Teacher accountability.

2017
STATE OF WYOMING
17LSO-0034
ENGROSSED
2.1

HOUSE BILL

NO.

HB0037

Teacher accountability.

Sponsored by:
Select Committee on Statewide Education Accountability

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to teacher accountability; eliminating teacher accountability enacted as a part of the Wyoming Accountability in Education Act; making conforming amendments to continuing contract status for teachers; repealing a provision as specified; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section
1
.

W.S. 21
‑
2
‑
304(
b)(xv), 21
‑
3
‑
110(a)(xvii) through (xix) and (b), 21
‑
7
‑
102(a)(ii)

and 21
‑
7
‑
104(a) are amended to read:

21
‑
2
‑
304
.

Duties of the state board of education.

(b)

In addition to subsection (a) of this section and any other duties assigned to it by law, the state board shall:

(xv)

Not later than July 1, 2019,
p
romulgate rules and regulations for the
implementation and administration
submission
and approval
of
a
comprehensive
school district teacher performance evaluation
system based in part upon defined student academic performance measures as prescribed by law, upon longitudinal data systems and upon measures of professional practice according to standards for professional practice prescribed by board rule and regulation. The evaluation system shall clearly prescribe st
andards for highly effective performance, effective performance, performance in need of improvement and ineffective performa
nce. Rules and regulations adopted under this paragraph shall to
the extent the statewide accountability system is not
compromised, allow
districts the opportunity to refine the system to meet
the
individual needs of the distric
t
.
The performance evaluation system shall also include reasonable opportunity for state and district provision of mentoring and other professional development activities made available to teachers
performing unsatisfactorily, which are designed to improve instruction and student achievement

systems
.
The state board shall, in consultation with local school districts, establish criteria for school district teacher performance evaluation systems that provide districts flexibility in designing teacher evaluation to improve classroom instruction
;

21
‑
3
‑
110
.

Duties of boards of trustees.

(a)

The board of trustees in each school district shall:

(xvii)

Not later than school year 2019
‑
2020 and each school year thereafter,
R
equire the performance of each initial contract teacher to be evaluated
summatively
based in part upon student achievement measures as prescribed by rule and regulation of the state board under W.S. 21
‑
2
‑
304(
b)(xv)

once a year
against
the
school district
'
s standards for performance using multiple methods and data protocols. The evaluation shall be
in writing
and an opportunity for feedback to improve performance
shall be
provided
.
The teacher shall receive a copy of each evaluation of his performance;

(xviii)

Not later than school year 2019
‑
2020 and each school year thereafter,
E
stablish a teacher performance evaluation system and require the performance of each continuing contract teacher to be evaluated
summatively
based in part upon student achievement measures as prescribed by rule and regulation of the state board under W.S. 21
‑
2
‑
304(b)(xv)

against
the
school district
'
s standards for performance using multiple methods and data protocols

once a year
until the teacher has been classified as effective under the performance evaluation system utilized by the school district
.

Upon a classification of effective for two (2) consecutive years, evaluation shall occur at minimum once every three (3) years.
T
he teacher shall receive a copy of each evaluation of his performance;

(xix)

Not later than school year 2019
‑
2020 and each school year thereafter, based in part upon student achievement measures established by the state board of education under W.S. 21
‑
2
‑
304(b)(xv),
P
erformance evaluations
required
shall serve as a basis for improvement
of instruction, enhancement of curriculum program implementation, measurement of both individual teacher performance and professional growth and development and the performance level of all teachers within the school district, and as documentation for unsatisfactory performance that may lead to dismissal, suspension and termination proceedings under W.S. 21
‑
7
‑
110;

(b)

On or before June 1,
2020
2019,
and June 1 of each school year thereafter, each school district superintendent shall provide a report to the board of trustees
identifying all teachers and on or before June 1, 2019, and June 1 of each school year thereafter,
identifying all school and district leaders within the district whose performance, through evaluations conducted under
paragraphs (a)(xvii) through (xix) and
paragraph

(a)
(xxx) of this section, has been determined in need of improvement or ineffective for that school year. The report shall include a summary of mentoring and other professional development activities made available to the identified school and district leaders
and teachers
to improve instruction and student achievement. Not later than July 1, 2019 for school and district leaders,
and July
1, 2020 for district teachers,

and July 1 of each school year thereafter, the board shall file a report with the department of education certifying compliance with this subsection.

21
‑
7
‑
102
.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in this article the following definitions shall apply:

(ii)

"
Continuing Contract Teacher
"

means
:

(A)

Any initial contract teacher who has been employed by the same school district in the state of Wyoming for a period of three (3) consecutive school years,
and
has had his contract renewed for a fourth consecutive school year
;

a
nd, beginning school year 2019
‑
2020 and each school year thereafter, has performed satisfactorily on performance evaluations implemented by the district under W.S. 21
‑
3
‑
110(
a)(xvii) during this period of time; or

(B)

A teacher who has achieved continuing contract status in one (1) district, and who without lapse
of time has taught two (2) consecutive school years and has had his contract renewed for a third consecutive school year by the employing school district
.
, and, beginning school year 2019
‑
2020 and each school year thereafter, has performed satisfactorily on performance evaluations conducted by both districts under W.S. 21
‑
3
‑
110(
a)(xvii) during this period of time.

21
‑
7
‑
104
.

Employment of continuing contract teachers on continuing basis; salary increases.

(a)

Subject to satisfactory performance evaluation under W.S. 21
‑
3
‑
110(
a)(xviii),
A
continuing contract teacher shall be employed by each school district on a continuing basis from year to year without annual contract renewal at a salary determined by the board of trustees of each district, said salary subject to increases from time to time as provided for in the salary provisions adopted by the board.

Section 2
.

W.S. 21
‑
7
‑
110(
a)(vii)
is
repealed
.

Section 3
.

This
act is effective July 1,
201
7
.

(END)

1
HB0037