Signed by Governor Jim Doyle III

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that effects various amendments to state education laws, including prohibiting tenure for school principals and requiring actions to address low-performing schools and school districts.

Highlights:

-Prohibits principals or assistant principals from being granted tenure or permanent employment (Sec. 1). -Requires that if a school district has been "in need of improvement" for 4 consecutive years, the school board must do to following (Sec. 1):

-Employ a "standard, consistent, research-based curriculum" that is aligned with the state's model academic standards; -Use pupil academic performance data, including data indicating improvement in pupil academic achievement and English language acquisition, to meet individual pupil needs; -Implement for all pupils a system of academic and behavioral supports and early interventions; and -Provide additional learning time to address the academic needs of the pupil which may include an extended school day, an extended school year, summer school, or intersession courses.

-Requires that if a school was in the lowest performing 5 percent of all public schools in the state in the previous year and is in a school district that has been "in need of improvement" for 4 consecutive school years the school board must do the following (Sec. 2):

-Use "rigorous and equitable" performance evaluation systems for teachers and principals, including but not limited to, the following:
-Annual performance evaluations, multiple rating categories, and multiple rating criteria, including improvement in pupil academic achievement as a significant factor; and -A method of identifying mitigating factors;
-Adopt a policy establishing criteria for evaluating whether the distribution of teachers and principals within the affected schools relative to the entire school district is equitable; -Establish teacher and principal "improvement programs" that include supplemental mentoring for those with emergency licenses/permits, opportunities to pursue other professional certifications, at least 60 hours annually of professional development incorporated into work, and a joint labor-management program designed to identify teachers and principals with "serious performance deficiencies" and provide them with opportunities for improvement (including observation, mentoring, conferences, and, for those who continue to demonstrate deficiencies, career counseling and other "career transition benefits"); and -Adopt placement criteria for principals that include performance evaluations and measures of pupil academic achievement.

-Allows the state superintendent to implement a new or modified instructional design, professional development programs, changes in administrative and personnel structures, and "accountability measures" to monitor district finances for a school district if he or she determines that the school district has been "in need of improvement" for 4 consecutive years (Sec. 2). -Allows the state superintendent, for a school that has been "in need of improvement" for 5 consecutive school years or was among the lowest performing 5 percent of all public schools in the state in the previous school year and that is located in a school district that has been "in need of improvement" for 4 consecutive school years, to implement new or modified instructional design, which may include expanded school hours or additional pupil services, and to create a school improvement council to make recommendations to the superintendent (Sec. 2). -Requires the Board of Milwaukee Public Schools to provide alternative methods to attain a high school diploma for pupils who are "unlikely to graduate in the traditional manner" (Sec. 4). -The text of this bill has been replaced by a substitute amendment sponsored by the Senate Committee on Education.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that effects various amendments to state education laws, including prohibiting tenure for school principals and requiring actions to address low-performing schools and school districts.

Highlights:

-Prohibits principals or assistant principals from being granted tenure or permanent employment (Sec. 1). -Requires that if a school district has been "in need of improvement" for 4 consecutive years, the school board must do to following (Sec. 1):

-Employ a "standard, consistent, research-based curriculum" that is aligned with the state's model academic standards; -Use pupil academic performance data, including data indicating improvement in pupil academic achievement and English language acquisition, to meet individual pupil needs; -Implement for all pupils a system of academic and behavioral supports and early interventions; and -Provide additional learning time to address the academic needs of the pupil which may include an extended school day, an extended school year, summer school, or intersession courses.

-Requires that if a school was in the lowest performing 5 percent of all public schools in the state in the previous year and is in a school district that has been "in need of improvement" for 4 consecutive school years the school board must do the following (Sec. 2):

-Use "rigorous and equitable" performance evaluation systems for teachers and principals, including but not limited to, the following:
-Annual performance evaluations, multiple rating categories, and multiple rating criteria, including improvement in pupil academic achievement as a significant factor; and -A method of identifying mitigating factors;
-Adopt a policy establishing criteria for evaluating whether the distribution of teachers and principals within the affected schools relative to the entire school district is equitable; -Establish teacher and principal "improvement programs" that include supplemental mentoring for those with emergency licenses/permits, opportunities to pursue other professional certifications, at least 60 hours annually of professional development incorporated into work, and a joint labor-management program designed to identify teachers and principals with "serious performance deficiencies" and provide them with opportunities for improvement (including observation, mentoring, conferences, and, for those who continue to demonstrate deficiencies, career counseling and other "career transition benefits"); and -Adopt placement criteria for principals that include performance evaluations and measures of pupil academic achievement.

-Allows the state superintendent to implement a new or modified instructional design, professional development programs, changes in administrative and personnel structures, and "accountability measures" to monitor district finances for a school district if he or she determines that the school district has been "in need of improvement" for 4 consecutive years (Sec. 2). -Allows the state superintendent, for a school that has been "in need of improvement" for 5 consecutive school years or was among the lowest performing 5 percent of all public schools in the state in the previous school year and that is located in a school district that has been "in need of improvement" for 4 consecutive school years, to implement new or modified instructional design, which may include expanded school hours or additional pupil services, and to create a school improvement council to make recommendations to the superintendent (Sec. 2). -Requires the Board of Milwaukee Public Schools to provide alternative methods to attain a high school diploma for pupils who are "unlikely to graduate in the traditional manner" (Sec. 4). -The text of this bill has been replaced by a substitute amendment sponsored by the Senate Committee on Education.

Full Bill Text