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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2372 FILED ON: 1/17/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 375 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Adam Gomez |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act relative to the teacher leadership program. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Adam GomezHampdenPavel M. PayanoFirst Essex2/1/2025 1 of 9 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2372 FILED ON: 1/17/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 375 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Mr. Gomez, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 375) of Adam Gomez and Pavel M. |
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| 19 | 19 | | Payano for legislation measuring the effectiveness of teacher leadership programs. Education. |
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| 20 | 20 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 21 | 21 | | _______________ |
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| 22 | 22 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 24 | 24 | | _______________ |
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| 25 | 25 | | An Act relative to the teacher leadership program. |
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| 26 | 26 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 27 | 27 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 28 | 28 | | 1 Chapter 69 of the General Law is hereby amended by adding the following section:- |
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| 29 | 29 | | 2 Section 39. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the |
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| 30 | 30 | | 3context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:- |
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| 31 | 31 | | 4 “Distributed leadership”, a range of approaches where school leadership shares aspects |
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| 32 | 32 | | 5of the traditional set of school decisions, organization, management and operations with teachers |
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| 33 | 33 | | 6in a manner that is coordinated by, agreed to and led by the teachers and school leadership. |
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| 34 | 34 | | 7 “Educational service agency”, a governmental agency or governmental entity, including |
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| 35 | 35 | | 8an educational collaborative board established by section 4E of chapter 40, which is established |
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| 36 | 36 | | 9and operated exclusively for the purpose of providing such services to 1 or more educational |
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| 37 | 37 | | 10institutions. |
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| 38 | 38 | | 11 “Eligible entity”, (i) a local educational agency or educational service agency; (ii) a |
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| 39 | 39 | | 12consortium of local educational agencies or educational service agencies; (iii) a partnership 2 of 9 |
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| 40 | 40 | | 13between a local educational agency or educational service agency; (iv) a nonprofit organization |
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| 41 | 41 | | 14with demonstrated expertise in teacher leadership programs, as determined by the commissioner; |
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| 42 | 42 | | 15(v) a local educational agency or educational service agency with demonstrated capacity in |
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| 43 | 43 | | 16supporting teacher leadership programs, as determined by the commissioner; or (vi) an |
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| 44 | 44 | | 17institution of higher education that awards postsecondary teacher certificates or degrees and has |
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| 45 | 45 | | 18a demonstrated capacity in supporting teacher leadership programs or teacher diversity, as |
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| 46 | 46 | | 19determined by the commissioner. |
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| 47 | 47 | | 20 “High-need educational service agency”, an educational service agency that serves a |
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| 48 | 48 | | 21significant number or percentage of high-need local educational agencies. |
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| 49 | 49 | | 22 “High-need local educational agency”, a high-need local educational agency, as such |
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| 50 | 50 | | 23term is defined in paragraph (10) of section 200 of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965, 20 |
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| 51 | 51 | | 24U.S.C. 1021(10). |
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| 52 | 52 | | 25 “Local educational agency'”, any agency that has administrative control and direction of |
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| 53 | 53 | | 26a vocational education program funded in whole or in part by federal funds. |
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| 54 | 54 | | 27 “Teacher leader”, one who takes initiative to design and implement solutions within and |
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| 55 | 55 | | 28beyond the classroom positively affecting students, families, and colleagues at the school, |
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| 56 | 56 | | 29district, state or federal level which ensures teacher retention, and ultimately student success. |
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| 57 | 57 | | 30Teacher Leaders may participate in the teacher leadership program under this section. |
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| 58 | 58 | | 31 (b)(1) The commissioner shall award competitive grants to eligible entities to establish |
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| 59 | 59 | | 32and maintain teacher leadership programs. 3 of 9 |
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| 60 | 60 | | 33 (2) From the total amount appropriated to carry out this section for a fiscal year, the |
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| 61 | 61 | | 34commissioner: (A) shall reserve not less than 5 percent to carry out planning grants in subsection |
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| 62 | 62 | | 35(g); (B) may reserve not more than: (i) 3 per cent to provide technical assistance to, and support |
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| 63 | 63 | | 36the capacity building of, the programs assisted under this section; and (ii) 0.5 per cent to support |
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| 64 | 64 | | 37program administration and data collection under this section; and (C) may reserve not more than |
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| 65 | 65 | | 383.5 per cent to award planning grants to eligible entities in order to assist those eligible entities in |
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| 66 | 66 | | 39developing a program proposal in accordance with subsection (g). |
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| 67 | 67 | | 40 (3) Grant periods shall not exceed 3 years, with possible 2-year extensions based on |
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| 68 | 68 | | 41grantee program performance in achieving program objectives. |
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| 69 | 69 | | 42 (4) The commissioner shall ensure geographic diversity among grantees, including |
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| 70 | 70 | | 43representation from urban and rural areas. |
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| 71 | 71 | | 44 (c)(1) An eligible entity desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application to |
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| 72 | 72 | | 45the department, in such manner and containing such information as the commissioner may |
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| 73 | 73 | | 46require including: (A) a description of how the eligible entity shall implement the program |
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| 74 | 74 | | 47proposal described in paragraph (2); (B) a description of how grant funds shall be spent, |
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| 75 | 75 | | 48including if and how other federal, state and local funding sources may be used to supplement |
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| 76 | 76 | | 49grant funds in order to meet the requirements of the teacher leadership program; (C) a |
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| 77 | 77 | | 50description of how the eligible entity shall continue the teacher leadership activities assisted |
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| 78 | 78 | | 51under the grant after the grant period ends; and (D) a description of how the eligible entity shall |
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| 79 | 79 | | 52engage teachers in the development and design of the program, including how the program will |
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| 80 | 80 | | 53function at the school level |
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| 81 | 81 | | 54 (2) The program proposal required under this subsection shall include the following: 4 of 9 |
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| 82 | 82 | | 55 (A) A plan to establish and operate a teacher leadership program that includes the |
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| 83 | 83 | | 56following descriptions of how the eligible entity shall: |
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| 84 | 84 | | 57 (i) ensure that the program includes the participation of teacher leaders in goal setting, |
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| 85 | 85 | | 58professional learning or collaboration with content experts, school leadership, colleagues or |
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| 86 | 86 | | 59leadership of an eligible entity, with respect to strategic planning or development at the school |
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| 87 | 87 | | 60level and the level of the eligible entity, including planning and development relating to school |
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| 88 | 88 | | 61climate, community engagement, teacher professional development and mentorship and student |
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| 89 | 89 | | 62growth or implementing practices to support the whole child , including: (1) planning the design |
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| 90 | 90 | | 63of and organizing the physical space, organizational structure, wraparound services and culture |
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| 91 | 91 | | 64of schools to support positive, healthy and developmentally appropriate relationships among |
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| 92 | 92 | | 65members of the school and community; (2) creating multi-tiered and integrated systems of |
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| 93 | 93 | | 66support to address student academic and non-academic needs; and (3) creating and fostering safe |
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| 94 | 94 | | 67and inclusive learning environments; |
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| 95 | 95 | | 68 (ii) ensure that the program offers structures for shared decision making, distributed |
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| 96 | 96 | | 69leadership, common planning and collaboration between participating teacher leaders and school |
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| 97 | 97 | | 70leaders; |
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| 98 | 98 | | 71 (iii) ensure that teacher leaders receive training and support to improve skills related to |
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| 99 | 99 | | 72acting as instructional leaders, coaches, mentors or facilitators of professional learning; |
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| 100 | 100 | | 73 (iv) use this program to establish and sustain teacher leadership opportunities to increase |
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| 101 | 101 | | 74teacher retention, including for teachers who are individuals from underrepresented populations |
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| 102 | 102 | | 75in the teaching profession. 5 of 9 |
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| 103 | 103 | | 76 (B) A description of how the eligible entity shall meet each of the following program |
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| 104 | 104 | | 77requirements: |
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| 105 | 105 | | 78 (i) ensuring all full-time teachers with at least 3 years of full-time teaching experience |
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| 106 | 106 | | 79that maintain their roles as classroom instructors and are employed by the local educational |
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| 107 | 107 | | 80agency may apply to participate in such program as teacher leaders; |
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| 108 | 108 | | 81 (ii) providing the selection criteria for program participation to all eligible teachers |
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| 109 | 109 | | 82described in clause (i), which shall include selection based on an eligible teacher's demonstrated |
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| 110 | 110 | | 83ability in carrying out not less than 5 of the criteria in subclauses (1) through (8), inclusive, and a |
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| 111 | 111 | | 84commitment to growth in other criteria where they do not have a demonstrated ability of: (1) |
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| 112 | 112 | | 85carrying out leadership responsibilities while maintaining a role as a classroom instructor; (2) |
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| 113 | 113 | | 86focusing on improving or advancing the vision, goals and priorities of the eligible entity that |
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| 114 | 114 | | 87employs such teacher using evidence-based and practice-based data; (3) collecting and analyzing |
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| 115 | 115 | | 88data of student outcomes or teacher professional outcomes and taking actions to improve student |
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| 116 | 116 | | 89outcomes, teacher outcomes or professional learning informed by such data; (4) facilitating |
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| 117 | 117 | | 90collaborative, evidence-based and practice-based and sustained professional learning with peers, |
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| 118 | 118 | | 91including mentorship and instruction leadership, that lead to improvements in teaching efficacy |
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| 119 | 119 | | 92and professional outcomes; (5) analyzing socioeconomic, cultural and historical contexts of |
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| 120 | 120 | | 93students, their communities and the local educational agency, including existing pedagogy, |
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| 121 | 121 | | 94school policies and school-based outreach to families and the community to create safe, healthy |
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| 122 | 122 | | 95and inclusive school climates; (6) implementing and evaluating strategies aimed at addressing |
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| 123 | 123 | | 96areas of demonstrated need in the school that the teacher is employed, including increasing |
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| 124 | 124 | | 97wraparound services, academic supports, family engagement and community-based services; (7) |
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| 125 | 125 | | 98supporting teachers to effectively serve students with disabilities, English learners and students 6 of 9 |
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| 126 | 126 | | 99who are linguistically, racially and culturally diverse, economically disadvantaged or historically |
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| 127 | 127 | | 100underrepresented to increase their social, emotional and academic needs; and (8) using, |
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| 128 | 128 | | 101customizing or developing lesson materials and instructional resources to meet the unique needs |
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| 129 | 129 | | 102of students and the eligible entity to further students' achievement. |
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| 130 | 130 | | 103 (iii) ensuring that all teachers and paraprofessionals employed by the participating local |
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| 131 | 131 | | 104educational agencies served by the eligible entity are eligible to participate in programming led |
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| 132 | 132 | | 105by a teacher leader, when applicable; |
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| 133 | 133 | | 106 (iv) providing financial assistance or compensation to teacher leaders who participate in |
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| 134 | 134 | | 107such program for the additional responsibilities that are directly related to the teacher leadership |
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| 135 | 135 | | 108program; |
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| 136 | 136 | | 109 (v) allowing the financial assistance or compensation described in clause (iv) to be |
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| 137 | 137 | | 110substituted for paid time off or satisfaction of a contract requirement at the request of the teacher |
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| 138 | 138 | | 111leader receiving such compensation and with the authorization and agreement of the eligible |
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| 139 | 139 | | 112entity that serves the elementary or secondary school that such teacher leader is employed; |
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| 140 | 140 | | 113 (vi) requiring teacher leaders to support their own development and professional growth |
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| 141 | 141 | | 114by evaluating themselves and each other using evidence, research or practice-based rubrics; |
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| 142 | 142 | | 115 (vii) consulting with other teachers who are not teacher leaders when developing and |
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| 143 | 143 | | 116implementing the program as described in this paragraph; and |
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| 144 | 144 | | 117 (viii) Expending funds granted under this section to permit not more than 5 percent of |
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| 145 | 145 | | 118such grant funds for administrative expenses incurred by the eligible entity and not less than 95 |
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| 146 | 146 | | 119percent of such grant funds to implement the program proposal described in this paragraph at the 7 of 9 |
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| 147 | 147 | | 120school or classroom level in order to carry out 1 or more of the following activities: (1) |
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| 148 | 148 | | 121facilitating collaboration between program participants; (2) developing or improving |
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| 149 | 149 | | 122instructional materials; or (3) design new roles and compensation structures that differentiate |
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| 150 | 150 | | 123between classroom responsibilities and responsibilities as a teacher leader. |
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| 151 | 151 | | 124 (3) Each eligible entity applying for a grant under this section shall include in such |
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| 152 | 152 | | 125application an assurance that the eligible entity shall comply with reporting and evaluation |
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| 153 | 153 | | 126requirements described in subsection (f). |
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| 154 | 154 | | 127 (d) In awarding grants under this section, the commissioner shall give priority to eligible |
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| 155 | 155 | | 128entities that include: |
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| 156 | 156 | | 129 (i) a high-need educational service agency; |
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| 157 | 157 | | 130 (ii) a high-need local educational agency; |
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| 158 | 158 | | 131 (iii) a local educational agency that receives basic support payments under section |
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| 159 | 159 | | 1327003(b)(1) of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C. |
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| 160 | 160 | | 1337703(b)(1); |
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| 161 | 161 | | 134 (iv) a local educational agency that demonstrates in their program proposal under |
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| 162 | 162 | | 135subsection (c)(2) a plan to use this program to establish and sustain teacher leadership |
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| 163 | 163 | | 136opportunities to increase teacher recruitment, including teachers who are individuals from |
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| 164 | 164 | | 137underrepresented populations in the teaching profession; and |
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| 165 | 165 | | 138 (v) an eligible entity involving a partnership between a local educational agency or |
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| 166 | 166 | | 139educational service agency that has a successful track record in supporting teacher leadership |
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| 167 | 167 | | 140models, retaining teachers or advancing teacher diversity. 8 of 9 |
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| 168 | 168 | | 141 (e)(1) An eligible entity awarded a grant under this section shall use: (i) not more than 5 |
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| 169 | 169 | | 142percent of such grant funds for administrative expenses; and (ii) not less than 95 percent of such |
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| 170 | 170 | | 143grant funds to implement the program proposal described in subsection (c)(2) and, at the eligible |
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| 171 | 171 | | 144entity's option, carry out activities described in paragraph (2). |
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| 172 | 172 | | 145 (2) In addition to implementing the program proposal under subsection (c)(2), an eligible |
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| 173 | 173 | | 146entity awarded a grant under this section may use such grant funds to facilitate collaboration |
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| 174 | 174 | | 147between program participants, instructional materials development or the reallocation of work |
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| 175 | 175 | | 148hours for teacher leaders between classroom responsibilities and responsibilities as a teacher |
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| 176 | 176 | | 149leader. |
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| 177 | 177 | | 150 (f)(1) An eligible entity shall submit to the department, in a timeline determined by the |
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| 178 | 178 | | 151commissioner, all information necessary for the evaluation described in paragraph (2). |
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| 179 | 179 | | 152 (2) The commissioner shall carry out an independent evaluation measuring the |
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| 180 | 180 | | 153effectiveness of the activities carried out under grants awarded under this section, including |
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| 181 | 181 | | 154information about whether participating eligible entities experience greater teacher retention than |
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| 182 | 182 | | 155non-participants. In carrying out the evaluation, the commissioner shall collect and analyze the |
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| 183 | 183 | | 156following information, disaggregated by race, ethnicity and gender: |
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| 184 | 184 | | 157 (A) Each participating eligible entity shall submit the following: (i) the 3-year retention |
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| 185 | 185 | | 158rate of all full-time teachers, disaggregated by teachers who are in their first year of teaching and |
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| 186 | 186 | | 159teachers hired by such local educational agency in the same school year as one another; (ii) the |
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| 187 | 187 | | 1605-year retention rate of all full-time teachers, disaggregated by teachers who are in their first year |
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| 188 | 188 | | 161of teaching; and teachers hired by such local educational agency in the same school year as one 9 of 9 |
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| 189 | 189 | | 162another; and (iii) the employment status of full-time teachers hired by such educational agency, |
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| 190 | 190 | | 163in the same school year that such eligible entity received a grant under this section. |
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| 191 | 191 | | 164 (B) Each teacher leader participating in a program established using such grant funds, |
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| 192 | 192 | | 165shall submit the following: (i) the number of years of teaching experience such teacher leader |
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| 193 | 193 | | 166had at the time of program participation; (ii) whether such teacher leader is employed by a local |
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| 194 | 194 | | 167educational agency served by such eligible entity; (iii) if such teacher leader is not employed by |
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| 195 | 195 | | 168a local educational agency served by such eligible entity, the reason for leaving; and (iv) the year |
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| 196 | 196 | | 169that such teacher leader was first employed as a teacher. |
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| 197 | 197 | | 170 (3) The aggregated data submitted under paragraph (1) and the results of the evaluation |
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| 198 | 198 | | 171under paragraph (2) shall be made publicly available on the website of the department, except |
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| 199 | 199 | | 172that such publicly available data and results shall not reveal personally identifiable information. |
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| 200 | 200 | | 173 (g)(1) The commissioner may award planning grants to eligible entities to enable those |
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| 201 | 201 | | 174eligible entities to develop a program proposal under subsection (c)(2). |
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| 202 | 202 | | 175 (2) An eligible entity seeking a planning grant under this subsection shall submit an |
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| 203 | 203 | | 176application to the department. The commissioner shall establish application requirements, |
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| 204 | 204 | | 177including submission deadlines and required information and documentation. |
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| 205 | 205 | | 178 (3) A planning grant under this subsection shall be for a period of not more than 1 year. |
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| 206 | 206 | | 179 (h) Annually, not later than December 31, the commissioner shall file a report evaluating |
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| 207 | 207 | | 180the teacher leadership programs and measuring the effectiveness of the activities carried out |
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| 208 | 208 | | 181under the grants awarded including recommendations for regulations and legislation, with the |
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| 209 | 209 | | 182clerks of the house and senate and the joint committee on education. |
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