An Act Concerning Models for Teacher and Principal Evaluations

Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §13802, sub-§2,  as amended by PL 2009, c. 646, §2, is further amended to read:

Sec. 2. PL 2009, c. 646, §3  is amended to read:

Sec. 3. Review of models. The Commissioner of Education shall convene a stakeholder group to review the models developed by the Department of Education pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 13802 for the evaluation of the professional performance of teachers and principals who are employed by a school administrative unit within the State. The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner’s designee, shall serve as a member of the stakeholder group. The commissioner shall invite representatives of the following educational associations that are appointed by their respective associations to serve as members of the stakeholder group:

1. The Maine Education Association;

2. The Maine Principals' Association;

3. The Maine School Boards Association;

4. The Maine School Superintendents Association; and

5. The Maine Administrators of Services for Children with Disabilities.

The stakeholder group shall review the models developed by the Department of Education for the evaluation of the professional performance of teachers and principals and shall approve models no later than July 1, 2011. The Department of Education may not finally adopt a model that is not approved by the stakeholder group pursuant to this section.

summary

This bill provides that the laws that require the Department of Education to establish models for the evaluation of the professional performance of teachers and principals do not prevent a school administrative unit from developing and adopting its own models for teacher and principal evaluation. It also provides that the stakeholder group convened by the Commissioner of Education to review models for the evaluation of the professional performance of teachers and principals is charged with reviewing only those models established by the Department of Education.