An Act To Allow Sufficient Time for Implementation of the Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth System for Educators

Emergency preamble. Whereas,  acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and

Whereas,  it is necessary that this Act take effect prior to the beginning of the next school year, which begins in late summer 2015; and

Whereas,  in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,

Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §13705,  as enacted by PL 2011, c. 635, Pt. A, §3, is amended to read:

§ 13705. Phase-in of requirements

The requirements of this chapter apply to all school administrative units beginning in the 2015-2016 2016-2017 school year. In the 2013-2014 2014-2015 school year, each unit shall develop a system that meets the standards of this chapter, in collaboration with teachers, principals, administrators, school board members, parents and other members of the public. In the 2014-2015 2015-2016 school year, each unit shall operate as a pilot project the system developed in the prior year by applying it in one or more of the schools in the unit or by applying it without using results in any official manner or shall employ other means to provide information to enable the unit to adjust the system prior to the first year of full implementation. Nothing in this section prohibits a unit from fully implementing the system earlier than the 2015-2016 2016-2017 school year.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.

SUMMARY

This bill delays by one year the phased stages to implement educator effectiveness requirements for school administrative units.