(REPRINTED WITH ADOPTED AMENDMENTS)

                                                                                    FIRST REPRINTS.B. 168

 

Senate Bill No. 168–Senator Rawson

 

February 15, 2001

____________

 

Referred to Committee on Human Resources and Facilities

 

SUMMARY—Establishes system for classifying teachers. (BDR 34‑737)

 

FISCAL NOTE:  Effect on Local Government: Yes.

                             Effect on the State: Yes.

 

CONTAINS UNFUNDED MANDATE (§ 9)

(Not Requested by Affected Local Government)

 

~

 

EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

Green numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).

 

AN ACT relating to educational personnel; requiring the commission on professional standards in education to prescribe objective criteria and qualifications for classifying certain teachers; requiring the board of trustees of each school district to establish a local committee on professional standards; authorizing certain teachers to apply to the local committee and the commission for classification as a mentor teacher or a master teacher; requiring the boards of trustees of school districts to pay augmented salaries to teachers with certain classifications; making appropriations; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

1-1    Section 1. NRS 386.595 is hereby amended to read as follows:

1-2    386.595  1.  Except as otherwise provided in this subsection and

1-3  subsections 2 and 3, the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement

1-4  entered into by the board of trustees of the school district in which the

1-5  charter school is located apply to the terms and conditions of employment

1-6  of employees of the charter school. If a written charter is renewed, the

1-7  employees of the charter school may, at the time of renewal, apply for

1-8  recognition as a bargaining unit pursuant to NRS 288.160.

1-9    2.  A charter school is exempt from the specific provisions of the

1-10  collective bargaining agreement that controls the:

1-11  (a) Periods of preparation time for teachers, provided that the charter

1-12  school allows at least the same amount of time for preparation as the

1-13  school district;

1-14  (b) Times of day that a teacher may work;

1-15  (c) Number of hours that a teacher may work in 1 day;

1-16  (d) Number of hours and days that a teacher may work in 1 week; and

1-17  (e) Number of hours and days that a teacher may work in 1 year.


2-1  If a teacher works more than the number of hours or days prescribed in the

2-2  collective bargaining agreement, the teacher must be compensated for the

2-3  additional hours or days in an amount calculated by prorating the salary for

2-4  the teacher that is set forth in the collective bargaining agreement.

2-5    3.  A teacher or a governing body of a charter school may request that

2-6  the board of trustees of the school district and other persons who entered

2-7  into the collective bargaining agreement grant a waiver from specific

2-8  provisions of the collective bargaining agreement for the teacher or

2-9  governing body.

2-10  4.  All employees of a charter school shall be deemed public

2-11  employees.

2-12  5.  The governing body of a charter school may make all employment

2-13  decisions with regard to its employees pursuant to NRS 391.311 to

2-14  391.3197, inclusive, unless the applicable collective bargaining agreement

2-15  contains separate provisions relating to the discipline of licensed

2-16  employees of a school.

2-17  6.  If the written charter of a charter school is revoked, the employees

2-18  of the charter school must be reassigned to employment within the school

2-19  district in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement.

2-20  7.  The board of trustees of a school district that is a sponsor of a

2-21  charter school shall grant a leave of absence, not to exceed 6 years, to any

2-22  employee who is employed by the board of trustees who requests such a

2-23  leave of absence to accept employment with the charter school. After the

2-24  first school year in which an employee is on a leave of absence, he may

2-25  return to his former teaching position with the board of trustees. After the

2-26  third school year, an employee who is on a leave of absence may submit a

2-27  written request to the board of trustees to return to a comparable teaching

2-28  position with the board of trustees. After the sixth school year, an

2-29  employee shall either submit a written request to return to a comparable

2-30  teaching position or resign from the position for which his leave was

2-31  granted. The board of trustees shall grant a written request to return to a

2-32  comparable position pursuant to this subsection even if the return of the

2-33  employee requires the board of trustees to reduce the existing work force of

2-34  the school district. The board of trustees may require that a request to

2-35  return to a teaching position submitted pursuant to this subsection be

2-36  submitted at least 90 days before the employee would otherwise be

2-37  required to report to duty.

2-38  8.  An employee who is on a leave of absence from a school district

2-39  pursuant to this section shall contribute to and be eligible for all benefits

2-40  for which he would otherwise be entitled, including, without limitation,

2-41  participation in the public employees’ retirement system and accrual of

2-42  time for the purposes of leave and retirement. The time during which such

2-43  an employee is on leave of absence and employed in a charter school does

2-44  not count toward the acquisition of permanent status with the school

2-45  district.

2-46  9.  Upon the return of a teacher to employment in the school district,

2-47  [he] the teacher is entitled to the same [level] :


3-1    (a) Level of retirement, salary and any other benefits to which he would

3-2  otherwise be entitled if he had not taken a leave of absence to teach in a

3-3  charter school.

3-4    (b) Classification, as set forth in section 6 of this act, that he held at

3-5  the time he took the leave of absence if his classification is valid on the

3-6  date of his return to the school district.

3-7    10.  An employee of a charter school who is not on a leave of absence

3-8  from a school district is eligible for all benefits for which he would be

3-9  eligible for employment in a public school, including, without limitation,

3-10  participation in the public employees’ retirement system.

3-11  11.  For all employees of a charter school:

3-12  (a) The compensation that a teacher or other school employee would

3-13  have received if he were employed by the school district must be used to

3-14  determine the appropriate levels of contribution required of the employee

3-15  and employer for purposes of the public employees’ retirement system.

3-16  (b) The compensation that is paid to a teacher or other school employee

3-17  that exceeds the compensation that he would have received if he were

3-18  employed by the school district must not be included for the purposes of

3-19  calculating future retirement benefits of the employee.

3-20  12.  If the board of trustees of a school district in which a charter

3-21  school is located manages a plan of group insurance for its employees, the

3-22  governing body of the charter school may negotiate with the board of

3-23  trustees to participate in the same plan of group insurance that the board of

3-24  trustees offers to its employees. If the employees of the charter school

3-25  participate in the plan of group insurance managed by the board of trustees,

3-26  the governing body of the charter school shall:

3-27  (a) Ensure that the premiums for that insurance are paid to the board of

3-28  trustees; and

3-29  (b) Provide, upon the request of the board of trustees, all information

3-30  that is necessary for the board of trustees to provide the group insurance to

3-31  the employees of the charter school.

3-32  Sec. 2.   NRS 387.303 is hereby amended to read as follows:

3-33  387.303  1.  Not later than November 10 of each year, the board of

3-34  trustees of each school district shall submit to the superintendent of public

3-35  instruction and the department of taxation a report which includes the

3-36  following information:

3-37  (a) For each fund within the school district, including, without

3-38  limitation, the school district’s general fund and any special revenue fund

3-39  which receives state money, the total number and salaries of licensed and

3-40  nonlicensed persons whose salaries are paid from the fund and who are

3-41  employed by the school district in full-time positions or in part-time

3-42  positions added together to represent full-time positions. Information must

3-43  be provided for the current school year based upon the school district’s

3-44  final budget, including any amendments and augmentations thereto, and for

3-45  the preceding school year. An employee must be categorized as filling an

3-46  instructional, administrative, instructional support or other position.

3-47  (b) The count of pupils computed pursuant to paragraph (a) of

3-48  subsection 1 of NRS 387.1233.


4-1    (c) The average daily attendance for the preceding school year and the

4-2  estimated average daily attendance for the current school year of part-time

4-3  pupils enrolled in courses which are approved by the department as

4-4  meeting the requirements for an adult to earn a high school diploma.

4-5    (d) The school district’s actual expenditures in the fiscal year

4-6  immediately preceding the report.

4-7    (e) The school district’s proposed expenditures for the current fiscal

4-8  year.

4-9    (f) The schedule of salaries for licensed employees in the current school

4-10  year and a statement of whether the negotiations regarding salaries for the

4-11  current school year have been completed. If the negotiations have not been

4-12  completed at the time the schedule of salaries is submitted, the board of

4-13  trustees shall submit a supplemental report to the superintendent of public

4-14  instruction upon completion of negotiations or the determination of an

4-15  arbitrator concerning the negotiations that includes the schedule of salaries

4-16  agreed to or required by the arbitrator.

4-17  (g) The number of teachers who received an increase in salary pursuant

4-18  to [subsection 2 of] NRS 391.160 for the current and preceding fiscal

4-19  years.

4-20  (h) The number of employees eligible for health insurance within the

4-21  school district for the current and preceding fiscal years and the amount

4-22  paid for health insurance for each such employee during those years.

4-23  (i) The rates for fringe benefits, excluding health insurance, paid by the

4-24  school district for its licensed employees in the preceding and current fiscal

4-25  years.

4-26  (j) The amount paid for extra duties, supervision of extracurricular

4-27  activities and supplemental pay and the number of employees receiving

4-28  that pay in the preceding and current fiscal years.

4-29  2.  On or before November 25 of each year, the superintendent of

4-30  public instruction shall submit to the department of administration and the

4-31  fiscal analysis division of the legislative counsel bureau, in a format

4-32  approved by the director of the department of administration, a compilation

4-33  of the reports made by each school district pursuant to subsection 1.

4-34  3.  The superintendent of public instruction shall, in the compilation

4-35  required by subsection 2, reconcile the revenues and expenditures of the

4-36  school districts with the apportionment received by those districts from the

4-37  state distributive school account for the preceding year.

4-38  Sec. 3.   Chapter 391 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto the

4-39  provisions set forth as sections 4 to 8, inclusive, of this act.

4-40  Sec. 4.   1.  The commission shall adopt regulations prescribing the

4-41  minimum objective criteria and qualifications pursuant to which a

4-42  person who is employed by the board of trustees of a school district may

4-43  be classified as a:

4-44  (a) Mentor teacher; or

4-45  (b) Master teacher.

4-46  2.  The regulations adopted pursuant to subsection 1 must include,

4-47  without limitation:

 

 


5-1    (a) The measurements to assess the knowledge and skills of a:

5-2       (1) Senior teacher to determine whether he is qualified to be a

5-3  mentor teacher; and

5-4       (2) Mentor teacher to determine whether he is qualified to be a

5-5  master teacher;

5-6    (b) The term for which each classification is valid; and

5-7    (c) The criteria and qualifications for the renewal of a classification,

5-8  including, without limitation, any requirements for continuing

5-9  education, demonstration of instructional skills and, if applicable,

5-10  demonstration of leadership skills.

5-11  3.  In addition to the regulations adopted pursuant to subsection 1,

5-12  the commission shall adopt regulations prescribing the measurements

5-13  that must be used to assess the knowledge and skills of a senior teacher

5-14  to determine whether he qualifies to receive an increase in salary

5-15  pursuant to subsection 2 of NRS 391.160.

5-16  Sec. 5.   1.  The board of trustees of each school district shall

5-17  establish a local committee on professional standards consisting of an

5-18  equal number of members who represent administrators and teachers.

5-19  The board of trustees shall appoint the members who represent the

5-20  administrators, and the recognized employee organization for the

5-21  teachers of the school district shall appoint the members who represent

5-22  the teachers.

5-23  2.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, each local

5-24  committee on professional standards shall prescribe objective criteria

5-25  and qualifications that are in addition to the minimum criteria and

5-26  qualifications prescribed by the commission pursuant to section 4 of this

5-27  act for a person who is employed by the school district to be eligible to be

5-28  classified as a:

5-29  (a) Mentor teacher; or

5-30  (b) Master teacher.

5-31  The criteria and qualifications prescribed by the local committee must be

5-32  consistent with and in addition to the minimum criteria and

5-33  qualifications prescribed by the commission pursuant to section 4 of this

5-34  act.

5-35  3.  A local committee may determine, subject to future revision, that

5-36  the minimum criteria and qualifications prescribed by the commission

5-37  are sufficient for use by the school district without prescribing additional

5-38  criteria or qualifications. Upon making such a determination, the local

5-39  committee shall notify the commission of the determination.

5-40  4.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, each local

5-41  committee shall submit its proposed objective criteria and qualifications

5-42  to the commission for review and approval. The commission shall

5-43  disapprove the proposed criteria and qualifications if it determines that

5-44  the criteria and qualifications do not satisfy the minimum criteria and

5-45  qualifications prescribed by the commission pursuant to section 4 of this

5-46  act. The criteria and qualifications submitted by a local committee shall

5-47  be deemed approved if the commission does not disapprove the criteria

5-48  and qualifications within 90 days after they are submitted to the

5-49  commission. Any revisions or amendments to the criteria and


6-1  qualifications prescribed by a local committee must be submitted for

6-2  review by the commission pursuant to this subsection, including the date

6-3  the revisions or amendments are proposed to become effective.

6-4    5.  In addition to the criteria and qualifications prescribed by the

6-5  local committee pursuant to subsection 2, each local committee shall

6-6  prescribe additional duties that a:

6-7    (a) Mentor teacher must be assigned in order to be eligible to receive

6-8  an increase in salary pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection 3 of NRS

6-9  391.160.

6-10  (b) Master teacher must be assigned in order to be eligible to receive

6-11  an increase in salary pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection 4 of NRS

6-12  391.160.

6-13  6.  Each local committee shall submit an annual written report to the

6-14  commission that describes the additional duties prescribed by the local

6-15  committee pursuant to subsection 5.

6-16  Sec. 6.   1.  Each teacher who is a probationary employee of a

6-17  school district or charter school shall be deemed to be classified as a

6-18  teacher.

6-19  2.  If a teacher successfully completes his probationary period of

6-20  employment with the board of trustees of a school district or the

6-21  governing body of a charter school, he shall be deemed to be classified as

6-22  a senior teacher.

6-23  3.  On or before November 1, a person who is classified as a:

6-24  (a) Senior teacher and who is employed by the board of trustees of a

6-25  school district may submit an application to the local committee on

6-26  professional standards created by the board of trustees pursuant to

6-27  section 5 of this act to be reclassified as a mentor teacher. A senior

6-28  teacher must have at least 5 years of teaching experience before he may

6-29  submit an application pursuant to this paragraph.

6-30  (b) Mentor teacher and who is employed by the board of trustees of a

6-31  school district may submit an application to the local committee on

6-32  professional standards created by the board of trustees pursuant to

6-33  section 5 of this act to be reclassified as a master teacher. A mentor

6-34  teacher must have at least 6 years of teaching experience before he may

6-35  submit an application pursuant to this paragraph.

6-36  4.  On or before January 1 immediately following the date of

6-37  application for reclassification, the local committee on professional

6-38  standards shall review each application submitted pursuant to subsection

6-39  3 to determine whether it satisfies the criteria and qualifications

6-40  established by the local committee pursuant to section 5 of this act. If the

6-41  local committee determines that an application satisfies its criteria and

6-42  qualifications, the committee shall transmit the application and a letter of

6-43  approval to the commission. On or before January 15 immediately

6-44  following the date of application, the local committee shall transmit all

6-45  applications so approved.

6-46  5.  On or before March 1 immediately following the date of

6-47  application for reclassification, the commission shall review each

6-48  application that it receives pursuant to subsection 4 to determine whether

6-49  the application satisfies the minimum objective criteria and


7-1  qualifications prescribed pursuant to section 4 of this act. If the

7-2  commission approves an application, the committee shall provide written

7-3  notice on or before April 1 to the board of trustees of the school district

7-4  in which the applicant is employed and the local committee on

7-5  professional standards to whom the application was initially submitted.

7-6    6.  If an application is approved by the commission, the board of

7-7  trustees of the school district in which the applicant is employed shall:

7-8    (a) Reclassify the person as a mentor teacher or master teacher, as

7-9  applicable; and

7-10  (b) Pay the person an augmented salary pursuant to subsection 3 or 4

7-11  of NRS 391.160, as applicable, commencing with the school year

7-12  immediately succeeding the school year in which the application for

7-13  reclassification was approved.

7-14  7.  A person who has been classified by the board of trustees of a

7-15  school district pursuant to this section as a mentor teacher or a master

7-16  teacher maintains that classification until the classification lapses for

7-17  nonrenewal or the person does not otherwise satisfy the requirements for

7-18  renewal. Each school district in this state shall recognize a classification

7-19  as a mentor teacher or a master teacher that is made in accordance with

7-20  this section regardless of which school district made the classification.

7-21  8.  A classification as a mentor teacher or a master teacher is valid

7-22  for the period prescribed by the commission pursuant to section 4 of this

7-23  act. To renew such a classification, a person must submit an application

7-24  for renewal directly to the commission in a format and within the time

7-25  prescribed by the commission. The application must be accompanied by

7-26  evidence that the applicant has satisfied each requirement for the

7-27  renewal of the classification.

7-28  Sec. 7.  The board of trustees of a school district may accept gifts,

7-29  grants and donations to carry out the requirements of sections 4 to 8,

7-30  inclusive, of this act and to pay the augmented salaries required by

7-31  subsections 2, 3 and 4 of NRS 391.160.

7-32  Sec. 8.   1.  The commission shall submit to the legislative

7-33  committee on education created pursuant to NRS 218.5352 a written

7-34  report that describes the progress of the commission in carrying out its

7-35  duties pursuant to sections 4 to 8, inclusive, of this act and an evaluation

7-36  of the progress of each school district and each local committee on

7-37  professional standards in carrying out the requirements of those sections.

7-38  The written report must be submitted on a quarterly basis, or at such

7-39  times as the chairman of the legislative committee on education requests.

7-40  2.  The board of trustees of each school district, in consultation with

7-41  the local committee on professional standards created by the board of

7-42  trustees pursuant to section 5 of this act, shall submit to the legislative

7-43  committee on education created pursuant to NRS 218.5352 a written

7-44  report that describes the progress of the school district and the local

7-45  committee in carrying out the requirements of sections 4 to 8, inclusive,

7-46  of this act and NRS 391.160 as it relates to those sections. The written

7-47  report must be submitted on a quarterly basis, or at such times as the

7-48  chairman of the legislative committee on education requests.

 


 

8-1    Sec. 9.   NRS 391.160 is hereby amended to read as follows:

8-2    391.160  1.  The salaries of teachers and other employees must be

8-3  determined by the character of the service required. A school district shall

8-4  not discriminate between male and female employees in the matter of

8-5  salary.

8-6    2.  Each year when determining the salary of a person who is

8-7  classified as a senior teacher and who has satisfied the measurements

8-8  prescribed by the commission pursuant to subsection 3 of section 4 of

8-9  this act, a school district shall increase the salary of the senior teacher by

8-10  1.05 times the salary he would otherwise receive in 1 year for his

8-11  classification on the schedule of salaries for the school district if the

8-12  senior teacher has submitted evidence that he satisfied the

8-13  measurements. Once a senior teacher has submitted such evidence to the

8-14  school district, the school district shall retain the evidence in its records,

8-15  as applicable, for future school years. An increase in salary given in

8-16  accordance with this subsection is in addition to the senior teacher’s

8-17  classification on the schedule of salaries of the school district and any

8-18  other increase to which the senior teacher may otherwise be entitled,

8-19  including, without limitation, the increase required by subsection 5.

8-20  3.  Each year when determining the salary of a person who is

8-21  classified as a mentor teacher, a school district shall:

8-22  (a) Increase the salary of the mentor teacher by 1.15 times the salary

8-23  that the mentor teacher would otherwise receive in 1 year if he were

8-24  classified as a senior teacher; and

8-25  (b) If the mentor teacher is assigned to perform additional duties

8-26  prescribed by the local committee on professional standards pursuant to

8-27  section 5 of this act, increase the augmented salary of the teacher

8-28  prescribed in paragraph (a) by $5,000 for each year that he is assigned to

8-29  perform the additional duties.

8-30  An increase in salary given in accordance with this subsection is in

8-31  addition to the mentor teacher’s classification on the schedule of salaries

8-32  of the school district and any other increase to which the mentor teacher

8-33  may otherwise be entitled, including, without limitation, the increase

8-34  required by subsection 5.

8-35  4.  Each year when determining the salary of a person who is

8-36  classified as a master teacher, a school district shall:

8-37  (a) Increase the salary of the master teacher by 1.25 times the salary

8-38  that the master teacher would otherwise receive in 1 year if he were

8-39  classified as a senior teacher; and

8-40  (b) If the master teacher is assigned to perform additional duties

8-41  prescribed by the local committee on professional standards pursuant to

8-42  section 5 of this act, increase the augmented salary of the master teacher

8-43  prescribed in paragraph (a) by $10,000 for each year that he is assigned

8-44  to perform the additional duties.

8-45  An increase in salary given in accordance with this subsection is in

8-46  addition to the master teacher’s classification on the schedule of salaries

8-47  of the school district and any other increase to which the master teacher


9-1  may otherwise be entitled, including, without limitation, the increase

9-2  required by subsection 5.

9-3    5.  Each year when determining the salary of a teacher who holds

9-4  certification issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching

9-5  Standards, a school district shall add 5 percent to the salary that the teacher

9-6  would otherwise receive in 1 year for his classification on the schedule of

9-7  salaries for the school district if:

9-8    (a) On or before September 15 of the school year, the teacher has

9-9  submitted evidence satisfactory to the school district of his current

9-10  certification; and

9-11  (b) The teacher is assigned by the school district to provide classroom

9-12  instruction during that school year.

9-13  No increase in salary may be given during a particular school year to a

9-14  teacher who submits evidence of certification after September 15 of that

9-15  school year. Once a teacher has submitted evidence of such certification to

9-16  the school district, the school district shall retain the evidence in its

9-17  records, as applicable, for future school years. An increase in salary given

9-18  in accordance with this subsection is in addition to any other increase to

9-19  which the teacher may otherwise be entitled.

9-20  [3.] 6.  In determining the salary of a licensed teacher who is employed

9-21  by a school district after the teacher has been employed by another school

9-22  district in this state, the present employer shall, except as otherwise

9-23  provided in subsection [5:] 8:

9-24  (a) Give the teacher the same credit for previous teaching service as he

9-25  was receiving from his former employer at the end of his former

9-26  employment; [and]

9-27  (b) Give the teacher credit for his final year of service with his former

9-28  employer, if credit for that service is not included in credit given pursuant

9-29  to paragraph (a) [.] ; and

9-30  (c) Pay the teacher an increase in salary pursuant to subsection 3 or

9-31  4, as applicable, if the teacher received an augmented salary as a mentor

9-32  teacher or master teacher with his former employer. The present

9-33  employer shall pay the augmented salary for each year that the teacher

9-34  maintains valid classification as a mentor teacher or a master teacher.

9-35  This paragraph does not require a school district to pay a teacher an

9-36  increase in salary pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection 3 or

9-37  paragraph (b) of subsection 4 if the teacher is not assigned additional

9-38  duties as a mentor teacher or a master teacher with his present employer.

9-39  [4.] 7.  A school district may give the credit required by subsection [3]

9-40  6 for previous teaching service earned in another state if the commission

9-41  has approved the standards for licensing teachers of that state. The

9-42  commission shall adopt regulations that establish the criteria by which the

9-43  commission will consider the standards for licensing teachers of other

9-44  states for the purposes of this subsection. The criteria may include, without

9-45  limitation, whether the commission has authorized reciprocal licensure of

9-46  educational personnel from the state under consideration.

9-47  [5.] 8.  This section does not:


10-1  (a) Require a school district to allow a teacher more credit for previous

10-2  teaching service than the maximum credit for teaching experience provided

10-3  for in the schedule of salaries established by it for its licensed personnel.

10-4  (b) Permit a school district to deny a teacher credit for his previous

10-5  teaching service on the ground that the service differs in kind from the

10-6  teaching experience for which credit is otherwise given by the school

10-7  district.

10-8  [6.] 9.  As used in this section, “previous teaching service” means the

10-9  total of:

10-10  (a) Any period of teaching service for which a teacher received credit

10-11  from his former employer at the beginning of his former employment; and

10-12  (b) His period of teaching service in his former employment.

10-13  Sec. 10.   NRS 391.3125 is hereby amended to read as follows:

10-14  391.3125  1.  It is the intent of the legislature that a uniform system be

10-15  developed for objective evaluation of teachers and other licensed personnel

10-16  in each school district.

10-17  2.  Each board, following consultation with and involvement of elected

10-18  representatives of the teachers or their designees, shall develop a policy for

10-19  objective evaluations in narrative form [.] , including, without limitation,

10-20  objective evaluations for mentor teachers who perform the additional

10-21  duties prescribed in subsection 5 of section 5 of this act and for master

10-22  teachers who perform the additional duties prescribed in subsection 5 of

10-23  section 5 of this act. The policy must set forth a means according to which

10-24  an employee’s overall performance may be determined to be satisfactory or

10-25  unsatisfactory. The policy may include an evaluation by the teacher, pupils,

10-26  administrators or other teachers , or any combination thereof. In a similar

10-27  manner, counselors, librarians and other licensed personnel must be

10-28  evaluated on forms developed specifically for their respective specialties.

10-29  A copy of the policy adopted by the board must be filed with the

10-30  department. The primary purpose of an evaluation is to provide a format

10-31  for constructive assistance. Evaluations, while not the sole criterion, must

10-32  be used in the dismissal process.

10-33  3.  A conference and a written evaluation for a probationary employee

10-34  must be concluded no later than:

10-35  (a) December 1;

10-36  (b) February 1; and

10-37  (c) April 1,

10-38  of each school year of the probationary period, except that a probationary

10-39  employee assigned to a school that operates all year must be evaluated at

10-40  least three times during each 12 months of employment on a schedule

10-41  determined by the board.

10-42  4.  Whenever an administrator charged with the evaluation of a

10-43  probationary employee believes the employee will not be reemployed for

10-44  the second year of the probationary period or the school year following the

10-45  probationary period, he shall bring the matter to the employee’s attention in

10-46  a written document which is separate from the evaluation no later than

10-47  February 15 of the current school year. The notice must include the reasons

10-48  for the potential decision not to reemploy or refer to the evaluation in

10-49  which the reasons are stated. Such a notice is not required if the


11-1  probationary employee has received a letter of admonition during the

11-2  current school year.

11-3  5.  Each postprobationary teacher must be evaluated at least once each

11-4  year.

11-5  6.  The evaluation of a probationary teacher or a postprobationary

11-6  teacher must, if necessary, include recommendations for improvements in

11-7  his performance. A reasonable effort must be made to assist the teacher to

11-8  correct any deficiencies noted in the evaluation. The teacher must receive a

11-9  copy of each evaluation not later than 15 days after the evaluation. A copy

11-10  of the evaluation and the teacher’s response must be permanently attached

11-11  to the teacher’s personnel file.

11-12  Sec. 11.   1.  There is hereby appropriated from the state general fund

11-13  to the legislative committee on education the sum of $100,000 to oversee,

11-14  monitor and evaluate the progress of the commission on professional

11-15  standards in education and the local committees on professional standards

11-16  created pursuant to section 5 of this act in prescribing criteria and

11-17  qualifications and otherwise carrying out the provisions of this act.

11-18  2.  Any remaining balance of the appropriation made by subsection 1

11-19  must not be committed for expenditure after June 30, 2003, and reverts to

11-20  the state general fund as soon as all payments of money committed have

11-21  been made.

11-22  Sec. 12.   1.  There is hereby appropriated from the state general fund

11-23  to the interim finance committee the sum of $250,000 for distribution to

11-24  school districts, upon the recommendation of the legislative committee on

11-25  education, to carry out the provisions of this act.

11-26  2.  Any remaining balance of the appropriation made by subsection 1

11-27  must not be committed for expenditure after June 30, 2003, and reverts to

11-28  the state general fund as soon as all payments of money committed have

11-29  been made.

11-30  Sec. 13.   1. In adopting regulations pursuant to section 4 of this act,

11-31  the commission on professional standards in education shall consider the

11-32  adoption of measurements for assessing the knowledge and skills of

11-33  teachers which use a framework consisting of domains that include,

11-34  without limitation, an assessment of:

11-35  (a) The teacher’s planning and preparation for classroom instruction;

11-36  (b) The classroom environment created by the teacher;

11-37  (c) The actual instruction provided by the teacher; and

11-38  (d) How the teacher carries out his professional responsibilities.

11-39  2.  The commission on professional standards in education shall adopt

11-40  regulations pursuant to section 4 of this act on or before January 1, 2002.

11-41  As soon as is practicable after adopting the regulations, the commission on

11-42  professional standards in education shall provide a copy of the regulations

11-43  to the superintendent of public instruction.

11-44  3.  The superintendent of public instruction shall, on or before

11-45  February 1, 2002, provide to the board of trustees of each school district a

11-46  memorandum that describes the regulations adopted by the commission on

11-47  professional standards.


12-1  Sec. 14.   1.  On or before November 1, 2001, the board of trustees of

12-2  each school district shall establish a local committee on professional

12-3  standards pursuant to section 5 of this act.

12-4  2.  On or before April 1, 2002, each local committee on professional

12-5  standards shall:

12-6  (a) Prescribe additional objective criteria and qualifications, in

12-7  accordance with section 5 of this act, for a person who is employed by the

12-8  school district to be classified as a mentor teacher or a master teacher; and

12-9  (b) Submit the proposed additional criteria and qualifications, if any, to

12-10  the commission on professional standards in education in accordance with

12-11  section 5 of this act.

12-12  3.  The commission on professional standards in education shall review

12-13  the proposed additional criteria and qualifications submitted pursuant to

12-14  subsection 2 to determine whether the proposed criteria and qualifications

12-15  are consistent with the minimum criteria and qualifications prescribed by

12-16  the commission. The commission shall conduct the reviews in a timely

12-17  manner to ensure that each school district will have its criteria and

12-18  qualifications approved on or before September 1, 2002.

12-19  4.  On or before June 1, 2002, each local committee on professional

12-20  standards shall:

12-21  (a) Prescribe the additional duties pursuant to subsection 5 of section 5

12-22  of this act which may be assigned to a mentor teacher and a master teacher;

12-23  and

12-24  (b) Submit a written summary of the additional duties to the

12-25  commission on professional standards in education.

12-26  5.  Each school district shall provide a copy of:

12-27  (a) The approved criteria and qualifications prescribed by the

12-28  commission and the local committee on professional standards pursuant to

12-29  subsections 2 and 3; and

12-30  (b) The list of additional duties prescribed by the local committee

12-31  pursuant to subsection 4,

12-32  to each public school in the district for posting on or before September 1,

12-33  2002.

12-34  Sec. 15.   1.  The commission on professional standards in education

12-35  shall submit its first quarterly report to the legislative committee on

12-36  education pursuant to section 8 of this act on or before November 1, 2001.

12-37  2.  The board of trustees of each school district shall submit its first

12-38  quarterly report to the legislative committee on education pursuant to

12-39  section 8 of this act on or before April 1, 2002.

12-40  Sec. 16.   1. A person may first apply for classification as a mentor

12-41  teacher or a master teacher pursuant to section 6 of this act on November 1,

12-42  2002.

12-43  2.  The board of trustees of each school district shall pay the augmented

12-44  salaries required by the amendatory provisions of section 9 of this act

12-45  commencing with the 2003-2004 school year.

12-46  Sec. 17.   The provisions of subsection 1 of NRS 354.599 do not apply

12-47  to any additional expenses of a local government that are related to the

12-48  provisions of this act.


13-1  Sec. 18.   1.  This section and sections 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11 to 15,

13-2  inclusive, and 17 of this act become effective on July 1, 2001.

13-3  2.  Sections 1, 2, 6, 9, 10 and 16 of this act become effective on

13-4  July 1, 2002.

 

13-5  H