Second Regular Session Sixty-eighth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO INTRODUCED LLS NO. 12-0165.01 Jane Ritter x4342 HOUSE BILL 12-1135 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Murray, SENATE SPONSORSHIP (None), House Committees Senate Committees Education A BILL FOR AN ACT Concerning teachers with whom a teacher candidate in a teacher preparation program spends his or her hours of field work. Bill Summary (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://www.leg.state.co.us/billsummaries.) The bill instructs the state board of education (board) to promulgate rules concerning a method to include in educator evaluations the work of teachers who serve as cooperating teachers in field work or student teaching for teacher candidates (cooperating teachers). A timeline is established concerning the use of effective and highly effective teachers as cooperating teachers, leading to 100% of cooperating teachers as having had an effective or highly effective rating for the previous school year by the 2017-18 school year. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that: (a) Teachers and principals are the first- and second-most important in-school factors influencing student growth and achievement; (b) The national council for accreditation of teacher education advocates for a clinically based structure in teacher preparation programs, which places strong accountability on the school districts to help design and implement programs, select teacher candidates, and assess candidate performance and progress; (c) There are eighteen teacher preparation programs at Colorado institutions of higher education, and 82% of teacher candidates are enrolled in public institutions of higher education; (d) It is important to provide multiple incentives to highly effective and effective teachers to work with teacher candidates from teacher preparation programs who are doing their field work so the teacher candidates are better prepared for the realities of today's classrooms; and (e) The state board of education sets the content of educator preparation programs, the rules for teacher induction, and the performance-based standards for teachers and principals, while the department of higher education authorizes the programs and sets performance measures for them. SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-9-104, add (3) as follows: 22-9-104. State board - powers and duties - rules. (3) On or before July 1, 2014, as a way to create incentives for teachers to become cooperating teachers, as defined in section 23-1-121 (1) (a.7), C.R.S., the state board shall promulgate rules concerning a method to include in educator evaluations the work of teachers who serve as cooperating teachers. The state board may consider, but need not be limited to: (a) Adding a designation of teacher leader for a cooperating teacher who works with a teacher candidate from a teacher preparation program for field work; and (b) Methods of evaluating student growth that take into account that a cooperating teacher has not instructed the students full-time because of his or her role as a cooperating teacher. SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 23-1-121, amend (2) (d); and add (1) (a.7) as follows: 23-1-121. Commission directive - approval of educator preparation programs - review. (1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires: (a.7) "Cooperating teacher" means an elementary- or secondary-level teacher with whom a teacher candidate spends his or her hours of field work or student teaching pursuant to paragraph (d) of subsection (2) of this section. (2) The commission shall adopt policies establishing the requirements for educator preparation programs offered by institutions of higher education. The department shall work in cooperation with the state board of education in developing the requirements for educator preparation programs. At a minimum, the requirements shall ensure that each educator preparation program complies with section 23-1-125, is designed on a performance-based model, and includes: (d) A requirement that, during the course of the preparation program, each teacher candidate in an initial licensure program complete a minimum of eight hundred hours with a cooperating teacher, each principal and administrator candidate complete a minimum of three hundred hours, and each other advanced degree or add-on endorsement candidate complete appropriate supervised field-based experience that relates to predetermined learning standards and includes best practices and national norms related to the candidate's endorsement. A cooperating teacher working with teacher candidates in either field work or student teaching shall meet the following requirements: (I) Beginning in the 2012-13 academic year, a cooperating teacher shall have at least three years of teaching experience and non-probationary status pursuant to section 22-63-203, C.R.S. (II) Beginning in the 2012-13 academic year, a cooperating teacher shall successfully complete an assessment of readiness to work with teacher candidates in either field work or student teaching. The assessment of readiness shall be based on a template approved by the department of education and conducted by principals, school districts, or institutions of higher education. (III) Beginning in the 2013-14 academic year, a cooperating teacher shall complete professional development approved by the department of education and the teacher preparation program. The professional development must include sections on having the capacity to mentor an adult, promoting skills in observation, providing feedback, holding professional conversations, and working collaboratively. (IV) Cooperating teachers working with teacher preparation programs shall have demonstrated effectiveness by earning an effective or highly effective rating in the previous school year as defined by rules promulgated pursuant to section 22-9-105.5, C.R.S., as follows: (A) Beginning in the 2015-16 academic year, at least sixty percent of cooperating teachers working with a teacher preparation program shall have had an effective or highly effective rating in the previous academic year; (B) Beginning in the 2016-17 academic year, at least seventy-five percent of cooperating teachers working with a teacher preparation program shall have had an effective or highly effective rating in the previous academic year; and (C) Beginning in the 2017-18 academic year, one hundred percent of cooperating teachers working with a teacher preparation program shall have had an effective or highly effective rating in the previous academic year. SECTION 4. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August 8, 2012, if adjournment sine die is on May 9, 2012); except that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in November 2012 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.