74th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2007 Regular Session
Enrolled
House Bill 2574
Sponsored by Representatives ROBLAN, FLORES, Senators DEVLIN,
STARR, JOHNSON, WALKER; Representatives BUCKLEY, CAMERON, C
EDWARDS, GELSER, KOMP, MINNIS, WHISNANT, Senators AVAKIAN, G
GEORGE (at the request of The Chalkboard Project and Stand for
Children)
CHAPTER ................
AN ACT
Relating to mentoring; creating new provisions; and amending ORS
329.675, 329.790, 329.795, 329.800, 329.805, 329.810, 329.815,
329.820 and 342.144.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. ORS 329.675 is amended to read:
329.675. As used in ORS 329.675 to 329.745 and 329.790 to
329.820:
(1) 'Beginning administrator' means { - an administrator - }
{ + a principal or superintendent + } who:
{ + (a) Possesses an administrative license issued by the
Teacher Standards and Practices Commission; + }
{ - (a) - } { + (b) + } Is employed as { - an
administrator - } { + a principal or superintendent + } by a
school district; and
{ - (b) - } { + (c) + } Has been assigned for fewer than
{ - three successive - } { + two + } school years { - as a
licensed or acting administrator in any public, private or
state-operated school - } { + in the administrator's present
position + }.
(2) 'Beginning teacher' means a teacher who:
(a) Possesses a teaching license issued by the Teacher
Standards and Practices Commission;
(b) Is employed at least half-time, primarily as a classroom
teacher, by a school district; and
(c) Has taught fewer than { - three successive - }
{ + two + } school years as a licensed probationary teacher in
any public, private or state-operated school.
(3) 'Mentor' means { - a teacher or administrator - } { +
an individual + } who:
{ + (a) Is an acting or retired teacher, principal or
superintendent;
(b) Has met established best practice and researched-based
criteria as defined by the State Board of Education by rule; + }
{ - (a) - } { + (c) + } Possesses a teaching { - ,
personnel service - } or administrative license issued by the
Teacher Standards and Practices Commission;
{ - (b) - } { + (d) + } Has successfully served for
{ - three - } { + five + } or more years as a licensed
Enrolled House Bill 2574 (HB 2574-A) Page 1
teacher { + , principal or superintendent + } { - or
administrator - } in any public school; { + and + }
{ - (c) - } { + (e) + } Has been selected and trained as
described in ORS 329.815 { + . + } { - ; and - }
{ - (d) Has demonstrated mastery of the appropriate subject
matter knowledge and teaching and administrative skills. - }
(4) 'Mentorship program' means a program provided by a mentor
{ - teacher or administrator - } to a beginning teacher or
administrator that includes, but is not limited to, direct
classroom observation and consultation, assistance in
instructional planning and preparation, support in implementation
and delivery of classroom instruction, development of school
leadership skills and other assistance intended to assist the
beginning teacher or administrator to become a confident and
competent professional educator who makes a positive impact on
student learning.
SECTION 2. ORS 329.790 is amended to read:
329.790. The Legislative Assembly finds that:
(1) The quality of teaching and administration in the public
schools is of vital importance to the future of this state;
(2) This state has a special interest in ensuring that the
induction of beginning teachers and administrators into their
profession enhances their professional growth and development by
making a positive impact on student learning; { - and - }
(3) The formal assignment of mentors who have demonstrated the
appropriate subject matter knowledge and teaching and
administrative skills { - should - } { + will + }
substantially improve the induction and professional growth of
beginning teachers and administrators in this state, as well as
provide mentors with additional and valuable opportunities to
enhance their own professional growth { + ;
(4) Teachers and administrators who receive research-based,
relevant mentoring produce students with a higher rate of
achievement;
(5) School districts that have teacher mentoring have a higher
rate of retention among teachers; and
(6) Administrators who receive mentoring improve their
effectiveness as administrators and continue to improve
throughout their careers + }.
SECTION 3. ORS 329.795 is amended to read:
329.795. (1) The State Board of Education shall establish a
beginning teacher and administrator mentorship program to provide
eligible beginning teachers and administrators in this state with
a continued and sustained mentorship program from a formally
assigned mentor { - teacher or administrator - } .
(2) Any district is eligible to participate in the mentorship
program.
(3) { - Two or more school districts may - } { + A school
district may enter into a partnership with another school
district, an institution of higher education, an education
service district or another organization to + } operate jointly a
mentorship program if { + : + }
{ - they meet all the requirements of ORS 329.790 to
329.820. - }
{ - (4) Educational consortia established for approved
teacher or administrator education credentialing programs
pursuant to rules of the Teacher Standards and Practices
Commission are eligible to operate a mentorship program to serve
beginning teachers and administrators in a participating school
district if: - }
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(a) All moneys received as grants-in-aid for the mentorship
program are administered by the participating school district to
provide direct services to beginning teachers and administrators;
and
(b) All other requirements of ORS 329.790 to 329.820 are met.
{ - (5) To the extent practicable, school districts may
coordinate with institutions of higher education in the design,
implementation and evaluation of mentorship programs. - }
{ - (6) - } { + (4) + } All programs in ORS 329.790 to
329.820 are subject to the availability of funds appropriated
therefor.
SECTION 4. ORS 329.800 is amended to read:
329.800. (1) Each school district that wishes to participate in
the beginning teacher and administrator mentorship program shall
submit a formal application to the Department of Education. The
application shall include:
(a) The names of all eligible beginning teachers and
administrators employed by the school district and a description
of their assignments { - and extracurricular duties - } ; { +
and + }
{ - (b) The names of mentors selected by a school district
and a description of their assignments and the endorsement area
in which they are licensed; and - }
{ - (c) - } { + (b) + } A description of the proposed
mentorship program, which must provide { + frequent contact,
totaling + } a minimum of 90 hours { + , + } { - of direct
contact - } between the mentors and beginning teachers and
administrators { - , including observation of or assistance with
assigned duties - } { + throughout the school year + }.
(2) The school district shall certify in the application that
no eligible beginning professional educators are or may be under
a conditional license, except as provided in rules of the Teacher
Standards and Practices Commission.
SECTION 5. ORS 329.805 is amended to read:
329.805. (1) Subject to ORS 291.230 to 291.260, the Department
of Education shall distribute grants-in-aid to qualifying school
districts to offset the costs of beginning teacher and
administrator mentorship programs. A qualifying district shall
receive annually up to { - $3,000 - } { + $5,000 + } for each
full-time equivalent beginning teacher and administrator approved
for support. { + Each biennium, the department shall adjust the
amount specified for each teacher or administrator based on the
Consumer Price Index, as defined in ORS 327.006. + }
(2) If the funds are insufficient for all eligible proposals,
the Department of Education shall award grants on a competitive
basis, taking into consideration geographic and demographic
diversity.
(3) The State Board of Education may adopt such rules as it
considers appropriate for the distribution of grants-in-aid under
this section.
(4) A district that is determined by the Department of
Education to be in violation of one or more of the requirements
of ORS 329.790 to 329.820 may be required to refund all
grants-in-aid moneys distributed under ORS 329.790 to 329.820.
The amount of penalty shall be determined by the State Board of
Education.
SECTION 6. ORS 329.810 is amended to read:
329.810. { + (1) + } After consulting with representatives of
teachers, administrators, school boards, schools of education,
the Oregon University System and such others as it considers
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appropriate, the Department of Education shall { - develop
or - } approve { - workshops to provide - } training for
mentors and beginning teachers and administrators in programs
qualifying for grants-in-aid under ORS 329.790 to 329.820.
{ + (2) The training curriculum for mentors shall be based on
research and knowledge of the needs of beginning teachers and
administrators.
(3) Mentors shall be trained to build relationships of trust
and mutual collaboration with beginning teachers and
administrators.
(4) Mentors shall receive professional development before the
school year begins and throughout the school year. + }
SECTION 7. ORS 329.815 is amended to read:
329.815. { + (1) + } { + Based on the requirements of ORS
329.790 to 329.820, + } the selection, nature and extent of
duties of { - mentor teachers and administrators - }
{ + mentors + } shall be determined by the school district.
{ - The following guidelines shall apply: - }
{ - (1) - } { + (2) + } A teacher { + , principal or
superintendent + } { - or administrator - } may not be
designated as a mentor unless willing to perform in that role
{ - ; - } { + . + }
{ - (2) - } { + (3) + } For purposes of actions taken under
ORS 342.805 to 342.937:
(a) A mentor { - teacher or administrator - } may not
participate in the evaluation of a beginning teacher or
administrator assigned to the mentor; and
(b) Any written or other reports of a mentor regarding a
beginning teacher or administrator assigned to the mentor may not
be used in the evaluation of the beginning teacher or
administrator { - ; - } { + . + }
{ - (3) - } { + (4) + } Each mentor shall complete
successfully { - a - } training { - workshop - } provided or
approved by the Department of Education while participating in
the beginning teacher and administrator mentorship program { - ;
and - } { + . + }
{ - (4) - } { + (5) + } The stipend received for each
beginning teacher or administrator may be used by the school
district to compensate mentors { - in addition to their regular
duties - } or to compensate other individuals assigned duties to
provide release time for teachers { + , principals or
superintendents + } { - or administrators - } acting as
mentors.
SECTION 8. ORS 329.820 is amended to read:
329.820. { + (1) + } The Department of Education shall be
responsible for the regular and ongoing evaluation of programs
under ORS 329.790 to 329.820 and may contract for such
evaluation. { + The department may not expend in a biennium more
than 2.5 percent of the total amount of moneys available for the
programs on the evaluation of the programs. + } The evaluation
{ - shall - } { + + } { + may + } include { - , but not be
limited to, - } assessments of the following:
{ - (1) A survey and follow-up of all eligible mentors,
beginning teachers and administrators and appropriate school
district officials, to assess satisfaction with and the
effectiveness of the beginning teacher and administrator
mentorship program; - }
{ - (2) The amount and quality of the contact time between
mentors and beginning teachers and administrators; - }
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{ - (3) The effectiveness of workshops and other
training; - }
{ - (4) - } { + (a) + } The effectiveness of the mentorship
program in the retention of { - new - } { + beginning + }
teachers and administrators in the school district { + and in
the profession + }; { + and + }
{ - (5) The desirability of extending this assistance program
to students participating in teacher and administrator
preparation programs; and - }
{ - (6) - } { + (b) + } Student performance on statewide
and other assessments.
{ + (2) The department may accept contributions of moneys and
assistance for the purpose of the evaluation of programs from any
source, public or private, and agree to conditions placed on the
moneys not inconsistent with ORS 329.790 to 329.820. All moneys
received by the department under this subsection shall be
deposited into the Department of Education Account to be used for
the evaluation of programs conducted under this section. + }
SECTION 9. ORS 342.144 is amended to read:
342.144. (1) As used in this section, 'American Indian tribe'
means an Indian tribe as that term is defined in ORS 97.740.
(2) The Legislative Assembly declares that teaching American
Indian languages is essential to the proper education of American
Indian children.
(3) The Teacher Standards and Practices Commission shall
establish an American Indian languages teaching license.
(4) Each American Indian tribe may develop a written and oral
test that must be successfully completed by an applicant for an
American Indian languages teaching license in order to determine
whether the applicant is qualified to teach the tribe's native
language. When developing the test, the tribe shall determine:
(a) Which dialects will be used on the test;
(b) Whether the tribe will standardize the tribe's writing
system; and
(c) How the teaching methods will be evaluated in the
classroom.
(5) The test shall be administered at an appropriate location
that does not create hardship for the tribal members
administering the test.
(6) The commission may not require an applicant to hold a
specific academic degree, to complete a specific amount of
education or to complete a teacher education program to receive
an American Indian languages teaching license.
(7)(a) An American Indian languages teaching license qualifies
the holder to accept a teaching position in a school district,
public charter school, education service district, community
college or state institution of higher education.
(b) A holder of an American Indian languages teaching license
who does not also have a teaching license issued under ORS
342.125 may not teach in a school district or education service
district any subject other than the American Indian language they
are approved to teach by the tribe.
(c) A holder of an American Indian languages teaching license
who does not also have a teaching license or registration issued
under ORS 342.125 may not teach in a public charter school any
subject other than the American Indian language they are approved
to teach by the tribe.
(8)(a) As used in this subsection, 'technical assistance
program' means a program provided to an American Indian languages
teacher by a licensed teacher with three or more years of
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teaching experience. A technical assistance program may include
direct classroom observation and consultation, assistance in
instructional planning and preparation, support in implementation
and delivery of classroom instruction, and other assistance
intended to enhance the professional performance and development
of the American Indian languages teacher.
(b) The holder of an American Indian languages teaching license
who does not also have an administrative license, teaching
license or registration issued under ORS 342.125 and who is
employed by a school district, public charter school or education
service district shall participate in a technical assistance
program with a person holding a teaching license issued by the
commission under ORS 342.125. The technical assistance program
shall meet the guidelines specified in ORS 329.815 { - (1) to
(3) - } { + (2) to (4) + }.
(9) An American Indian languages teaching license shall be
valid for three years and may be renewed upon application from
the holder of the license.
SECTION 10. { + The amendments to ORS 329.675, 329.790,
329.795, 329.800, 329.805, 329.810, 329.815, 329.820 and 342.144
by sections 1 to 9 of this 2007 Act first apply to beginning
teacher and administrator mentorship programs administered during
the 2008-2009 school year. + }
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Passed by House June 8, 2007
...........................................................
Chief Clerk of House
...........................................................
Speaker of House
Passed by Senate June 19, 2007
...........................................................
President of Senate
Enrolled House Bill 2574 (HB 2574-A) Page 6
Received by Governor:
......M.,............., 2007
Approved:
......M.,............., 2007
...........................................................
Governor
Filed in Office of Secretary of State:
......M.,............., 2007
...........................................................
Secretary of State
Enrolled House Bill 2574 (HB 2574-A) Page 7