Teachers: evaluation.

Existing law requires the State Board of Education to develop guidelines that school districts may use in the development of certain teach evaluation procedures and to distribute those guidelines to every school district. This bill would require the development of those guidelines to comply with the Administrative Procedure Act. Existing law states the intent of the Legislature that governing boards of school districts establish a uniform system of evaluation and assessment of the performance of all certificated personnel within each school district of the state. Existing law requires the governing board of each school district to establish standards of expected pupil achievement at each grade level in each area of study and to evaluate and assess certificated employee performance on a continuing basis as it reasonably relates to specified matters, including pupil progress, as provided. Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district to develop and adopt additional evaluation and assessment guidelines or criteria. This bill would provide, if applicable, multiple measures of pupil progress, pupil academic growth, pupil achievement, and pupil outcomes as used for certain purposes of evaluating and assessing certificated employee performance may include specified sources. The bill would require an employing authority to use a minimum of 3 rating levels of professional achievement for evaluation and assessment of certificated employees, as provided. By imposing additional duties on school districts, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires an evaluation to include recommendations, if necessary, as to areas of improvement in the performance of the employee. Existing law authorizes these evaluations to include a requirement that the employee participate in a specified program if a permanent certificated employee receives an unsatisfactory evaluation. This bill would instead require an employee, if that employee receives one of the specified rating levels of professional achievement for evaluation and assessment, to participate in the California Peer Assistance and Review Program for Teachers if the school district participates in that program. The bill would require, in order to endeavor to assist the employee in areas of improvement, the school district to, at minimum, consider the employee's eligibility for professional development identified in the school district and applicable school's local control and accountability plan, and prioritize the employee's eligibility for professional development, as provided. By expanding the duties of a school district, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.