SB 429 – This act requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to designate comprehensive and performance-based teacher assessment programs for use by all school districts and charter schools by July 1, 2010. The assessments may include the Praxis Examination, the National Teacher Examination, or other existing assessment tools. Multiple assessments must be developed to assess teachers according to the subject areas they teach. Beginning August 28, 2010, any unaccredited school district must require each teacher to be assessed every five years to determine competency in his or her subject areas. The district must use one or more of the assessments developed by the Department. If a teacher fails to demonstrate a minimum level of competency, he or she may retake the assessment no more than one time within three months after receiving notification of failure. A teacher who demonstrates a high level of competency is exempt from assessment for the next five-year period. This act is similar to provisions contained in SB 690 (2007). MICHAEL RUFF