Vetoed by Governor Charlie Crist, Jr.

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires evaluation of education personnel to be based on performance as demonstrated by student learning gains.

Highlights:

-Prohibits a charter school from awarding a professional service contract or similar contract to a classroom teacher hired on or after July 1, 2010 (Sec. 3). -Requires, beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, charter schools to adopt a salary schedule and compensate instructors and administrators based on their performance (Sec. 3). -Authorizes the Department of Education to approve of teacher preparation programs at public and nonpublic postsecondary educational institutions based on student learning gains (Sec. 8). -Requires that every public and nonpublic state-approved teacher preparation program to report annually to the state and the public the percentage of students taught per graduate who achieved learning gains and the percentage of graduates receiving full time teaching employment (Sec. 8). -Requires teachers to demonstrate a mastery of general knowledge before completing their teacher preparation program (Sec. 9). -Requires, beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, each school district to require every school in the district to administer the district's standard end-of-course assessment for each subject area or grade level (Sec. 11). -Requires school districts to reward classroom teachers on the performance of their students, not the number of years worked or degrees held (Sec. 18). -Establishes the Performance Fund for Instructional Personnel and School-Based Administrators beginning in the 2011-2012 school year (Sec. 18). -Requires, beginning with the 2014-2015 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter, each district school board to submit the district-adopted salary schedule for the school year and supporting documentation to the commissioner for review on or before October 1 of each year (Sec. 18). -Prohibits a district school board from using length of service or degrees held as factors in setting a teacher's salary schedule (Sec. 22). -Specifies that beginning July 1, 2010, each newly hired teacher is to be given a probationary contract, meaning the teacher can be dismissed without cause or resign without a breach of contract for a period of one year (Sec. 26). -Specifies that a teacher may receive up to 4 annual contracts if the teacher holds a professional certificate and has been recommended by the district school superintendent for the annual contract and approved by the school board (Sec. 26). -Specifies that a teacher may not receive an annual contract for the sixth year of teaching unless the teacher holds a professional certificate, has been recommended by the district school superintendent for the annual contract and approved by the school board, and has received an effective or highly effective designation in at least 2 of the 3 previous years (Sec. 26). -Establishes that a teacher with an annual contract may be dismissed at any time for just cause (Sec. 26) -Requires that the rating system for teachers and administrators include the ratings of unsatisfactory, needs improvement, effective, and highly effective (Sec. 27). -Requires that beginning with the 2014-2015 school year teachers and administrators whose students do not show learning gains cannot receive ratings of effective or highly effective (Sec. 27). -Requires that for instructional personnel, more than 50% of their evaluations must be based on the performance of their students (Sec. 27). -Authorizes an employee that receives an unsatisfactory performance appraisal to request a review by the superintendent (Sec. 27). -Prohibits, beginning in the 2010-2011 school year, a district school board from assigning any beginning teacher to teach reading, science, or mathematics if he or she is not certified in the subject (Sec. 28). -Specifies that in order for a teacher to receive a renewal of a professional certificate he or she must include documentation of effective or highly effective performances for at least 4 of the 5 preceding years (Sec. 31). -Authorizes the Department of Education in conjunction with the Board of Governors to develop a methodology to study the cost-effectiveness of teacher preparation programs (Sec. 35). -Specifies that if any part of this act is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect the other provisions of the act (Sec. 37). -This is a substitute bill sponsored by the House Policy and Steering Committee on Ways and Means.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires evaluation of education personnel to be based on performance as demonstrated by student learning gains.

Highlights:

-Prohibits a charter school from awarding a professional service contract or similar contract to a classroom teacher hired on or after July 1, 2010 (Sec. 3). -Requires, beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, charter schools to adopt a salary schedule and compensate instructors and administrators based on their performance (Sec. 3). -Authorizes the Department of Education to approve of teacher preparation programs at public and nonpublic postsecondary educational institutions based on student learning gains (Sec. 8). -Requires that every public and nonpublic state-approved teacher preparation program to report annually to the state and the public the percentage of students taught per graduate who achieved learning gains and the percentage of graduates receiving full time teaching employment (Sec. 8). -Requires teachers to demonstrate a mastery of general knowledge before completing their teacher preparation program (Sec. 9). -Requires, beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, each school district to require every school in the district to administer the district's standard end-of-course assessment for each subject area or grade level (Sec. 11). -Requires school districts to reward classroom teachers on the performance of their students, not the number of years worked or degrees held (Sec. 18). -Establishes the Performance Fund for Instructional Personnel and School-Based Administrators beginning in the 2011-2012 school year (Sec. 18). -Requires, beginning with the 2014-2015 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter, each district school board to submit the district-adopted salary schedule for the school year and supporting documentation to the commissioner for review on or before October 1 of each year (Sec. 18). -Prohibits a district school board from using length of service or degrees held as factors in setting a teacher's salary schedule (Sec. 22). -Specifies that beginning July 1, 2010, each newly hired teacher is to be given a probationary contract, meaning the teacher can be dismissed without cause or resign without a breach of contract for a period of one year (Sec. 26). -Specifies that a teacher may receive up to 4 annual contracts if the teacher holds a professional certificate and has been recommended by the district school superintendent for the annual contract and approved by the school board (Sec. 26). -Specifies that a teacher may not receive an annual contract for the sixth year of teaching unless the teacher holds a professional certificate, has been recommended by the district school superintendent for the annual contract and approved by the school board, and has received an effective or highly effective designation in at least 2 of the 3 previous years (Sec. 26). -Establishes that a teacher with an annual contract may be dismissed at any time for just cause (Sec. 26) -Requires that the rating system for teachers and administrators include the ratings of unsatisfactory, needs improvement, effective, and highly effective (Sec. 27). -Requires that beginning with the 2014-2015 school year teachers and administrators whose students do not show learning gains cannot receive ratings of effective or highly effective (Sec. 27). -Requires that for instructional personnel, more than 50% of their evaluations must be based on the performance of their students (Sec. 27). -Authorizes an employee that receives an unsatisfactory performance appraisal to request a review by the superintendent (Sec. 27). -Prohibits, beginning in the 2010-2011 school year, a district school board from assigning any beginning teacher to teach reading, science, or mathematics if he or she is not certified in the subject (Sec. 28). -Specifies that in order for a teacher to receive a renewal of a professional certificate he or she must include documentation of effective or highly effective performances for at least 4 of the 5 preceding years (Sec. 31). -Authorizes the Department of Education in conjunction with the Board of Governors to develop a methodology to study the cost-effectiveness of teacher preparation programs (Sec. 35). -Specifies that if any part of this act is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect the other provisions of the act (Sec. 37). -Sen. Nan Rich voted "Nay" after the roll call. -This is a substitute bill sponsored by the House Policy and Steering Committee on Ways and Means.

Full Bill Text