Missouri Senate

Introduced

SCHOOL REPORT CARDS: The State Board of Education must develop a simplified annual school report card for each school attendance center. Each school will be given a letter grade of A, B, C, D or F based on percentages identified in the act that corresponds to the percentage of points earned in each of the standards on the simplified annual school report card. Each school will be given an overall letter grade that reflects the percentage of points the school earned of all points available on the report card. Alternative schools will not receive a report card unless they specifically request one. Grades will not be assigned to schools if the number of students tested is smaller than the minimum sample size necessary based on professional practices for statistical reliability. The report card must also identify each school's performance as having improved, remained the same, or declined based on the prior year in terms of the letter grade and value. (Section 161.237)

TEACHER TENURE AND REDUCTION IN FORCE: This act limits teacher tenure to teachers first hired by a district before August 28, 2014. Teachers hired on or after August 28, 2014 will not receive tenure. (Section 168.104 & 168.221)

This act repeals the criteria that a school board uses when placing teachers on leave of absence because of a decrease in student enrollment, district reorganization, or financial condition. (Section 168.124 & 168.221)

TEACHER AND ADMINISTRATOR EVALUATIONS: Current law requires each school board to cause a comprehensive, performance-based evaluation for each teacher and administrator. This act specifies that the evaluation be done annually. For teachers, the evaluation system developed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must be used, or a district evaluation that utilizes the standards and indicators in the Department's system. In addition, this act requires the school board of the St. Louis City School District to perform such an evaluation for St. Louis teachers. (Sections 168.128 & 168.410)

SALARY SCHEDULES: Each school district must develop and adopt a performance salary schedule for all instructional personnel by July 1, 2015. The performance salary schedule must review and may provide annual salary adjustments based upon performance determined by the annual evaluation system used by the district. Teachers must be evaluated using multiple, fair, rigorous, transparent, and valid measures. A district may use the model evaluation form developed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education or a district evaluation form that utilizes the standards and indicators in the Department's system. The performance salary schedule must not use advanced degrees as a basis for setting a salary schedule unless the advanced degree is in the area of certification or expertise.

A district may develop additional salary schedules differentiated on assignment to a Title I school, teaching in a subject area for which there is a teacher shortage, or to reflect the supply and demand of the teacher labor market. (Section 168.225)

This act is similar to SB 408 (2013).

MICHAEL RUFF