The Florida Senate

231.700  Florida Mentor Teacher School Pilot Program.--

(1)  The Legislature recognizes that high-quality teachers are essential to assuring excellence and increasing the achievement levels of all students. The purpose of this section is to provide a model to reform and improve the current structure of the teaching profession. There is created a Florida Mentor Teacher School Pilot Program to attract, retain, and motivate high-quality teachers. The program shall be implemented by the 2001-2002 school year. The pilot schools shall be selected by the Commissioner of Education no later than July 1, 2001. The commissioner shall select a combination of elementary, middle, and high schools representing small, medium, and large districts. Each approved school shall receive an equivalent grant based upon the number of schools selected by the commissioner and the amount of the legislative appropriation. Each mentor teacher school program shall be approved based on criteria specified by the commissioner.

(2)  The goals of the Florida Mentor Teacher School Pilot Program are to:

(a)  Provide teachers with multiple career paths, beginning as education paraprofessionals and rising to associate teachers, teachers, lead teachers, and mentor teachers. The five levels must have highly differentiated duties. The mentor teacher shall have a reduced teaching schedule that permits weekly instruction to all students under the mentor teacher's supervision while also allowing for demonstration lessons, coaching, facilitating curriculum development, and providing staff development for other teachers at the school.

(b)  Establish broad salary ranges to provide flexibility and to reward performance and to negotiate salaries to attract teachers to hard-to-staff schools and subjects. Advancement shall be determined by academic achievement, examination, demonstration, and student learning gains data. Each mentor teacher shall be eligible for a total annual salary incentive of up to twice the average district classroom teacher's salary. Fifty percent of the mentor teacher salary incentive shall be based on increased student achievement of students assigned to the supervision of the mentor teacher.

(c)  Provide ongoing professional development for teachers to learn and grow professionally that includes a daily block of time for associate teachers, teachers, and lead teachers to reflect and plan and to interact with the mentor teacher.

(d)  Provide all eligible teachers with the opportunity for national certification.

(e)  Provide for a specified organizational pattern, such as clusters or teams of teachers for grade levels or subject areas comprised of associate teachers, teachers, and lead teachers who are supported by education paraprofessional learning guides and directed by a mentor teacher.

(3)  The five teacher career development positions and minimum requirements are:

(a)  Education paraprofessional learning guide.--An education paraprofessional learning guide must hold an associate degree from an institution of higher learning and must demonstrate appropriate writing, speaking, and computation skills.

(b)  Associate teacher.--An associate teacher must hold a bachelor's degree from an institution of higher learning and a valid Florida teaching certificate as provided by s. 231.17.

(c)  Teacher.--A teacher must hold a bachelor's degree or higher from an institution of higher learning and a valid Florida teaching certificate, have a minimum of 3 years' full-time teaching experience, document satisfactory teaching performance, and document evidence of positive student learning gains, when data become available.

(d)  Lead teacher.--A lead teacher must hold a bachelor's degree or higher from an institution of higher learning and a valid Florida professional teaching certificate, have a minimum of 3 years' full-time teaching experience, document exemplary teaching performance, and document evidence of significant positive student learning gains, when data become available. A lead teacher shall provide intensive support for associate teachers and teachers.

(e)  Mentor teacher.--A mentor teacher must:

1.  Hold a bachelor's degree or higher from an institution of higher learning and a valid Florida professional teaching certificate.

2.  Have a minimum of 5 years' full-time teaching experience.

3.  Document exemplary teaching performance.

4.  Document evidence of significant positive student learning gains, when data become available.

5.  Hold a valid National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certificate; have been selected as a school, district, or state teacher of the year; or hold an equivalent status as determined by the commissioner.

6.  Demonstrate expertise as a staff developer.

(4)  The Commissioner of Education may adopt rules, pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54, for the implementation of this section and approval of the mentor teacher school program.

(5)  This section shall be implemented to the extent specifically funded in the General Appropriations Act.

History.--s. 59, ch. 2000-301; s. 14, ch. 2001-47.