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TCTA has reviewed the 601-page discussion drafts of Titles II-IX of the NCLB reauthorization bill released by the U.S. House committee on Education and Labor chair on September 7, 2007. The following analysis incorporates information from both the outline provided by the House Committee on Education and Labor (see link) as well as TCTA’s own analysis. (Note, due to the length of the bill, this analysis focuses on provisions of most import to our members and does not contain all of the provisions addressed in the committee outline).

The issue of teacher quality has been the source of much national focus and discussion as of late. Since the time the No Child Left Behind Act coined the term “highly qualified” teachers, the discussion of teacher quality has intensified, with some influential groups advocating for a change in the term to include the concept of teacher effectiveness as measured by student performance. Indeed, the independent Commission on No Child Left Behind, assigned to hold hearings on the pending reauthorization of the Act, included in its recommendations that the term should be changed to “highly effective” teachers as measured by student performance. Chairman Miller has expressed an interest in the concept and is known to be open to making changes of this nature.

However, from our review of Title II and other Titles of his discussion draft of the reauthorized NCLB, it appears that the term “highly qualified” remains intact, with one rather large exception, and that is the elimination of a popular option for experienced teachers to demonstrate competency, a highly objective uniform state standard of evaluation (HOUSSE). Although the federal USDE tried to eliminate HOUSSE administratively, TCTA and others protested and the USDE retreated from its attempts. However, the administration stated at the time that it intended to pursue eliminating HOUSSE in the reauthorization. TCTA will continue to fight efforts to eliminate HOUSSE as an option for experienced teachers.

With regard to the issue of teacher effectiveness as measured by student performance, we did find in our review of Chairman Miller’s Title II discussion draft numerous grant programs designed to encourage performance pay for teachers, particularly at high-need schools, and our analysis of these programs, as well as other provisions contained in Chairman Miller’s Titles II-IX discussion draft follow. We note that we have combined our analysis with statements contained in the official committee outline of the discussion draft; accordingly we have noted comments originating from the committee outline throughout.

Title II – Teacher Excellence for All Children (TEACH)

PART A—IMPROVING TEACHER AND PRINCIPALQUALITY

SEC. 2101. DEFINITIONS.

Defines high-need school district as one that that serves not fewer than 10,000 children from families with incomes below the poverty line, or for which not less than 20 percent of the children served by the agency are from families with incomes below the poverty line; and that is having or expected to have difficulty filling teacher vacancies or hiring new teachers who are highly qualified.

Defines‘ value-added student achievement gains as student achievement gains determined by means of a system that is

(A) sufficiently sophisticated and valid—

(i) to deal with the problem of students with incomplete records;

(ii) to enable estimates to be precise and to use all the data for all students in multiple years, regardless of sparseness, in order to avoid measurement error in test scores (such as by using multivariate, longitudinal analyses); and

(iii) to protect against inappropriate testing practices or improprieties in test administration;

(B) includes a way to acknowledge the existence of influences on student growth, such as pull-out programs for support beyond standard delivery of instruction, so that affected teachers do not receive an unfair advantage;and

(C) has the capacity to assign various proportions of student growth to multiple teachers when the classroom reality, such as team teaching and departmentalized instruction, makes such type of instruction an issue.

SUBPART 1—CLOSING THE TEACHER DISTRIBUTION GAP

SEC. 2111. PREMIUM PAY.

The Secretary shall make grants to local educational agencies to provide higher salaries to exemplary, highly qualified principals and exemplary, highly qualified teachers with at least three years of experience, including teachers certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, if the principal or teacher agrees to serve full-time for a period of four consecutive school years at a public high-need elementary school Mora public high-need secondary school.

Grants for:

  • exemplary, highly qualified principals up to $15,000 as an annual bonus for each of four consecutive school years;
  • exemplary, highly qualified teachers up to $10,000 as an annual bonus for each of four consecutive school years;
  • up to $12,500 as an annual bonus for each of four consecutive school years if the teacher commits to work full-time for such period teaching a subject for which there is a documented shortage of teachers in a public high-need elementary school or a public high-need secondary school.

Grants available only if the state in which the agency is located or the agency has in place or proposes a plan, developed on a collaborative basis with the local teacher organization, to develop a system in which principals and, if available, master teachers rate teachers as exemplary. Such a system shall be—

(1) based on strong learning gains for students;

(2) based on classroom observation and feedback at least four times annually;

(3) conducted by multiple sources, including master teachers and principals; and

(4) evaluated against research-validated rubrics that use planning, instructional, and learning environment standards to measure teaching performance.

(F) APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

School district application must include:

1). School district to pay matching funds, commit to making the program sustainable over time; create incentives to bring a critical mass of exemplary, highly qualified teachers to each school whose teachers will receive assistance under this section; improve the school’s working conditions through activities that may include but are not limited to—

(i) reducing class size;

(ii) ensuring availability of classroom materials, textbooks, and other supplies;

(iii) improving or modernizing facilities;

(iv) upgrading safety.

Accelerate the timeline for hiring new teachers in order to minimize the withdrawal of high-quality teacher applicants and secure the best new teacher talent for their hardest-to staff schools.

2). assurance that, in identifying exemplary teachers, the system will take into consideration—

(A) growth of the teacher’s students on any tests required by the state educational agency;

(B) value-added student achievement gains if such teacher is in a state that uses value-added longitudinal data system;

(C) National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification; and

(D) evidence of teaching skill documented in performance-based assessments.

(G) HIRING HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS EARLY AND IN A TIMELY MANNER.

Application must include description of the steps the school district will take, including:

(A) requiring a clear and early notification date for retiring teachers that is no later than March 15 each year;

(B) providing schools with their staffing allocations no later than April of the preceding school year;

(C) enabling schools to consider external candidates at the same time as internal candidates for available positions;

(D) moving up the teacher transfer period to April and not requiring schools to hire transferring or ‘excessed’ teachers from other schools without selection and consent; and

(E) establishing and implementing a new principal accountability framework to ensure that principals with increased hiring authority are improving teacher quality.

RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to alter or otherwise affect the rights, remedies, and procedures afforded school or district employees under Federal,state, or local laws (including applicable regulations or court orders) or under the terms of collective bargaining agreements, memoranda of understanding, or other agreements between such employees and their employers.

School district shall give priority to principals and teachers at schools in school improvement, corrective action, or restructuring.

High-need school defined as at least 65% low-income students.

Documented shortage of teachers means shortages identified by school district or math, science, a foreign language, special education, bilingual education, or reading.

An ‘exemplary, highly qualified principal’ means a principal who—

(A) demonstrates a belief that every student can achieve at high levels;

(B) demonstrates an ability to drive substantial gains in academic achievement for all students while closing the achievement gap for those farthest from meeting standards;

(C) uses data to drive instructional improvement;

(D) provides ongoing support and development for teachers; and

(E) builds a positive school community, treating every student with respect and reinforcing high expectations for all.

SEC. 2112. CAREER LADDERS FOR TEACHERS PROGRAM.

Secretary MAY make competitive grants to school districts to establish career ladder programs that increase salaries for those teachers in high-need schools who expand their knowledge and skills and take on additional responsibilities or leadership roles within the school. Teachers who serve as master teachers, including as part of a state-of-the-art induction program can receive up to $10,000 annually while mentor teachers can receive up to $5,000 annually. Annual bonuses of up to $4,000 will also be available for all career, mentor and master teachers and will be based on a combination of:

(A) at least three classroom evaluations over the course of the year (by multiple evaluators including principal and master teachers, and be evaluated against research-validated benchmarks that use planning, instructional, and learning environment standards to measure teacher performance; and

(B) the performance of the teacher’s students as determined by—

(i) student growth on any test that is required by the state educational agency or local educational agency and is administered to the teacher’s students; and

(ii) in states or local educational agencies with value-added longitudinal data systems, whole-school value-added student achievement gains and classroom level value-added student achievement gains.

Teachers must demonstrate increased proficiency via:

(A) in states without value-added longitudinal data systems, multiple annual evaluations described in paragraph (2); and

(B) in states with value-added longitudinal data systems, value-added student achievement gains.

(4) provides up to $4,000 as an annual bonus to principals in elementary schools and secondary schools based on the performance of the school’s students, taking into consideration whole-school value added student achievement gains in states that have value-added longitudinal data systems and in which information on whole-school value-added student achievement gains is available.

School district can't establish Career Ladder program under this section unless at least 75% of the teachers in the school district vote to adopt the program.

A ‘career teacher’ means a teacher who has a bachelor’s degree and full credentials or alternative certification including a passing level on elementary or secondary subject matter assessments and professional knowledge assessments.

A ‘mentor teacher’ means a teacher who—

(A) has a bachelor’s degree and full credentials or alternative certification including a passing level on any applicable elementary or secondary subject matter assessments and professional knowledge assessments;

(B) has a portfolio and a classroom demonstration showing instructional excellence;

(C) has an ability, as demonstrated by student data, to increase student achievement through utilizing specific instructional strategies;

(D) has a minimum of three years of teaching experience;

(E) is recommended by the principal and other current master and mentor teachers;

(F) is an excellent instructor and communicator with an understanding of how to facilitate growth in the teachers they are mentoring; and

(G) performs well as a mentor in established induction and peer review and mentoring programs.

A ‘master teacher’ means a teacher who—

(A) holds a master’s degree in the relevant academic discipline;

(B) has at least 5 years of successful teaching experience, as measured by performance evaluations, a portfolio of work, or National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification;

(C) demonstrates expertise in content, curriculum development, student learning, test analysis, mentoring, and professional development, as demonstrated by an advanced degree, advanced training, career experience, or National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification;

(D) presents student data that illustrates the teacher’s ability to increase student achievement through utilizing specific instructional interventions;

(E) has instructional expertise demonstrated through model teaching, team teaching, video presentations, student achievement gains, or National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification;

(F) may hold a valid National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certificate, may have passed another rigorous standard, or may have been selected as a school, district, or state teacher of the year; and

(G) is currently participating, or has previously participated, in a professional development program that supports classroom teachers as mentors.

SEC. 2113. TEACHER RESIDENCY PROGRAM GRANTS.

(From our review of this, it appears that much of this language was taken from the Senate version of the Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, HR 1642)

Secretary shall make competitive grants for high-need school districts to establish teacher residency programs.

A ‘teacher residency program’ means a school-based teacher preparation program in which a prospective teacher—

(A) teaches alongside a teacher of record (who is designated as the mentor teacher) for at least 1 academic year;

(B) receives coursework in the teaching of the content area in which the teacher will become certified to teach;

(C) receives instruction in planning, content, pedagogy, student learning, assessment, management of the classroom environment, and professional responsibilities, including interaction with families and colleagues and use of assessment data to modify and improve instruction;

(D) attains full state certification to teach prior to completion of the program; and

(E) receives a midpoint review.

Required components of program:

(A) Pedagogy and classroom practice shall be integrated by—

(i) partnering with institutions of higher education to ensure residents engage in rigorous coursework while under-taking a guided teaching apprenticeship;and

(ii) using lessons learned from the residency program to inform teacher training at the institution of higher education.

(B) Residents shall teach alongside an experienced mentor teacher (who may receive additional compensation for participating in the program), so that classroom clinical practice is tightly aligned with coursework.

(C) Programs shall appoint experienced mentor teachers (have at least 5 years teaching experience teaching in a school in the high-need school district) who shall—

(i) serve as—teacher leaders; mentors for residents; and teacher coaches during the induction of novice teachers; and

(ii) perform additional responsibilities that shall include establishing within the program, a learning community in which all individuals are expected to continually improve their capacity to advance student learning.

(D) The selection of experienced mentor teachers that—shall be based on measures of teacher effectiveness and appropriate subject area knowledge; and shall include an evaluation of prospective mentor teachers’ effectiveness based on observation of domains that include—

(I) planning and preparation, including demonstrated knowledge of content, pedagogy, and assessment, including the use of formative assessment to improve student learning;

(II) appropriate instruction that engages students with different learning styles, including students with disabilities and English language learners;

(III) collaboration with colleagues to improve instruction; and

(IV) appropriate and fair analysis of gains in student learning, which shall include, when feasible, valid and reliable objective measures of the influence of teachers on the rate of student academic progress.

(E) Teacher candidates shall be grouped in cohorts to facilitate professional collaboration among residents.

(F) Districts must commit to hire residents and residents must continue to be supported through first year of teaching.

(C) PERSONS ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE

A mid-career professional or recent college graduate shall become enrolled simultaneously in education or teaching in a post secondary institution that has an agreement with the school district.

Participants shall, under the supervision of an experienced mentor teacher, complete not fewer than ten months teaching a class containing not more than 30 students in a school chosen by the school district.

Participant must agree in writing to serve in the school for at least 5 academic years, beginning with the academic year that begins after the participant successfully completes the program. The school chosen for the placement shall be in a high-need, underserved area. A participant who fails to complete the period of the placement (or the first 5 academic years of the placement, if the period is more than 5 academic years) shall be required to pay back the cost of the training.

Three-year grants: minimum of $2,500,000 for the first year, $1,500,000 for the second year, and $1,000,000 for the third year. Ten grants each year beginning 2008. No more than one grant per school district.

Secretary shall evaluate the programs based on, where feasible, value added measures of student achievement gains taught by graduates of each teacher residency program. Evaluation shall be done by the Institute of Education Sciences, the National Science Foundation, or the National Academy of Sciences, at the direction of the Secretary.

School district must provide 50% matching funds. Eligible school districts: highest 20% of high-need school districts in state, lowest 20% of performance on NCLB tests in state or where feasible, the lowest 20 percent of school districts in the state in terms of measures of teaching effectiveness; and for which there is a high percentage of classes taught by teachers not teaching in the academic subjects or grade levels that the teachers were prepared to teach.

SUBPART 2—PORTABLE PERFORMANCE-BASEDTEACHER ASSESSMENT

SEC. 2121. STUDY ON DEVELOPING A PORTABLE PERFORMANCE-BASED TEACHER ASSESSMENT.

This section requires the Secretary to study the correlation between teacher certification and licensure and other measures of teacher effectiveness, including learning gains achieved by the teachers’ students, while assessing whether current tests of pedagogy are reflective of the latest research, and the extent to which tests of content knowledge represent the subject matter teacher candidates are licensed to teach. The Secretary must report the results of the study to Congress but we do not see a deadline for doing so. The Secretary will then make a grant to a partnership of an independent professional organization and an organization that represents state educational agencies to model a performance-based assessment. The performance-based assessment will measure the teacher’s ability to teach subject matter content effectively and to work effectively with diverse learners, including English language learners and students with disabilities. It should assess standards and teaching practices that are associated with student learning and incorporate teacher contributions to student learning.

SEC. 2122. IMPROVING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.

The Secretary shall make competitive grants for new or existing programs. Priority to high-need school district or consortium with high-need school district. Three-year grants for providing high-quality professional development, providing teachers with developments in curricula, assessments, and educational research, and training for new teachers. Can use grants for assessing the professional development needs of teachers and other instructional personnel, providing intensive support to staff to improve instruction in literacy, math, science, and other curricular areas necessary to provide a well rounded education to students, support to mentors working with new teachers, training in effective instructional services and classroom management strategies for mainstream teachers serving students with disabilities and students with limited English proficiency, enabling teachers to engage in study groups and other collaborative activities and collegial interactions regarding instruction, paying for release time and substitute teachers in order to enable teachers to participate in the activities of the teacher center, creating libraries of professional materials and educational technology, providing high-quality professional development for other instructional staff, such as paraprofessionals, librarians, and counselors, assisting teachers to become highly qualified and paraprofessionals to become teachers, assisting paraprofessionals to meet NCLB requirements, developing curricula, on-line professional development resources, providing funding for individual- or group-initiated classroom projects, developing partnerships with businesses and community-based organizations, and establishing a teacher center site.

Center governed by a teacher center policy board. The majority of the members of a teacher center policy board shall be representatives of, and selected by, the elementary and secondary school teachers to be served by the teacher center. Such representatives shall be selected through the teacher organization, or if there is no teacher organization, by the teachers directly, plus two school board members and one member of higher education; the board may include paraprofessionals.

Continue on to Part 2 of this analysis covering state grants and programs for math, science, ELL. Read more...

Web posted: 09/14/07