2022 Regular Session ENROLLED SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 33 BY SENATOR MILLIGAN AND REPRESENTATIVES AMEDEE, EMERSON, FREEMAN, FREIBERG, JEFFERSON, CHARLES OWEN, ST. BLANC AND TARVER A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION To urge and request the state superintendent of education to create the Teachers' Advisory Council. WHEREAS, the legislature, BESE, the state Department of Education, and local governing authorities routinely pass laws, rules, and policies that impact teachers, classroom activities, and student learning; and WHEREAS, it is most often teachers who see the direct consequences, intended and unintended, of those actions; and WHEREAS, teachers often feel powerless to bring attention to the unintended consequences and to impact meaningful change that could enhance the learning environment of students; and WHEREAS, the feelings of powerlessness are often cited by teachers as the reason for competent teachers leaving the classroom; and WHEREAS, many teachers point to the inability to impact classroom policies as having a greater negative influence on the teaching profession compared to low teacher pay; and WHEREAS, providing teachers a method to provide feedback could improve the working environment for educators and increase learning outcomes for students. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the state superintendent of education to create the Teachers' Advisory Council in order to allow teacher input into the decisions that impact student learning. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council be comprised of at least the following teachers: (1) Each teacher who was selected as state teacher of the year and each teacher who was selected as a "Milken Educator". Each teacher selected shall not be required to serve but shall be given the opportunity to serve on the Council. Page 1 of 3 SCR NO. 33 ENROLLED (2) A traditional public school teacher representing each Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) district. (3) Three teachers chosen to represent traditional public schools, one of whom teaches in an elementary school, one of whom teaches in a middle school, and one of whom teaches in a high school. (4) Three teachers chosen to represent high performing traditional public schools, one of whom teaches in an urban school, one of whom teaches in a rural school, and one of whom teaches in a school that has a majority of its student body that is economically disadvantaged. (5) Three teachers chosen to represent traditional public schools that are performing below the state average, one of whom teaches in an urban school, one who teaches in a rural school, and one who teaches in a school that has a majority of its student body that is economically disadvantaged. (6) Six teachers chosen to represent public charter schools, one of whom teaches in an elementary school, one of whom teaches in a middle school, one of whom teaches in a high school, one of whom teaches in a virtual school, one of whom teaches in a high performing school, and one whom teaches in a school performing below the state average. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the each member shall be selected from among a pool of teachers who applied for membership to the Council and that the term for each member shall be for four years. However, the terms of the initial members shall be staggered in a manner to provide for continuity in the membership with no more than twenty-five percent rotating off the Council each year. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the membership shall serve without compensation, except for per diem or reimbursement of expenses. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state superintendent of education shall call the first meeting of the Council by August 1, 2022. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council shall meet with the state superintendent of education on a quarterly basis in order to discuss issues, laws, rules, and policies impacting teachers and their students. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, in order to provide a feedback loop, after each Page 2 of 3 SCR NO. 33 ENROLLED meeting of the Council, the state superintendent of education shall provide a report to the Superintendents' Advisory Council that includes the highlights of the discussions of the Teachers' Advisory Council. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, by January first of each year, the state superintendent of education shall submit a report on the issues, findings, and recommendations of the Teachers' Advisory Council to BESE and the Senate and House committees on education. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the state superintendent of education. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Page 3 of 3