SENATE BILL 57

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2006

INTRODUCED BY

Cynthia Nava

FOR THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE

AN ACT

RELATING TO SCHOOL PERSONNEL; PROVIDING FOR DISTRIBUTION OF MENTORSHIP FUNDING.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. Section 22-10A-9 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003, Chapter 153, Section 40, as amended by Laws 2005, Chapter 315, Section 6 and by Laws 2005, Chapter 316, Section 3) is amended to read:

     "22-10A-9. TEACHER MENTORSHIP PROGRAM FOR LEVEL ONE TEACHERS--PURPOSE--DEPARTMENT DUTIES.--

          A. The purpose of the teacher mentorship program is to provide beginning teachers with an effective transition into the teaching field, to build on their initial preparation and to ensure their success in teaching; to improve the achievement of students; and to retain capable teachers in the classroom and to remove teachers who show little promise of success.

          B. The department shall develop a framework for a teacher mentorship program for all level one teachers. The department shall work with licensed school employees, representatives from teacher preparation programs and the [commission on] higher education department to establish the framework.

          C. The framework shall include:

                (1) individual support and assistance for each beginning teacher from a designated mentor;

                (2) structured training for mentors;

                (3) an ongoing, formative evaluation that is used for the improvement of teaching practice;

                (4) procedures for a summative evaluation of beginning teachers' performance during at least the first three years of teaching, including annual assessment of suitability for license renewal, and for final assessment of beginning teachers seeking level two licensure;

                (5) support from local school boards, school administrators and other school district personnel; and

                (6) regular review and evaluation of the teacher mentorship program.

          D. The department shall:

                (1) require submission and approval of each school district's teacher mentorship program;

                (2) provide technical assistance to school districts that do not have a well-developed teacher mentorship program in place; [and]

                (3) encourage school districts to collaborate with teacher preparation program administrators at institutions of higher education, career educators, educational organizations, regional service centers and other state and community leaders in the teacher mentorship program; and

                (4) distribute available funds for mentorship programs to school districts annually on a per-teacher basis according to the number of beginning teachers on the fortieth day of the school year."

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