginning teacher does not demonstrate competence
through an assessment submitted under this section, the beginning
teacher may participate in an extended assessment program under
section 21 of this chapter.
Sec. 21. (a) If a beginning teacher does not demonstrate
competence through an assessment submitted under section 20 of
this chapter, the board shall:
(1) notify the beginning teacher and the beginning teacher's
principal and superintendent that the beginning teacher may
participate in an extended assessment program during the
school year that immediately follows the beginning teacher's
second assessment year;
(2) notify the beginning teacher and the beginning teacher's
principal of the assessment areas in which the beginning
teacher did not demonstrate competence, including
information that will allow the principal and beginning
teacher to plan methods of assisting the beginning teacher
under the extended assessment program; and
(3) extend the expiration date of the beginning teacher's initial
practitioner license by one (1) year.
(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a), the following apply:
(1) If a beginning teacher:
(A) fails to submit an assessment under section 20 of this
chapter; and
(B) has not requested an extension of time in which to
submit the assessment;
the board may not allow the beginning teacher to participate
in an extended assessment program.
(2) If the performance demonstrated by a beginning teacher
through the assessment submitted under section 20 of this
chapter indicates to the board that student learning would be
compromised by allowing the beginning teacher to continue
teaching during an extended assessment, the board may deny
participation in an extended assessment program. However,
if the beginning teacher's superintendent files a written
appeal with the board and verifies that the school corporation
will assume the direct expenses of the beginning teacher's
extended assessment program, the board shall allow
participation in an extended assessment program.
(c) A beginning teacher participating in an extended assessment
program under this section is entitled to receive additional
assistance to successfully complete the extended program.
(d) If the board has approved an assessment portfolio for a
licensing area in which a beginning teacher is a designated teacher
during the beginning teacher's extended assessment year, the
beginning teacher must submit a portfolio in that licensing area.
(e) A beginning teacher may submit not more than two (2)
additional performance assessments or equivalent out-of-state
assessments during an extended assessment program.
Sec. 22. A beginning teacher who has failed after three (3)
attempts to demonstrate competence through performance
assessments submitted under this chapter may appeal to the board.
Sec. 23. (a) A school's participation in the assessment program
is a condition of accreditation under
IC 20-1-16.
(b) The implementation of and participation in the assessment
program is not a subject of:
(1) bargaining under
IC 20-7.5-1-4
; or
(2) discussion under
IC 20-7.5-1-5.
(c) A beginning teacher who is participating in the assessment
program is entitled to at least the same salary and benefits
ordinarily granted by a school corporation to a teacher with
teaching experience that is comparable to the experience of the
beginning teacher. If a beginning teacher participates in an
extended assessment program, the beginning teacher is entitled to
credit during the third year for the teaching experience gained
during the second year of the assessment program.
(d) For purposes of contract status, if a school corporation
enters into a contract with a teacher who successfully completes
the assessment program, the teacher shall be credited with years
of teaching experience equal to the number of years the beginning
teacher participated in the assessment program. However, a school
corporation is not required to employ a teacher after the
completion of either the first or second year of the assessment
program.
Sec. 24. The board may adopt rules under
IC 4-22-2
, including
portfolio assessment fees, to carry out the purposes of this chapter.
SOURCE: ; (03)IN1722.1.2. -->
SECTION 2. [EFFECTIVE UPON PASSAGE] (a)
Notwithstanding
IC 20-6.1-12
, as added by this act, the
professional standards board shall carry out the duties imposed
upon it under
IC 20-6.1-12
, as added by this act, under interim
written guidelines approved by the executive director of the
professional standards board.
(b) Interim written guidelines adopted under this SECTION
must include the following concerning mentors under
IC 20-6.1-12
,
as added by this act:
(1) A mentor must demonstrate knowledge of standards based
teaching and the standards a beginning teacher is required to
meet.
(2) Before acting as a mentor, a teacher must either:
(A) complete a mentor training program; or
(B) be enrolled in and committed to completing a mentor
training program.
(3) A mentor must have at least three (3) years of teaching
experience.
(4) A mentor must teach:
(A) in the same school building;
(B) at or near the same grade level; and
(C) in the same subject or discipline;
as the beginning teacher to whom the mentor is assigned.
(5) If a beginning teacher's principal believes there is no
mentor who is willing to serve and who meets the criteria set
forth in subdivisions (3) and (4), the principal:
(A) may appoint a mentor who meets as many of the
criteria as is feasible; and
(B) shall file with the professional standards board a
statement signed by the principal and the beginning
teacher's superintendent that sets forth the reasons a
mentor who does not meet the criteria set forth in
subdivisions (3) and (4) has been appointed for the
beginning teacher.
(c) This SECTION expires on the earlier of the following:
(1) The date rules are adopted under
IC 20-6.1-12
, as added
by this act.
(2) December 31, 2004.