An Act To Encourage the Use of Models in the Collection and Use of Student Achievement Data

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

Whereas,  the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20A, section 6204, subsection 3 separates the student assessment program from teacher evaluation; and

Whereas,  the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20A, section 13802 is limited to teacher evaluation models and does not apply to principal evaluations; and

Whereas,  immediate enactment of this legislation is necessary to ensure the State's eligibility to apply for a significant amount of federal funding for continued education reform, which is jeopardized by significant and continuing reductions in state funding for education; 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 §6204, sub-§3,  as enacted by PL 1983, c. 859, Pt. D, §§3 and 4, is repealed.

Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §13802,  as enacted by PL 1985, c. 173, is amended to read:

§ 13802. Teacher and principal evaluation models

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

SUMMARY

This bill eliminates the prohibition on the use of student assessment data in the establishment of models for evaluation of the professional performance of teachers. It also extends the models for evaluation developed by the Department of Education to principals and requires that the models include multiple measures.