Relates to annual professional performance review plans submitted by the highest performing ten percent of school districts

BILL NUMBER:S7279A

Title of bill

An act to amend the education law, in relation to annual professional performance review plans submitted by the highest performing ten percent of school districts

Purpose of bill

To authorize the highest performing twenty percent of school districts, as determined by the commissioner, to submit for a waiver to exempt them from the requirements of the annual professional performance review plan.

Summary of specific provisions

Section one amends subdivision k of section 3012-c of education law, as added by chapter 21 of the laws of 2012, to allow the highest performing ten percent of school districts, as determined by the commissioner, to submit their existing teacher evaluation plans, which will be deemed approved by the commissioner for the purposes of receiving state aid.

The highest performing twenty percent of school districts, as determined by the commissioner, would be authorized to submit their current evalu- ation plans in conjunction with a request from waiver requirements of submitting an APPR plan. The top ten percent would be granted the waiv- er, and school districts within the top eleven to twenty percent, if such waiver is not granted, the commissioner must submit a statement in writing within thirty days that the school district's request for waiver has been rejected along with a rationale for reaching that determi- nation.

If the waiver is issued to the applicant and the existing plan is accepted, the commissioner shall include a statement indicating the level of performance that must be maintained by the school district for the waiver to be active.

The commissioner shall publish and make available to all school districts its first ranking of schools no later than fourteen calendar days from the enactment of this act, and no later than April 1st each succeeding year.

Section two sets the enacting date.

Justification

The annual professional performance review was recently implemented to create a new rating system for teachers by school districts based in part on test results. This bill would provide an automatic acceptance of performance reviews by the commissioner for the highest rated ten percent of schools based on performance, including graduation rates and standardized test scores. Furthermore, the highest performing eleven to twenty percent of schools can submit their existing performance evalu- ation plans along with a request for a waiver from the requirements set

forth by the annual professional performance review. The determination for approving these waivers will be made by the commissioner of the Board of Education, who will either approve the waiver and set a level of performance the school must meet under the school's existing perform- ance evaluation system, or provide a explanation within 30 days denying the school district's request.

Prior legislative history

This is a new bill.

Fiscal implications

None to the state.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.