HOUSE BILL 158

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2017

INTRODUCED BY

Stephanie Garcia Richard

AN ACT

RELATING TO SCHOOL PERSONNEL; CREATING A TEACHER EVALUATION PILOT PROJECT.

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

     SECTION 1. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] TEACHER EVALUATION PILOT PROJECT--CREATED--PURPOSE--DESIGN--DATA--SCHOOL DISTRICTS SELECTED.--

          A. The "teacher evaluation pilot project" is created as a six-year study that allows selected school districts to design and implement fair and equitable teacher evaluation systems that:

                (1) are developed by teachers, principals, students, parents and community members;

                (2) offer innovative and sustainable evaluations that will improve each teacher's:

                     (a) pedagogical skills;

                     (b) classroom management style;

                     (c) teacher-student interactions; and

                     (d) collegial support and professional development; and

                (3) use short-cycle assessments to measure the success of improving teaching performance that leads to greater student academic or vocational and social achievement.

          B. The teacher evaluation pilot project shall be conducted in school districts selected by the department as representing different size school districts, a mix of rural and urban locations and a variety of school ratings; provided that the school districts are large enough and diverse enough to provide the data necessary to evaluate the pilot project. A school district that participates in the pilot project is exempt from the department's evaluation system during the term of the pilot project.

          C. Each teacher evaluation system designed for the pilot project shall:

                (1) include peer and principal observations based on a research-based rubric;

                (2) promote the learning of all students;

                (3) support teacher professional development;

                (4) measure student achievement and support instruction that leads to higher levels of student achievement; and

                (5) recognize significant differences in assignments and responsibilities.

          D. The department shall establish data collection and reporting requirements for participating school districts. The department shall provide interim and final reports annually to the legislature and the governor on the efficacy of the pilot project."

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