2008 Legislation
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SENATE BILL NO. 1310<br /> – Teacher salary, category 4 contract

SENATE BILL NO. 1310

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S1310..........................................................by EDUCATION
TEACHER SALARIES - Adds to and amends existing law relating to salaries of
certified public school employees to provide a category 4 salary for
certificated employees; to provide terms, conditions and district
procedures relative to category 4 contracts; to provide an exception to
application of the renewable contract law for certificated instructional
employees employed on a category 4 contract; to provide for exemption of
certain added salary increments; to provide reference to multiyear
contracts; to provide for allocation of amounts distributed pursuant to
state teacher advancement and recognition system required to meet the
employer's obligations to the public employee retirement system and to
social security; to provide the Idaho state teacher advancement and
recognition system; to provide a base salary step; to provide for growth
and excellence bonus awards; to provide locally-controlled market scarcity
competitiveness pay; to provide a career opportunity step; to provide for
expertise awards and leadership awards; to provide procedures; and to
provide for the appointment of a teacher performance evaluation task force
to develop minimum standards for a fair, thorough, consistent and efficient
system for evaluating teacher performance in Idaho and to present its
written recommendations by no later than January 30, 2009.

01/18    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
01/21    Rpt prt - to Educ

Bill Text




                                                                       
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-ninth Legislature                   Second Regular Session - 2008

                                                                       

                                       IN THE SENATE

                                    SENATE BILL NO. 1310

                                   BY EDUCATION COMMITTEE

  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO SALARIES OF CERTIFICATED PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES; AMENDING SECTION
  3        33-514, IDAHO CODE, TO  PROVIDE  A  CATEGORY  4  SALARY  FOR  CERTIFICATED
  4        EMPLOYEES  AND  TO  PROVIDE CORRECT TERMINOLOGY; AMENDING CHAPTER 5, TITLE
  5        33, IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION 33-514B, IDAHO  CODE,  TO
  6        PROVIDE  TERMS,  CONDITIONS AND DISTRICT PROCEDURES RELATIVE TO CATEGORY 4
  7        CONTRACTS; AMENDING SECTION 33-515, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE AN EXCEPTION TO
  8        APPLICATION OF THE RENEWABLE CONTRACT LAW FOR  CERTIFICATED  INSTRUCTIONAL
  9        EMPLOYEES  EMPLOYED  ON  A CATEGORY 4 CONTRACT AND TO PROVIDE EXEMPTION OF
 10        CERTAIN ADDED SALARY INCREMENTS; AMENDING SECTION 33-515A, IDAHO CODE,  TO
 11        PROVIDE  A CODE REFERENCE AND TO PROVIDE REFERENCE TO MULTIYEAR CONTRACTS;
 12        AMENDING SECTION 33-1004F,  IDAHO  CODE,  TO  PROVIDE  FOR  ALLOCATION  OF
 13        AMOUNTS DISTRIBUTED PURSUANT TO THE STATE TEACHER ADVANCEMENT AND RECOGNI-
 14        TION  SYSTEM  REQUIRED  TO  MEET  THE EMPLOYER'S OBLIGATIONS TO THE PUBLIC
 15        EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND TO SOCIAL SECURITY AND TO  DELETE  OBSOLETE
 16        PROVISIONS;  AMENDING CHAPTER 10, TITLE 33, IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDITION OF
 17        A NEW SECTION 33-1004I, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE  THE  IDAHO  STATE  TEACHER
 18        ADVANCEMENT AND RECOGNITION SYSTEM, TO PROVIDE A BASE SALARY STEP, TO PRO-
 19        VIDE FOR GROWTH AND EXCELLENCE BONUS AWARDS, TO PROVIDE LOCALLY-CONTROLLED
 20        MARKET SCARCITY COMPETITIVENESS PAY, TO PROVIDE A CAREER OPPORTUNITY STEP,
 21        TO  PROVIDE FOR EXPERTISE AWARDS, TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP AWARDS AND TO PRO-
 22        VIDE PROCEDURES; AND PROVIDING FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF  A  TEACHER  PERFOR-
 23        MANCE EVALUATION TASK FORCE TO DEVELOP MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR A FAIR, THOR-
 24        OUGH,  CONSISTENT  AND EFFICIENT SYSTEM FOR EVALUATING TEACHER PERFORMANCE
 25        IN IDAHO AND TO PRESENT ITS WRITTEN RECOMMENDATIONS BY NO LATER THAN JANU-
 26        ARY 30, 2009.

 27    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:

 28        SECTION 1.  That Section 33-514, Idaho Code, be, and the  same  is  hereby
 29    amended to read as follows:

 30        33-514.  ISSUANCE OF ANNUAL CONTRACTS -- SUPPORT PROGRAMS -- CATEGORIES OF
 31    CONTRACTS  --  OPTIONAL  PLACEMENT.  (1) The board of trustees shall establish
 32    criteria and procedures for the supervision  and  evaluation  of  certificated
 33    employees  who  are  not  employed on a renewable contract, as provided for in
 34    section 33-515, Idaho Code.
 35        (2)  There shall be three four (34) categories  of  annual  and  multiyear
 36    contracts  available  to local school districts under which to employ certifi-
 37    cated personnel:
 38        (a)  A category 1 contract is a limited one-year contract as  provided  in
 39        section 33-514A, Idaho Code.
 40        (b)  A category 2 contract is a one-year contract for certificated person-
 41        nel  in  the first and second years of continuous employment with the same
 42        school district. Upon the decision by a local school board not to reemploy
 43        the person for the following year, the certificated employee shall be pro-

                                       2

  1        vided a written statement of reasons for non-reemployment by no later than
  2        May 25. No property rights shall attach  to  a  category  2  contract  and
  3        therefore  the  employee  shall  not  be entitled to a review by the local
  4        board of the reasons or decision not to reemploy.
  5        (c)  A category 3 contract is a one-year contract for certificated person-
  6        nel during the third year of continuous employment by the same school dis-
  7        trict, provided the certificated instructional employee has not chosen  to
  8        receive career opportunity step compensation pursuant to section 33-1004I,
  9        Idaho Code. District procedures shall require  at least one (1) evaluation
 10        prior  to  the beginning of the second semester of the school year and the
 11        results of any such evaluation shall be made a matter  of  record  in  the
 12        employee's  personnel  file.  When any such employee's work is found to be
 13        unsatisfactory a defined period of probation shall be established  by  the
 14        board,  but  in no case shall a probationary period be less than eight (8)
 15        weeks. After the probationary period, action shall be taken by  the  board
 16        as to whether the employee is to be retained, immediately discharged, dis-
 17        charged  upon termination of the current contract or reemployed at the end
 18        of the contract term under a continued probationary status.  Notwithstand-
 19        ing the provisions of sections 67-2344 and 67-2345, Idaho Code, a decision
 20        to  place  certificated  personnel  on  probationary status may be made in
 21        executive session and the  employee shall not be named in the  minutes  of
 22        the  meeting.  A  record of the decision shall be placed in the employee's
 23        personnel file. This procedure shall not preclude recognition of  unsatis-
 24        factory work at a subsequent evaluation and the establishment of a reason-
 25        able  period  of  probation.  In all instances, the employee shall be duly
 26        notified in writing of the areas of work which  are  deficient,  including
 27        the conditions of probation. Each such certificated employee on a category
 28        3  contract  shall  be given notice, in writing, whether he or she will be
 29        reemployed for the next ensuing year. Such notice shall be  given  by  the
 30        board  of  trustees no later than the twenty-fifth day of May of each such
 31        year. If the board of trustees has decided not to  reemploy  the  certifi-
 32        cated  employee,  then  the notice must contain a statement of reasons for
 33        such decision and the employee shall, upon request, be given the  opportu-
 34        nity for an informal review of such decision by the board of trustees. The
 35        parameters of an informal review shall be determined by the local board.
 36        (d)  A category 4 contract, as provided in section 33-514B, Idaho Code, is
 37        for certificated instructional personnel who would otherwise qualify for a
 38        category  3  contract  or a renewable contract pursuant to section 33-515,
 39        Idaho Code, but who have chosen to receive career opportunity step compen-
 40        sation pursuant to section 33-1004I, Idaho Code.
 41        (3)  School districts hiring  an  employee  who  has  been  most  recently
 42    employed  on renewable contract status with another Idaho district or has out-
 43    of-state experience which would otherwise qualify  the  certificated  employee
 44    for  renewable  contract status in Idaho, shall have the option to immediately
 45    grant renewable contract status, or to place the  employee  on  a  category  3
 46    annual contract. Such employment on a category 3 contract under the provisions
 47    of this subsection may be for one (1), two (2) or three (3) years.
 48        (4)  There  shall  be  a minimum of two (2) written evaluations in each of
 49    the annual contract years of employment, and at least one (1) evaluation shall
 50    be completed before January 1 of each year. The provisions of this  subsection
 51    (4) shall not apply to employees on a category 1 contract.

 52        SECTION  2.  That  Chapter  5,  Title  33, Idaho Code, be, and the same is
 53    hereby amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and  des-
 54    ignated as Section 33-514B, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:

                                       3

  1        33-514B.  ISSUANCE  OF CATEGORY 4 CONTRACTS. (1)  The term of a category 4
  2    contract shall not exceed three (3) years, nor shall it exceed  one  (1)  year
  3    for  an  employee  with  fewer  than  three  (3) years of experience. The term
  4    "experience" shall be as used for certificated instructional staff as provided
  5    in section 33-1004A, Idaho Code. At the conclusion of a contract  year  of  an
  6    unexpired two (2) year or unexpired three (3) year contract, a school district
  7    may  choose  to offer a new category 4 contract, subject to the length of con-
  8    tract limitations contained herein. The decision to offer a two (2)  or  three
  9    (3)  year  category  4  contract  shall be made at the discretion of the local
 10    board of trustees, and the board shall not enter into any contract  or  agree-
 11    ment  that  in any way limits said discretion. For any contracts or agreements
 12    entered into by a school district in violation of this prohibition, those pro-
 13    visions in violation shall be null and void. Each category  4  contract  shall
 14    include  language  stating  that the employee understands that he will receive
 15    additional compensation for signing said contract, pursuant to state law,  and
 16    is  irrevocably terminating any rights to a category 3 contract or to a renew-
 17    able contract pursuant to section 33-515, Idaho Code, and  that  the  contract
 18    does not include any property rights beyond the term of the contract.
 19        (2)  District  procedures  shall  require at least one (1) evaluation each
 20    school year by no later than March 31 and the results of any  such  evaluation
 21    shall  be  made  a matter of record in the employee's personnel file. Notwith-
 22    standing the provisions of sections 67-2344 and 67-2345, Idaho Code,  a  deci-
 23    sion  to  place  certificated  personnel on probationary status may be made in
 24    executive session and the employee shall not be named in the  minutes  of  the
 25    meeting.  A record of the decision shall be placed in the employee's personnel
 26    file. This procedure shall not preclude recognition of unsatisfactory work  at
 27    a subsequent evaluation and the establishment of a reasonable period of proba-
 28    tion.  In all instances, the employee shall be duly notified in writing of the
 29    areas of work which are deficient, including the conditions of  probation.  No
 30    property  rights shall attach to a category 4 contract, beyond the term of the
 31    contract, and school districts  shall  not  adopt  any  additional  procedures
 32    beyond  those  contained  in  this  section,  through contractual agreement or
 33    otherwise, that would delay or impede the ability of the  school  district  to
 34    discharge or not renew the contract of a category 4 contract employee. For any
 35    contracts or agreements entered into by a school district in violation of this
 36    prohibition, those provisions in violation shall be null and void.
 37        (3)  Upon  the  decision by a board not to offer a new category 4 contract
 38    to an employee whose category 4 contract is expiring at the end of the current
 39    contract year, the employee shall be provided a written statement  of  reasons
 40    for  such decision by no later than May 25. Such employee shall be entitled to
 41    an informal review by the board, upon written request to the board,  delivered
 42    by  no  later  than  June 1. The process and procedure for the informal review
 43    shall be determined by the local board of trustees. Within fifteen  (15)  days
 44    following  the meeting with such employee, the board shall notify the employee
 45    of its final decision.
 46        (4)  Districts have two (2) options from which to choose when  discharging
 47    an employee during the term of a category 4 contract:
 48        (a)  When an employee's work is found to be unsatisfactory pursuant to the
 49        evaluation  required  in  subsection  (2)  of this section, the employee's
 50        supervisor shall develop a written performance  improvement  plan,  and  a
 51        defined  period  of probation shall be established by the board, but in no
 52        case shall a probationary period be less than eight (8) weeks.  After  the
 53        probationary  period,  a  second  evaluation of the employee shall be per-
 54        formed, the results of which shall be made  a  matter  of  record  in  the
 55        employee's  personnel  file. Following the second evaluation, action shall

                                       4

  1        be taken by the board as to whether the employee is to be retained,  imme-
  2        diately  discharged,  discharged  upon  conclusion  of the school year, or
  3        retained under an extended probationary period, followed by an  additional
  4        evaluation  and  final board action. If the board decides to discharge the
  5        employee, the employee shall, upon request, be given the  opportunity  for
  6        an  informal  review  of  such decision by the board. The parameters of an
  7        informal review shall be determined by the board;  provided  however,  the
  8        board  shall  provide  an  opportunity  to  any student, parent, patron or
  9        employee to provide written  or  verbal  testimony.  Employees  discharged
 10        through  this process shall be paid by the district for the balance of the
 11        term of the contract based on the employee's  current  locally-established
 12        base  salary  and  participation  in  subsections  (4)  and (5) of section
 13        33-1004I, Idaho Code, plus the value of any relevant  employer-paid  bene-
 14        fits.
 15        (b)  An  employee may be discharged pursuant to the processes outlined for
 16        discharging an employee in sections 33-513(5) and 33-515, Idaho  Code.  An
 17        employee  discharged  pursuant  to  the  process in this subsection (4)(b)
 18        shall not be paid for the balance of the term of the contract.

 19        SECTION 3.  That Section 33-515, Idaho Code, be, and the  same  is  hereby
 20    amended to read as follows:

 21        33-515.  ISSUANCE  OF  RENEWABLE CONTRACTS. The provisions of this section
 22    shall not apply to certificated instructional employees employed on a category
 23    4 contract, except as specifically provided in  section  33-514B(4)(b),  Idaho
 24    Code.  During  the third full year of continuous employment by the same school
 25    district,  including  any  specially  chartered  district,  each  certificated
 26    employee named in subsection (16) of section 33-1001,  Idaho  Code,  and  each
 27    school  nurse and school librarian shall be evaluated for a renewable contract
 28    and shall, upon having been offered a contract for the next ensuing year, hav-
 29    ing given notice of acceptance of renewal and upon signing a  contract  for  a
 30    fourth  full  year,  be placed on a renewable contract status with said school
 31    district subject to the provisions included in this chapter.
 32        After the third full year of employment and at least  once  annually,  the
 33    performance  of  each  such  certificated  employee,  school  nurse, or school
 34    librarian shall be evaluated according to criteria and procedures  established
 35    by the board of trustees in accordance with general guidelines approved by the
 36    state board of education. Except as otherwise provided, that person shall have
 37    the  right  to  automatic renewal of contract by giving notice, in writing, of
 38    acceptance of renewal. Such notice shall be given to the board of trustees  of
 39    the school district then employing such person not later than the first day of
 40    June  preceding  the expiration of the term of the current contract. Except as
 41    otherwise provided by this paragraph, the board of trustees shall notify  each
 42    person entitled to be employed on a renewable contract of the requirement that
 43    such  person must give the notice hereinabove and that failure to do so may be
 44    interpreted by the board as a declination of the right to automatic renewal or
 45    the offer of another contract. Such notification shall be  made,  in  writing,
 46    not later than the fifteenth day of May, in each year, except to those persons
 47    to  whom  the  board,  prior to said date, has sent proposed contracts for the
 48    next ensuing year, or to whom the board has given the notice required by  this
 49    section.
 50        Any  contract  automatically  renewed under the provisions of this section
 51    shall be for the same length as the term stated in the current contract and at
 52    a salary no lower than that specified therein, to which shall  be  added  such
 53    increments  as may be determined by the statutory or regulatory rights of such

                                       5

  1    employee by reason of training, service,  or  performance;  provided  however,
  2    this  provision  shall not apply to awards distributed pursuant to subsections
  3    (2), (3), (5) and (6) of section 33-1004I, Idaho Code.
  4        Nothing herein shall prevent the board of trustees from offering a renewed
  5    contract increasing the salary of any certificated person, or from reassigning
  6    an administrative  employee to a nonadministrative position  with  appropriate
  7    reduction  of salary from the preexisting salary level. In the event the board
  8    of trustees reassigns an administrative employee to a nonadministrative  posi-
  9    tion,  the  board  shall  give written notice to the employee which contains a
 10    statement of the reasons for the  reassignment.  The  employee,  upon  written
 11    request  to  the  board, shall be entitled to an informal review of that deci-
 12    sion. The process and procedure for the informal review shall be determined by
 13    the local board of trustees.
 14        Before a board of trustees can determine not to renew for  reasons  of  an
 15    unsatisfactory report of the performance of any certificated person whose con-
 16    tract  would  otherwise  be automatically renewed, or to renew the contract of
 17    any such person at a reduced salary, such person shall be entitled to  a  rea-
 18    sonable  period  of probation. This period of probation shall be preceded by a
 19    written notice from the board of trustees with reasons for  such  probationary
 20    period  and  with  provisions  for  adequate supervision and evaluation of the
 21    person's performance during the probationary period. Such period of  probation
 22    shall not affect the person's renewable contract status. Consideration of pro-
 23    bationary  status for certificated personnel is consideration of the status of
 24    an employee within the meaning of section 67-2345, Idaho Code, and may be held
 25    in executive session. If the consideration results in probationary status, the
 26    individual on probation shall not be named in the minutes of  the  meeting.  A
 27    record of the decision shall be placed in the teacher's personnel file.
 28        If  the  board  of  trustees takes action to immediately discharge or dis-
 29    charge upon termination of the current contract a  certificated  person  whose
 30    contract would otherwise be automatically renewed, or to renew the contract of
 31    any  such person at a reduced salary, the action of the board shall be consis-
 32    tent with the procedures specified in section 33-513(5), Idaho Code, and  fur-
 33    thermore, the board shall notify the employee in writing whether there is just
 34    and  reasonable cause not to renew the contract or to reduce the salary of the
 35    affected employee, and if so, what reasons it relied upon in  that  determina-
 36    tion.
 37        If  the  board of trustees, for reasons other than unsatisfactory service,
 38    for the ensuing contract year, determines to change the  length  of  the  term
 39    stated in the current contract, reduce the salary or not renew the contract of
 40    a certificated person whose contract would otherwise be automatically renewed,
 41    nothing herein shall require a probationary period.

 42        SECTION  4.  That  Section 33-515A, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
 43    amended to read as follows:

 44        33-515A.  SUPPLEMENTAL CONTRACTS. (1) In addition  to  the  provisions  of
 45    sections  33-514, 33-514A, 33-514B and 33-515, Idaho Code, a board of trustees
 46    may enter into supplemental contracts to provide extra  duty  assignments  for
 47    certificated  employees.  An  extra  duty assignment is, and supplemental con-
 48    tracts may be used for, an assignment which is  not  part  of  a  certificated
 49    employee's  regular  teaching  duties. Any such contract shall be separate and
 50    apart from an annual, a multiyear, a renewable or a limited one (1) year  con-
 51    tract,  and  no  property  rights shall attach to a supplemental contract. The
 52    contract shall be in a form approved by the  state  superintendent  of  public
 53    instruction.

                                       6

  1        (2)  If  a board of trustees determines not to reissue a supplemental con-
  2    tract, the board shall give written notice to the employee describing  reasons
  3    for  the  decision  not  to reissue. The employee, upon written request to the
  4    board, shall be entitled to an informal review. The process and procedure  for
  5    the  informal  review  shall  be  determined  by the local board  of trustees.
  6    Within fifteen (15) days following the meeting with the  employee,  the  board
  7    shall notify the employee of its final decision in the matter. Should a school
  8    district  provide  for additional procedures, nothing in this statute shall be
  9    interpreted to limit those procedures.

 10        SECTION 5.  That Section 33-1004F, Idaho Code, be, and the same is  hereby
 11    amended to read as follows:

 12        33-1004F.  OBLIGATIONS  TO  RETIREMENT  AND  SOCIAL  SECURITY BENEFITS. 1.
 13    Based upon the actual salary-based apportionment,  as  determined  in  section
 14    33-1004E,  Idaho  Code,  and  distributions made pursuant to section 33-1004I,
 15    Idaho Code, there  shall  be  allocated  that  amount  required  to  meet  the
 16    employer's  obligations to the public employee retirement system and to social
 17    security.
 18        2.  If a district's qualifying salaries total  more  than  the  district's
 19    salary-based  apportionment,  there shall be allocated an additional amount to
 20    meet the employer's obligation to the public employee retirement system and to
 21    social security equal to two-thirds (2/3) of the additional obligation for the
 22    school year 1994-95. If a district's qualifying salaries total more  than  the
 23    district's  salary-based apportionment, there shall be allocated an additional
 24    amount to meet the employer's obligation to  the  public  employee  retirement
 25    system and to social security equal to one-third (1/3) of the additional obli-
 26    gation  for  the school year 1995-96. Thereafter, the benefit allocation shall
 27    be based solely upon the provisions of subsection 1. of this section.

 28        SECTION 6.  That Chapter 10, Title 33, Idaho Code, be,  and  the  same  is
 29    hereby  amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
 30    ignated as Section 33-1004I, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:

 31        33-1004I.  IDAHO  STATE  TEACHER  ADVANCEMENT   AND   RECOGNITION   SYSTEM
 32    (I-STARS). In addition to the moneys provided pursuant to the calculations for
 33    salary-based  apportionment,  the  following  amounts shall be distributed and
 34    paid, subject to the criteria contained herein.
 35        (1)  The base I-STARS step shall  be  two  thousand  two  hundred  dollars
 36    ($2,200).
 37        (2)  Student  achievement  bonuses  for  growth  and excellence. The state
 38    department of education shall rank each school administering the  Idaho  stan-
 39    dards  achievement test (ISAT) to its students based on growth and excellence.
 40    In each case, the bonus award shall be distributed on a full-time equivalency-
 41    adjusted basis, based on school building personnel assignments in place at the
 42    time the spring ISAT being used to determine bonus  awards  was  administered.
 43    Bonus  awards shall be distributed by no later than the December following the
 44    spring ISAT. For the first year, the spring 2008 ISAT shall be used and  bonus
 45    awards  distributed  by  December 2008. School districts shall remit all bonus
 46    awards to eligible employees promptly, in a lump sum payment.
 47        (a)  Growth shall be calculated using the spring  ISAT  scores  for  those
 48        subjects  that  are  tested in at least six grade levels. For each school,
 49        grade and relevant subject, the average overall spring ISAT score shall be
 50        divided by the previous year's average overall  spring  ISAT  score.  This
 51        figure  shall then be divided by the matched figure, by grade and subject,

                                       7

  1        calculated using the statewide average. The  result  of  this  calculation
  2        shall  be  the  school's  growth  figure  for that grade and subject. Each
  3        school's overall growth figure shall be the average  of  all  such  growth
  4        figures.  If  ISAT results are not available for the previous spring, then
  5        results from the twice-previous spring shall be used as the basis for com-
  6        parison, and the growth calculation figures shall be applied to  the  cur-
  7        rent  grade  and subject being tested, and the prior grade and subject. To
  8        the extent practicable, children not present in the  school  district  for
  9        one  (1)  of the two (2) spring ISAT test scores being compared, and chil-
 10        dren excluded from federally-required test results due to lack of  enroll-
 11        ment time, shall be excluded from the school-level data.
 12             (i)  Each  certificated  instructional  and  administrative  employee
 13             assigned  to  a  school ranked in the top quartile for overall growth
 14             shall receive a bonus award equal to the base I-STARS step.
 15             (ii)  Each certificated  instructional  and  administrative  employee
 16             assigned  to a school ranked in the second highest quartile for over-
 17             all growth shall receive a bonus award equal to one-half (1/2) of the
 18             base I-STARS step.
 19        (b)  The excellence figure shall be each school's  average  percentage  of
 20        students  achieving grade level proficiency or greater in the spring ISAT,
 21        across all grades and subjects tested in the  current  school  year.  Each
 22        certificated  instructional  and  administrative  employee  assigned  to a
 23        school ranked in the top quartile for excellence  shall  receive  a  bonus
 24        award  equal to one-half (1/2) of the base I-STARS step; provided however,
 25        that any school with an excellence figure of eighty-five percent (85%)  or
 26        higher shall qualify for this award in the first year. The excellence fig-
 27        ure  needed for this automatic qualification shall increase by one percent
 28        (1%) in each subsequent year, until  the  figure  reaches  ninety  percent
 29        (90%).
 30    For  the  purposes  of  awarding  performance-based  bonuses  to  certificated
 31    instructional  and  administrative  employees assigned to schools serving only
 32    grades in which no ISAT is administered or in which no growth  calculation  is
 33    possible,  such  employees  shall be included proportionately with the schools
 34    administering the ISAT to which the nontesting school's students  matriculate.
 35    Quartiles,  for the purposes of this subsection (2), shall be calculated based
 36    on the number of full-time equivalent certificated positions assigned to  each
 37    school.
 38        (3)  Locally-controlled market scarcity competitiveness pay.
 39        (a)  The  state  board  of  education  shall  designate  certificates  and
 40        endorsements   held  by  certificated  instructional  staff  for  locally-
 41        controlled market scarcity competitiveness pay. The board shall  rank  the
 42        certificates  or  endorsements  to  be so designated based on the relative
 43        difficulty of school districts' ability to recruit and retain such person-
 44        nel. No additional certificates  or  endorsements  may  be  added  to  the
 45        rankings  beyond the first such certificate or endorsement that causes the
 46        number of certificates or endorsements to equal or exceed one-third  (1/3)
 47        of  the  total certificates and endorsements held by certificated instruc-
 48        tional public school employees in the state. The board  shall  review  and
 49        alter  such  rankings and designations at least once every three (3) years
 50        based on market conditions. Any changes in rankings and designations shall
 51        be made by the board by no later than March  31  of  the  previous  school
 52        year, and school districts shall be promptly notified of any changes.
 53        (b)  School  district  boards of trustees may choose to designate certifi-
 54        cates and endorsements held by certificated  instructional  employees  for
 55        locally-controlled market scarcity competitiveness pay, provided such cer-

                                       8

  1        tificates  and  endorsements have been so designated by the state board of
  2        education as provided in subsection (3)(a) of this section. School  boards
  3        of trustees choosing to make such designations shall rank the certificates
  4        and  endorsements  based  on  the  relative  difficulty  of recruiting and
  5        retaining such personnel. No additional certificates or  endorsements  may
  6        be  added to the rankings beyond the first such certificate or endorsement
  7        that causes the number of the district's  full-time  equivalent  employees
  8        utilizing  such  certificates and endorsements to equal or exceed ten per-
  9        cent (10%) of the certificated instructional  positions  employed  by  the
 10        district; provided however, the number of such employees who may be desig-
 11        nated  shall not be less than one (1). The amount distributed to each par-
 12        ticipating district shall be equal to ten percent (10%)  of  the  certifi-
 13        cated  instructional positions employed by the district, multiplied by the
 14        base I-STARS step; provided however, the number of positions shall not  be
 15        less  than  one (1). Funds so distributed shall be paid solely to certifi-
 16        cated instructional personnel holding the certifications and  endorsements
 17        designated  by the local school board, in amounts that shall be determined
 18        at the discretion of the local board, which  may  vary  between,  but  not
 19        within, individual certificate and endorsement areas; provided however, no
 20        award  shall exceed twice the base I-STARS step. School districts may also
 21        vary individual payments based on full-time  equivalent  assignments.  Any
 22        unused funds shall be returned to the state.
 23        (c)  In    order    to    receive   locally-controlled   market   scarcity
 24        competitiveness pay, an individual must actually be providing  instruction
 25        or service within the designated certificate or endorsement area.
 26        (d)  If  an  individual  qualifies  for locally-controlled market scarcity
 27        competitiveness pay in more than one (1) certificate or  endorsement,  the
 28        individual  shall  be allocated and paid on a full-time equivalency basis,
 29        based on the relative time spent in each of the qualifying areas.
 30        (e)  School district boards of trustees participating in this  step  shall
 31        designate  a  new  list  of  certificates  and  endorsements  for locally-
 32        controlled market scarcity competitiveness pay for each school year by  no
 33        later than June 1 of the previous school year. The new list may be identi-
 34        cal  to the list from the previous school year, subject to the current ten
 35        percent (10%) limitation requirements.
 36        (f)  Locally-controlled market scarcity competitiveness pay shall be  dis-
 37        tributed  to  school  districts  by no later than December 31. School dis-
 38        tricts shall remit locally-controlled market scarcity competitiveness  pay
 39        to eligible employees promptly, in a lump sum payment.
 40        (4)  Career  opportunity  step. Certificated instructional employees shall
 41    be eligible for and may choose to take  the  career  opportunity  step,  which
 42    shall  entitle  such  employee  to an annual distribution equal to the base I-
 43    STARS step, as adjusted by full-time equivalency status over the course of the
 44    school year. Such distribution shall be made to school districts  as  part  of
 45    the  schedule of payment specified in section 33-1009, Idaho Code. School dis-
 46    tricts shall make career opportunity step payments to  eligible  employees  in
 47    the same manner as base salaries are paid.
 48        (a)  School districts shall notify the state department of education of an
 49        employee's  decision  to take the career opportunity step by the date pre-
 50        scribed in section 33-1004D, Idaho  Code,  in  order  to  be  eligible  to
 51        receive  such distributions for that fiscal year. For employees whose late
 52        hiring date prevents such notification, the employee shall make the  deci-
 53        sion  of whether or not to take the career opportunity step at the time of
 54        hire, and the school district shall promptly notify the  state  department
 55        of education of such decision.

                                       9

  1        (b)  For  an  employee currently holding a category 3 contract or a renew-
  2        able contract pursuant to section 33-515, Idaho Code, the choice  to  take
  3        the  career opportunity  step shall constitute an agreement to irrevocably
  4        terminate such contract, to be replaced with  a  category  4  certificated
  5        employee contract.
  6        (c)  For an employee currently holding a category 1 or category 2 certifi-
  7        cated  employee  contract,  the choice to take the career opportunity step
  8        shall constitute an agreement to forego any future access to a category  3
  9        contract or a renewable contract for certificated employees.
 10        (d)  Certificated  instructional  employees  electing  to  take the career
 11        opportunity step shall remain on the career opportunity step  in  perpetu-
 12        ity, and shall receive funding for such each year.
 13        (5)  Expertise  awards.  Classroom  teachers  who have elected to take the
 14    career opportunity step described in subsection (4) of this section  shall  be
 15    eligible for expertise awards as prescribed herein:
 16        (a)  Employees  assigned  primarily  to eighth grade or lower grades shall
 17        receive funds based on the following criteria:
 18             (i)  Two (2) certificate or endorsement content areas equal  one-half
 19             (1/2) of the base I-STARS step;
 20             (ii)  Three (3) certificate or endorsement content areas equal three-
 21             fourths (3/4) of the base I-STARS step;
 22             (iii) Four (4) or more certificate or endorsement content areas equal
 23             the base I-STARS step.
 24        (b)  Employees  assigned  primarily  to ninth grade or higher grades shall
 25        receive funds based on the following criteria:
 26             (i)  Three (3) certificate or endorsement content  areas  equal  one-
 27             half (1/2) of the base I-STARS step;
 28             (ii)  Four  (4) certificate or endorsement content areas equal three-
 29             fourths (3/4) of the base I-STARS step;
 30             (iii) Five (5) or more certificate or endorsement content areas equal
 31             the base I-STARS step.
 32        (c)  A content area master's degree pertaining to a subject in  which  the
 33        teacher  is certified or endorsed to provide instruction shall count as an
 34        endorsement, in addition to any other endorsements.
 35        (d)  Teachers must be willing to work in a certificate or endorsement area
 36        in order for such certificate or endorsement to be included for  the  pur-
 37        poses  of  expertise  awards.  School  districts shall promptly notify the
 38        state department of education of any teacher eligible for such awards  who
 39        has  refused  to  work in a certificate or endorsement area, or any subse-
 40        quent change to such status.
 41        (e)  The term "classroom teacher" shall include  those  eligible  certifi-
 42        cated  instructional employees who are providing actual services under the
 43        auspices of a certificate in which  the  primary  purpose  is  to  provide
 44        classroom  instruction,  including those providing separate classroom ser-
 45        vices to special or exceptional student populations. Any  certificates  or
 46        endorsements  unrelated  to  these  services shall not be included for the
 47        purposes of making awards under this subsection (5).
 48        (f)  For the purposes of this subsection (5), the state department of edu-
 49        cation shall adopt policies identifying  content  area  master's  degrees,
 50        certificate  and  endorsement  content  areas, their eligibility under the
 51        term "classroom teacher," and their eligibility for  inclusion  in  making
 52        awards.
 53        (g)  Funds  distributed  for  expertise  awards  shall  be distributed and
 54        remitted in the same manner as prescribed in subsection (4) of  this  sec-
 55        tion.

                                       10

  1        (6)  Leadership  awards.  Employees  who  have  elected to take the career
  2    opportunity step provided in subsection (4) of this section shall be  eligible
  3    for leadership awards as described herein:
  4        (a)  School district boards of trustees may designate up to thirty percent
  5        (30%) of their certificated instructional employees for leadership awards.
  6        Such  awards shall recognize excellence, be valid only for the fiscal year
  7        for which it is made, and require one (1) or more of the  following  addi-
  8        tional duties:
  9             (i)    Teacher mentoring;
 10             (ii)   Content leadership;
 11             (iii)  Lead teacher;
 12             (iv)   Peer teaching coach;
 13             (v)    Content specialist;
 14             (vi)   Remedial instructor;
 15             (vii)  Curriculum development;
 16             (viii) Assessment development;
 17             (ix)   Data analysis;
 18             (x)    Grant writing;
 19             (xi)   Special program coordinator;
 20             (xii)  Other additional duties as may be determined at the discretion
 21             of  the  local  school  district board of trustees; provided however,
 22             duties related to student activities and athletics shall not be  eli-
 23             gible.
 24        (b)  Local  school  district  boards  of  trustees  shall require that the
 25        employee work additional time or contract  days  as  a  condition  of  the
 26        receipt of a leadership award.
 27        (c)  Local  school  district boards of trustees may grant multiple leader-
 28        ship awards with multiple additional duties. No employee,  however,  shall
 29        receive more than twice the base I-STARS step as a state-funded leadership
 30        award.
 31        (d)  Employees  with fewer than three (3) years of experience shall not be
 32        eligible for leadership awards. The term "experience" shall be as used for
 33        certificated instructional staff in section 33-1004A, Idaho Code.
 34        (e)  School districts shall notify the state department  of  education  of
 35        the  designation  of an employee to receive a leadership award by the date
 36        prescribed in section 33-1004D, Idaho Code, in order  to  be  eligible  to
 37        receive such distributions for that fiscal year.
 38        (f)  The  maximum  amount of leadership award funds that shall be distrib-
 39        uted to each school district shall be  calculated  by  multiplying  three-
 40        tenths  (0.3)  of the full-time equivalent certificated instructional per-
 41        sonnel actually employed by the district by the base  I-STARS  step;  pro-
 42        vided  however, the amount of leadership award funds distributed to a dis-
 43        trict shall not exceed the number of eligible full-time equivalent person-
 44        nel designated for such awards by the district, multiplied by the base  I-
 45        STARS step.
 46        (g)  Funds  distributed  for  leadership  awards shall be made on the same
 47        schedule as prescribed in subsection (3) of this section.
 48        (7)  School districts shall not adopt additional procedures, through  con-
 49    tractual  agreement or otherwise, that in any way limits their decision making
 50    discretion authorized in this section. For any contracts or agreements entered
 51    into by a school district in violation of this prohibition,  those  provisions
 52    in violation shall be null and void.
 53        (8)  School  districts shall not enter into any contract or agreement that
 54    provides additional  compensation  to  certificated  employees  not  receiving
 55    awards  under  the provisions of this section, and excludes those certificated

                                       11

  1    employees receiving such awards. For any contracts or agreements entered  into
  2    by  a  school  district  in violation of this prohibition, those provisions in
  3    violation shall be null and void.
  4        (9)  For the purposes  of  this  section,  "school  district"  also  means
  5    "public  charter  school"  and "board of trustees" also means "board of direc-
  6    tors."
  7        (10) If the voluntary conversion of category 3 contracts or renewable con-
  8    tracts to category 4 contracts is found to be unconstitutional, or if property
  9    rights are imposed on any category 4 contracts beyond the term  of  said  con-
 10    tracts  through a court-imposed decision, subsections (4), (5) and (6) of this
 11    section shall be null, void and of no further force and effect. Employees pre-
 12    viously receiving funds pursuant to these subsections shall neither  gain  nor
 13    retain  any  property right to continue receiving any funds lost as the result
 14    of such a decision.
 15        (11) Any adjustments made subsequent to the distributions  called  for  in
 16    this  section  shall be reflected in subsequent payments made pursuant to sec-
 17    tion 33-1009, Idaho Code.

 18        SECTION 7.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall  appoint,  con-
 19    vene  and  provide administrative support for a Teacher Performance Evaluation
 20    Task Force. The task force shall be composed of nine (9) members:
 21        (1)  Three (3) superintendents, principals or public charter school direc-
 22    tors;
 23        (2)  Three (3) members of school district boards  of  trustees  or  public
 24    charter school boards of directors; and
 25        (3)  Three (3) classroom teachers.
 26    The charge of the task force is to develop minimum standards for a fair, thor-
 27    ough,  consistent  and  efficient system for evaluating teacher performance in
 28    Idaho, and to present its written recommendations to the Governor,  the  Idaho
 29    State  Board of Education, and the House and Senate Education standing commit-
 30    tees of the Idaho Legislature by no later than January 30, 2009.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                             RS 17648
                                 
This legislation provides for a new method of teacher compensation
in Idaho, called the Idaho State Teacher Advancement and
Recognition System, or I-STARS. This new, multifaceted system does
not replace the existing system, which is limited to rewarding only
a teacher s years of experience and number of education credits.
Instead, it is built on top of this system. As a result, the pay
generated by the existing system will no longer represent the
maximum a teacher can make, it will become the minimum. The five
steps of I-STARS are as follows:

Student Achievement - Annual bonuses ranging from $1,100 to $2,200
will be awarded to all of the certified staff at schools
demonstrating growth and/or overall excellence in student
performance. Three-fourths of these bonuses are based on growth.

Local Control - Local school districts and charter schools will
have the funds and flexibility to attract and retain instructional
staff to teach in hard-to-fill positions, as identified locally.

Career Opportunity - Instructional staff will have the opportunity
to receive a 1-3 year Category 4 contract, similar to school
administrators, but with additional job protections, and earn a
permanent pay increase of $2,200.

Expertise - Teachers will earn a permanent pay increase up to
$2,200 for earning qualifications to teach multiple subject areas,
and earning a master s degree in a content area.

Leadership Awards - Instructional staff will have the opportunity
to advance in their careers and earn an average annual bonus of
$2,200 for taking on leadership duties in their school or district.

                           FISCAL IMPACT
                                 
The fiscal impact is $46.07 million for Fiscal Year 2009. This
includes $50,000 in one-time costs associated with a task force to
develop minimum teacher evaluation standards, 100% participation in
the first two steps of I-STARS, and 24% participation in the
remaining steps.



Contact
Name:      Superintendent Tom Luna
           Sen. Robert Geddes
           Sen. Michael Jorgenson
Phone:     (208) 332 1000


STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                          S 1310