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Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE BILL NO. 1129
BY REPRESENTATIVE THIERRY
TEACHERS: Provides relative to professional development for teachers
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 17:3885, relative to professional development for teachers; to2
authorize public school governing authorities to provide certain components of3
professional development and assistance to certain teachers according to their years4
of service and other criteria; to provide relative to the compensation of certain5
teachers; to provide relative to definitions; and to provide for related matters.6
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:7
Section 1. R.S. 17:3885 is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:8
ยง3885. Beginning and continuing teacher assistance9
A. During the first three years of employment, beginning teachers shall be10
provided by the local board The governing authority of each public elementary and11
secondary school may provide teachers with professional development opportunities12
and assistance designed to enhance teaching competencies in accordance with rules13
and regulations promulgated by the board.14
B. The local board shall provide targeted professional development to15
teachers to address deficiencies identified in the evaluation process. For the16
purposes of this Section, a "transfer teacher" is a teacher who was previously17
employed as a teacher by a public school governing authority in the state or as a18
tenured or permanent teacher in a public school in another state.19 HLS 14RS-1500 REENGROSSED
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C.(1) For the purposes of this Section, a "novice teacher" is a teacher who1
has been employed by the governing authority of a public elementary or secondary2
school for less than one year and who does not meet the definition of emerging3
teacher, provisional teacher, professional teacher, or master teacher. The term4
"novice teacher" includes a transfer teacher who has not completed a one-year term5
as a novice teacher.6
(2) The governing authority of each public elementary and secondary school7
may provide each novice teacher with the following:8
(a) An assigned mentor who is a master teacher and who shall provide the9
novice teacher with guidance in his professional growth and induction into the10
teaching profession.11
(b) Training for a minimum of two weeks prior to the start of the school year12
and paid for by the public school governing authority, in the components of effective13
teaching.14
(c) A biweekly review of his effectiveness as a teacher by the assigned15
mentor who shall use a variety of assessment tools.16
(d) A bimonthly review of his effectiveness as a teacher by an evaluator who17
shall use a variety of assessment tools including but not limited to the following:18
(i) Video tape, which shall be the exclusive property of the novice teacher.19
(ii) An electronic portfolio.20
(iii) Observations of his effectiveness as a teacher.21
(iv) Model lesson plans by his mentor and peers.22
(v) Feedback loops using walk-through and other informal review methods.23
(vi) Participation in professional learning groups.24
D.(1) For the purposes of this Section, an "emerging teacher" is a teacher25
who has successfully completed a one-year term as a novice teacher, who has been26
employed by a public school governing authority for fewer than three years, and who27
does not meet the definition of provisional, professional, or master teacher. The term28
"emerging teacher" shall include a transfer teacher who has successfully completed29 HLS 14RS-1500 REENGROSSED
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a one-year term as a novice teacher and a transfer teacher who was previously1
employed as a permanent or tenured teacher in a public school in another state.2
(2) The governing authority of each public elementary and secondary school3
may provide each emerging teacher with the following:4
(a) An assigned mentor who is a master teacher and who shall provide the5
emerging teacher with guidance in his professional growth and attainment of tenure6
or due process rights as a teacher.7
(b) A monthly review of his effectiveness as a teacher by the assigned8
mentor and an evaluator using a variety of assessment tools including but not limited9
to the following:10
(i) Video tape, which shall be the exclusive property of the emerging teacher.11
(ii) An electronic portfolio.12
(iii) Observations of his effectiveness as a teacher.13
(iv) Model lesson plans by his mentor and peers.14
(v) Feedback loops using walk-through and other informal review methods.15
(c) Assistance with testing, measurement, and assessment of cognitive16
growth, lesson plans, and test preparation. Multiple measures of student performance17
shall be used to inform the assessment team as part of the review of the teacher's18
growth in lesson planning and test preparation skills.19
(d) Assistance with the reading, analysis, and interpretation of student data.20
(e) Assistance with using curriculum and how to interface grade and subject21
content.22
(f) Standards of performance, which shall be measured based upon a23
multiple-step scale that shall range for each standard from "highly effective" to24
"ineffective".25
E.(1) For the purposes of this Section, a "provisional teacher" is a teacher26
who has been employed by a public school governing authority for more than three27
years but fewer than four years and who has not attained at least the mid-range of28
effectiveness in all areas evaluated by the public school governing authority by the29 HLS 14RS-1500 REENGROSSED
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second semester of his third year of employment with such governing authority. The1
term "provisional teacher" shall include a transfer teacher if the transfer teacher was2
previously employed as a teacher by another public school governing authority in the3
state and attained tenure or due process rights.4
(2) The governing authority of each public elementary and secondary school5
may provide each provisional teacher with the same assistance provided to an6
emerging teacher pursuant to Paragraph (D)(2) of this Section.7
F.(1) For the purposes of this Section, a "professional teacher" is a teacher8
who has been employed for more than three years by the governing authority of a9
public elementary or secondary school, who has been evaluated by the governing10
authority at or above the effective rating for the duration of his first three years of11
employment, and who has been granted tenure or due process rights by the governing12
authority at the beginning of his fourth year or the beginning of his fifth year after13
successfully completing his fourth provisional year. A teacher shall retain his status14
as a professional teacher as long as he attains at least an effective rating in all areas15
evaluated by the public school governing authority and when he becomes a master16
teacher.17
(2) The governing authority of each public elementary and secondary school18
may provide each professional teacher with the following:19
(a) Continuous and ongoing training in the components of effective teaching20
by a master teacher.21
(b) An evaluation framework that allows the professional teacher to continue22
to be evaluated by his primary evaluator.23
(c) The opportunity to become part of a teacher peer assistance team for24
novice teachers, emerging teachers, and provisional teachers in his grade level or25
subject area.26
(i) Such peer assistance teams shall work independently and apart from27
primary evaluators; however, the primary evaluator may seek input from the peer28 HLS 14RS-1500 REENGROSSED
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assistance team for any professional teacher during his fourth, fifth, or sixth year of1
teaching.2
(ii) The input from the peer assistance team shall be considered advisory, and3
any use of peer information shall be substantiated from evidence obtained by the4
primary evaluator.5
(iii) Peer assistance teams shall focus upon aiding their peers in content6
curriculum interfacing, appropriate cognitive growth strategies, currency of7
methodology and technology, personal portfolio management, review of student8
data, and effective classroom management strategies.9
G.(1) For the purposes of this Section, a "master teacher" is a teacher who10
has been employed as a classroom teacher for more than seven years, who has been11
rated "effective" to "highly effective" for four of seven years, who has retained12
"effective accomplished" or "highly effective" ratings while classified as a master13
teacher, who has earned a master's degree, a doctorate degree, or National Board14
Certification that is continuous and current, and who has demonstrated service to the15
teaching profession, professional organizations, and the community in which he is16
employed.17
(2) Master teachers shall maintain proficiency in the components of effective18
teaching, and public school governing authorities may require that they mentor and19
train other teachers as provided in Subsections C through F of this Section.20
(3) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, a master teacher21
may be compensated by the public school governing authority at a rate that is up to22
one hundred twenty-five percent of the compensation of teachers with equivalent23
education and experience.24 HLS 14RS-1500 REENGROSSED
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DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Thierry HB No. 1129
Abstract: Authorizes school boards to provide professional development for certain
categories of teachers based on their years of service and other criteria; defines
transfer, novice, emerging, provisional, professional, and master teachers; provides
for compensation of master teachers.
Present law requires local school boards to provide professional development opportunities
and assistance designed to enhance teaching competencies in accordance with State Bd. of
Elementary and Secondary Education rules to beginning teachers during their first three
years of employment. Proposed law authorizes rather than requires public school governing
authorities to provide such opportunities and assistance and provides generally with respect
to teachers rather than only beginning teachers.
Present law requires local school boards to provide targeted professional development to
teachers to address deficiencies identified in the evaluation process. Proposed law deletes
present law and provides the following:
Transfer teachers
Defines a "transfer teacher" as a teacher who was previously employed as a teacher by a
public school governing authority in the state or as a tenured or permanent teacher in a
public school in another state.
Novice teachers
(1)Defines "novice teacher" as a teacher who has been employed by a public school
governing authority for less than one year and who does not meet the proposed law
definition of emerging, provisional, professional, or master teacher. Includes a
transfer teacher who has not completed a one-year term as a novice teacher.
(2)Authorizes public school governing authorities to provide the following to novice
teachers:
(a)An assigned "master teacher" mentor to provide the novice teacher guidance
in his professional growth and induction into the profession.
(b)Training in the components of effective teaching for at least two weeks
before the start of the school year.
(c)A biweekly review of his effectiveness by the assigned mentor and a
bimonthly review of his effectiveness by an evaluator, both of whom shall
use a variety of assessment tools.
Emerging teachers
(1)Defines an "emerging teacher" as a teacher who has successfully completed a one-
year term as a novice teacher, has been employed by a public school governing
authority for fewer than three years, and does not meet the proposed law definition
of provisional, professional, or master teacher. Includes a transfer teacher who has
successfully completed a one-year term as a novice teacher and a transfer teacher HLS 14RS-1500 REENGROSSED
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who was previously employed as a permanent or tenured teacher in a public school
in another state.
(2)Authorizes that public school governing authorities provide the following to
emerging teachers:
(a)An assigned "master teacher" mentor to provide the emerging teacher
guidance in his professional growth and attainment of tenure or due process
rights.
(b)A monthly review of his effectiveness by the assigned mentor and an
evaluator using a variety of assessment tools.
(c)Assistance with testing, measurement, and assessment of cognitive growth
planning and skill development. Multiple measures of student performance
shall be used to inform the assessment team as part of the review of the
teacher's growth in lesson planning and test preparation skills.
(d)Assistance with the reading, analysis, and interpretation of student data.
(e)Assistance with using curriculum and how to interface grade and subject
content.
(f)Standards of performance, which shall be measured based upon a multiple-
step scale that shall range for each standard from "highly effective" to
"ineffective".
Provisional teachers
(1)Defines a "provisional teacher" as a teacher who has been employed by a public
school governing authority between three and four years and who has not attained
at least the mid-range of effectiveness in all areas evaluated by the governing
authority by the second semester of his third year of employment. Includes a transfer
teacher if the transfer teacher was previously employed as a teacher by another
public school governing authority in the state and attained tenure or due process
rights.
(2)Authorizes public school governing authorities to provide provisional teachers with
the same assistance provided to emerging teachers.
Professional teachers
(1)Defines a "professional teacher" as a teacher who has been employed for more than
three years by a public school governing authority, has been evaluated by the
governing authority at or above the effective rating for the duration of his first three
years of employment, and who has been granted tenure or due process rights by the
governing authority at the beginning of his fourth year or the beginning of his fifth
year after successfully completing his fourth provisional year.
(2)Provides that a "professional" teacher shall retain this status as long as he attains at
least a rating of effective in all areas evaluated by the public school governing
authority and when he becomes a master teacher.
(3)Authorizes public school governing authorities to provide the following to
professional teachers:
(a)Continuous and ongoing training in the components of effective teaching by
a master teacher. HLS 14RS-1500 REENGROSSED
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(b)An evaluation framework that allows the professional teacher to continue to
be evaluated by his primary evaluator.
(c)The opportunity to become part of a teacher peer assistance team for novice
teachers, emerging teachers, and provisional teachers in his grade level or
subject area.
Master teachers
(1)Defines a "master teacher" as a teacher who has been employed as a classroom
teacher for more than seven years, has earned "effective" to "highly effective" ratings
for four of those years, has retained "effective accomplished" or "highly effective"
ratings while classified as a master teacher, has earned a master's degree, a doctorate
degree, or National Board Certification that is continuous and current, and has
demonstrated service to the teaching profession, professional organizations, and the
community in which he is employed.
(2)Requires master teachers to maintain proficiency in the components of effective
teaching and authorizes public school governing authorities to require that they
mentor and train other teachers as provided in proposed law.
(3)Provides that notwithstanding any present law to the contrary, a master teacher may
be compensated by the public school governing authority at a rate that is up to 125%
of the compensation of teachers with equivalent education and experience.
(Amends R.S. 17:3885)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Education to the original
bill.
1. Changes present law and proposed law to authorize rather than require public
school governing authorities to do the following:
(a)Provide teachers with professional development opportunities and
assistance.
(b)Compensate master teachers at a rate relative to the compensation of
other teachers with equivalent education and experience. Provides that
such rate, if applicable, shall be up to rather than equal to 125% of the
compensation of such teachers.
2. Instead of requiring master teachers to perform proposed law duties with respect
to mentoring and training other teachers, authorizes public school governing
authorities to require that they do so.
Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Appropriations to the
engrossed bill.
1. Deletes provision regarding a three-week summer institute for emerging and
provisional teachers.