Chapter 729 Oregon Laws 2011

AN ACT

SB 290

Relating to performance standards for educators; and declaring an emergency.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. Section 2 of this 2011 Act is added to and made a part of ORS 342.805 to 342.937.

SECTION 2. (1) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission, shall adopt core teaching standards to improve student academic growth and learning by:

(a) Assisting school districts in determining the effectiveness of teachers and administrators and in making human resource decisions; and

(b) Improving the professional development and the classroom and administrative practices of teachers and administrators.

(2) The core teaching standards adopted under this section must:

(a) Take into consideration multiple measures of teacher effectiveness, based on widely accepted standards of teaching that encompass a range of appropriate teaching behaviors and that use multiple evaluation methods;

(b) Take into consideration evidence of student academic growth and learning based on multiple measures of student progress, including performance data of students, schools and school districts;

(c) Be research-based;

(d) Be separately developed for teachers and administrators; and

(e) Be able to be customized for each school district, which may include individualized weighting and application of standards.

(3) The core teaching standards adopted under this section must attempt to:

(a) Strengthen the knowledge, skills, disposition and classroom and administrative practices of teachers and administrators in public schools;

(b) Refine the support, assistance and professional growth opportunities offered to a teacher or an administrator, based on the individual needs of the teacher or administrator and the needs of the students, the school and the school district of the teacher or administrator;

(c) Allow each teacher or administrator to establish a set of classroom or administrative practices and student learning objectives that are based on the individual circumstances of the teacher or administrator, including the classroom or other assignments of the teacher or administrator;

(d) Establish a formative growth process for each teacher and administrator that supports professional learning and collaboration with other teachers and administrators; and

(e) Use evaluation methods and professional development, support and other activities that are based on curricular standards and that are targeted to the needs of each teacher and administrator.

SECTION 3. (1) No later than January 1, 2012, the State Board of Education shall adopt core teaching standards that comply with the requirements described in section 2 of this 2011 Act.

(2) The State Board of Education shall adopt the standards as required by subsection (1) of this section after receiving the input of teachers, administrators, members of school district boards, professional organizations for teachers and administrators and any other entity that the state board or Teacher Standards and Practices Commission determines has an interest or expertise related to the standards.

SECTION 4. Section 2 of this 2011 Act is amended to read:

Sec. 2. (1) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission, shall adopt core teaching standards to improve student academic growth and learning by:

(a) Assisting school districts in determining the effectiveness of teachers and administrators and in making human resource decisions; and

(b) Improving the professional development and the classroom and administrative practices of teachers and administrators.

(2) The core teaching standards adopted under this section must:

(a) Take into consideration multiple measures of teacher effectiveness, based on widely accepted standards of teaching that encompass a range of appropriate teaching behaviors and that use multiple evaluation methods;

(b) Take into consideration evidence of student academic growth and learning based on multiple measures of student progress, including performance data of students, schools and school districts;

(c) Be research-based;

(d) Be separately developed for teachers and administrators; and

(e) Be able to be customized for each school district, which may include individualized weighting and application of standards.

(3) The core teaching standards adopted under this section must attempt to:

(a) Strengthen the knowledge, skills, disposition and classroom and administrative practices of teachers and administrators in public schools;

(b) Refine the support, assistance and professional growth opportunities offered to a teacher or an administrator, based on the individual needs of the teacher or administrator and the needs of the students, the school and the school district of the teacher or administrator;

(c) Allow each teacher or administrator to establish a set of classroom or administrative practices and student learning objectives that are based on the individual circumstances of the teacher or administrator, including the classroom or other assignments of the teacher or administrator;

(d) Establish a formative growth process for each teacher and administrator that supports professional learning and collaboration with other teachers and administrators; and

(e) Use evaluation methods and professional development, support and other activities that are based on curricular standards and that are targeted to the needs of each teacher and administrator.

(4) A school district board must include the core teaching standards adopted under this section for all evaluations of teachers and administrators of the school district. The standards shall be customized based on the collaborative efforts of the teachers and administrators of the school district and the exclusive bargaining representative of the employees of the school district.

SECTION 5. (1) The amendments to section 2 of this 2011 Act by section 4 of this 2011 Act become operative on July 1, 2013.

(2) The requirements of section 2 (4) of this 2011 Act apply to all evaluations of teachers and administrators occurring on or after July 1, 2013.

SECTION 6. This 2011 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2011 Act takes effect July 1, 2011.

Approved by the Governor August 5, 2011

Filed in the office of Secretary of State August 8, 2011

Effective date August 5, 2011

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