HB 833 -- Teachers

Co-Sponsors:  Hartzler (124), Summers

This bill creates a pilot project that permits 50 school
districts to determine standards for their substitute teachers
for a 5-year period.  At the end of that time, the Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education will develop new rules for
substitute teacher certification.  The bill sets out
requirements for the school districts' participation, which
include, among others, documented work experience with children,
a screening process, and an in-service training design.  The
bill requires the department to do background checks on
applicants for substitute teacher certificates and permits the
department, upon application by a district experiencing a
teacher shortage, to certify the shortage to the state's teacher
retirement systems, who would then permit retired teachers to
return to full-time teaching without loss of their benefits for
up to 5 years.

The bill also permits professional development moneys to be used
for teacher tuition reimbursement, to recruit substitute
teachers, and for implementing alternative education programs.
The bill specifies percentages of moneys to be directed towards
teacher tuition reimbursement and substitute teacher recruitment.