HOUSE BILL 35
48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2007
INTRODUCED BY
Mimi Stewart
FOR THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE
AN ACT
RELATING TO SCHOOL PERSONNEL; CHANGING THE CALCULATION FOR MINIMUM SALARIES OF SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT SCHOOL PRINCIPALS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
Section 1. Section 22-10A-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1975, Chapter 306, Section 2, as amended) is amended to read:
"22-10A-2. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the School Personnel Act:
A. "discharge" means the act of severing the employment relationship with a certified school employee prior to the expiration of the current employment contract;
B. "responsibility factor" means a value of 1.20 for an elementary school principal, 1.40 for a middle school or junior high school principal, 1.60 for a high school principal, 1.10 for an assistant elementary school principal, 1.15 for an assistant middle school or assistant junior high school principal and 1.25 for an assistant high school principal;
[B.] C. "state agency" means any state institution or state agency providing an educational program requiring the employment of certified school instructors;
[C.] D. "sabbatical leave" means leave of absence with pay as set by the local school board or governing authority of a state agency during all or part of a regular school term for purposes of study or travel related to the staff member's duties and of direct benefit to the instructional program;
[D.] E. "terminate" means, in the case of a certified school employee, the act of not reemploying an employee for the ensuing school year and, in the case of a noncertified school employee, the act of severing the employment relationship with the employee;
[E.] F. "working day" means every calendar day, excluding Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday; and
[F.] G. "just cause" means a reason that is rationally related to an employee's competence or turpitude or the proper performance of [his] the employee's duties and that is not in violation of the employee's civil or constitutional rights."
Section 2. Section 22-10A-11 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003, Chapter 153, Section 42, as amended by Laws 2005, Chapter 315, Section 8 and by Laws 2005, Chapter 316, Section 5) is amended to read:
"22-10A-11. LEVEL THREE LICENSURE--TRACKS FOR TEACHERS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS.--
A. A level three-A license is a nine-year license granted to a teacher who meets the qualifications for that level and who annually demonstrates instructional leader competencies. If a level three-A teacher does not demonstrate essential competency in a given school year, the school district shall provide the teacher with additional professional development and peer intervention during the following school year. If by the end of that school year the teacher fails to demonstrate essential competency, a school district may choose not to contract with the teacher to teach in the classroom.
B. The department shall grant a level three-A license to an applicant who has been a level two teacher for at least three years and holds a post-baccalaureate degree or national board for professional teaching standards certification; demonstrates instructional leader competence as required by the department and verified by the local superintendent through the highly objective uniform statewide standard of evaluation; and meets other qualifications for the license.
C. With the adoption by the department of a highly objective uniform statewide standard of evaluation for level three-A teachers, the minimum salary for a level three-A teacher for a standard nine and one-half month contract shall be as follows:
(1) for the 2003-2004 school year, thirty thousand dollars ($30,000);
(2) for the 2004-2005 school year, thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000);
(3) for the 2005-2006 school year, forty thousand dollars ($40,000);
(4) for the 2006-2007 school year, forty-five thousand dollars ($45,000); and
(5) for the 2007-2008 school year, fifty thousand dollars ($50,000).
D. A level three-B license is a nine-year license granted to a school administrator who meets the qualifications for that level. Licenses may be renewed upon satisfactory annual demonstration of instructional leader and administrative competency.
E. The department shall grant a level three-B license to an applicant who has been a level three-A [instructional leader] teacher for at least one year, has satisfactorily completed department-approved courses in administration and a department-approved administration apprenticeship program and demonstrates instructional leader competence required by the department and verified by the local superintendent through the highly objective uniform statewide standard of evaluation.
[F. Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, the standard contract and minimum annual salary for a level three-B school principal shall be based on the size of the school in which the school principal is employed, as follows:
(1) for school principals of schools with two hundred or fewer students, a minimum salary of
fifty-eight thousand dollars ($58,000) for a standard
ten-month contract;
(2) for school principals of schools with two hundred one to four hundred students, a minimum salary of sixty thousand dollars ($60,000) for a standard ten-month contract;
(3) for school principals of schools with four hundred one to six hundred students, a minimum salary of sixty-two thousand dollars ($62,000) for a standard ten-month contract;
(4) for school principals of schools with six hundred one to eight hundred students, a minimum salary of sixty-four thousand dollars ($64,000) for a standard
ten-month contract;
(5) for school principals of schools with eight hundred one to one thousand students, a minimum salary of sixty-six thousand dollars ($66,000) for a standard
ten-month contract; and
(6) for school principals of schools with more than one thousand students, a minimum salary of
sixty-eight thousand dollars ($68,000) for a standard
ten-month contract.]
F. Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, the minimum annual salary for a level three-B school principal or assistant school principal shall be fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) multiplied by the applicable responsibility factor.
G. By the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year, the department shall adopt a highly objective uniform statewide standard of evaluation for level three-B school principals and assistant school principals and rules for the implementation of that evaluation system linked to the level of responsibility at each school level."
Section 3. APPROPRIATION.--Four million two hundred thousand dollars ($4,200,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the public school fund for distribution through the state equalization guarantee distribution in fiscal year 2008 to implement minimum salaries for school principals and assistant principals in the 2007-2008 school year. Any undistributed amount remaining at the end of fiscal year 2008 shall revert to the general fund.
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