1. Changes for Returning Teachers:
a. Career Path System:
i. Take effect 2016-2017
ii. Model Structure:
1. Initial Teacher
a. No more than 75% teaching load
b. I believe everything else is the same as before
2. Career Teacher- No change
3. Model Teacher
a. School board appointed site-based review council comprised of equal members of teachers, administrators, and parents
b. 1 year designation
c. 2,000 dollar salary supplement
d. At least 10% of a school district must be model teachers
e. An additional 5 contractual days used to “strengthen instructional leadership”
4. Mentor Teacher
a. School district decides on selection process
b. 1 year designation
c. 5,000 dollar salary supplement
d. No more than 75% teaching load
e. At least 10% of a school district must be mentor teachers
f. An additional 10 contractual days used to “strengthen instructional leadership”
5. Lead Teacher
a. School district decides on selection process
b. 1 year designation
c. 10,000 dollar salary supplement
d. No more than 50% teaching load
e. At least 5% of a school district must be Lead teachers
f. An additional 15 contractual days used to “strengthen instructional leadership”
g. Roles may include co-teaching, co-planning, peer reviews, observing career/model/mentor teachers, planning and delivery of professional development activities, leading the instructional leadership team, mentoring teachers, or evaluating student teachers
iii. Budgeted for 160 million/year
b. Teacher Evaluation System:
i. Created because Iowa was rejected for a waiver to NCLB for not having met requirements for educator evaluations.
ii. Specifics to be decided by a “commission of education leaders” implemented by July 1st, 2016
1. School boards will establish written evaluation criteria and implement evaluation procedures annually
2. Will “differentiate performance using three levels”
3. Will “factor in student outcomes”
4. Will be aligned with Iowa and nationally accepted teaching standards
5. Schools need an “intensive assistance program” for those that fail to meet the standards.
c. Increased compensation for teachers in schools where “high teacher turnover may affect student achievement growth”.
d. Job openings online board
2. Changes for New Teachers
a. Raise starting salaries from 28,000 to 35,000
b. College students spend a whole year in classrooms before they graduate
c. Reduced load for first year teachers so they can watch expert teachers
d. Continue tuition reimbursement up to 20,000 for hard to fill area for graduating teachers in top 25% of class.
3. Changes for Students
a. Iowa Promise Diploma Seals
i. Optional, free college or career readiness exam
ii. For “students who are completing a core and specialized course of study at a high level, as well as a senior portfolio assessment requiring the demonstration of concepts such as collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity.”
iii. Budgeted at 10 million/year
b. Expanding Online Classes
i. “to help Iowa Learning Online transition to a self-financing model”
ii. “to expand services to about 2.500 students a year”
iii. 1.5 million for 3 years
