California Senate Bill SB257 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 257AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 21, 2011 INTRODUCED BY Senator Liu FEBRUARY 10, 2011 An act  to amend Section 44663 of the Education Code,  relating to certificated employees. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 257, as amended, Liu. Certificated employees: evaluation and assessment. Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to evaluate and assess the performance of certificated employees as it reasonably relates to the progress of pupils towards the standards of expected pupil achievement established by the governing board, the instructional techniques and strategies used by the employee, the employee's adherence to curricular objectives, and the establishment of a suitable learning environment.  Existing law requires that an evaluation and assessment made pursuant to these provisions be reduced to writing and a copy be transmitted to the certificated employee not later than 30 days before the last schoolday scheduled on the school calendar adopted by the governing board for the school year in which the evaluation takes place.   This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation relating to various issues concerning the evaluation and assessment of certificated employees.   Existing law requires that for a certificated noninstructional employee who is employed on a 12-month basis, a copy of this evaluation and assessment be transmitted to the employee no later than June 30 of the year in which the evaluation and assessment is made.   This bill would change this date from June 30 to July 1.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would address the following issues relating to the evaluation and assessment of certificated employees: (a) All aspects of teacher and  school  district effectiveness to ensure that an overhaul of the state's current system is comprehensive enough to attract, develop, retain, and support effective teachers and administrators. (b) The role of teachers, as well as teams of teachers, administrators, and district systems that are responsible for creating a high performing culture of learning. (c) A fair and transparent assessment and evaluation system that respects the confidentiality of individual performance evaluations and due process. (d) The use of successful and tested practices to set a foundation for practical reforms that can be tailored to fit the needs of California schools, recognizing the complexities of teaching and school performance and the myriad issues that contribute to the overarching goal of improving pupil achievement. (e) Policy changes at the state level that allow for local flexibility while ensuring access to programs and content that meet the needs of all pupils in the state. (f) The means by which various measures of accountability can be incorporated into a support structure for the improvement of teacher and  school  district effectiveness, including a clear and improved method for dismissal of administrators and teachers who do not make improvements or meet the expectations of the process. (g) An evaluation and assessment system that assists teachers in developing their skills and positively impacting  student   pupil  achievement, including a reasonable approach to including pupil performance data, as well as pupil and parent feedback and peer input. (h) An evaluation and assessment system that allows for teacher development activities that provide support structures and allow teachers to grow throughout their careers. (i) The role of administrators in effective teacher evaluation and assessment, including, but not limited to, training in evaluation methods and processes.  SEC. 2.   Section 44663 of the   Education Code   is amended to read:  44663. (a) Evaluation and assessment made pursuant to this article shall be reduced to writing and a copy thereof shall be transmitted to the certificated employee not later than 30 days before the last schoolday scheduled on the school calendar adopted by the governing board for the school year in which the evaluation takes place. The certificated employee shall have the right to initiate a written reaction or response to the evaluation. This response shall become a permanent attachment to the employee's personnel file. Before the last schoolday scheduled on the school calendar adopted by the governing board for the school year, a meeting shall be held between the certificated employee and the evaluator to discuss the evaluation. (b) In the case of a certificated noninstructional employee, who is employed on a 12-month basis, the evaluation and assessment made pursuant to this article shall be reduced to writing and a copy thereof shall be transmitted to the certificated employee no later than  June 30   July 1  of the year in which the evaluation and assessment is made. A certificated noninstructional employee, who is employed on a 12-month basis  ,  shall have the right to initiate a written reaction or response to the evaluation. This response shall become a permanent attachment to the employee's personnel file. Before July 30 of the year in which the evaluation and assessment takes place, a meeting shall be held between the certificated employee and the evaluator to discuss the evaluation and assessment.