HOUSE BILL 219

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2018

INTRODUCED BY

Monica Youngblood

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO SCHOOL PERSONNEL; CREATING A PILOT PROJECT TO USE CONTRACT ADJUNCT INSTRUCTORS TO SUPPLEMENT TEACHING STAFF IN GRADES SEVEN THROUGH TWELVE.

 

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

     SECTION 1. [NEW MATERIAL] ADJUNCT INSTRUCTORS PILOT PROJECT--PURPOSE--ELIGIBILITY--APPLICATION--REPORTING AND EVALUATION.--

          A. As used in this section:

                (1) "adjunct instructor" means a person over the age of eighteen who has at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education and has at least five years' experience in the subject matter in which the adjunct instructor is contracted to teach; and

                (2) "subject-matter expertise" means the professional, technical or career expertise of an adjunct instructor.

          B. The "adjunct instructors pilot project" is created as a five-year pilot project. The purpose of the adjunct instructors pilot project is to demonstrate that the use of subject-matter experts is a reasonable and beneficial way to provide core or elective curricula to students in grades seven through twelve and to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public secondary education.

          C. The pilot project:

                (1) allows the licensure of adjunct instructors who have subject-matter expertise but who do not have a level one or two teaching license or an alternative license and who are used to supplement the teaching staff of a school district or charter school; and

                (2) measures the effect of adjunct instructors on:

                     (a) student achievement in adjunct instructor-taught courses; and

                     (b) improved outcome indicators, including test scores, graduation rates, teacher and student satisfaction and truancy and dropout rates.

          D. A school district or charter school that has an A or B rating may apply to use adjunct instructors to:

                (1) teach subjects for which teachers are not available;

                (2) provide for more classes in a particular subject; or

                (3) offer electives that would otherwise not be available to students in a regular classroom.

          E. The public education department shall determine application requirements and procedures and criteria for evaluating applications. A school district or charter school that has been approved by the department to participate in the adjunct instructors pilot project may enter into a professional services contract with an adjunct instructor. The department shall approve the contract. The contract shall provide that:

                (1) the adjunct instructor may only render services to students in grades seven through twelve and in the subject areas covered by the adjunct instructor's license;

                (2) the compensation shall be commensurate with the salary of a first-year teacher employed by the school district or charter school in which the adjunct instructor is teaching, prorated for the adjunct instructor's workload;

                (3) teaching services shall not exceed one-half of a full-time teacher's workload;

                (4) the adjunct instructor is a contractor and as such is not eligible for:

                     (a) health care benefits;

                     (b) the accrual of service credit or employee or employer contributions under any coverage plan pursuant to the Educational Retirement Act, the Public Employees Retirement Act or the Deferred Compensation Act;

                     (c) any compensation other than the amount specified in the contract; and

                     (d) tenure under any law, rule or agreement;

                (5) the term of the contract is for one year and may be renewed during the term of the pilot project;

                (6) the contract may be terminated by the school district or charter school without cause at any time during the contract period; and

                (7) the adjunct instructor is eligible for in-service training and other professional development.

          F. No more than ten percent of any public school's or charter school's classes shall be taught by adjunct instructors.

          G. Students who are taking courses taught by adjunct instructors shall be evaluated at the beginning of each such course, and their progress shall be measured through public education department-approved summative assessments.

          H. The public education department shall establish and implement reporting and evaluation requirements for participating public schools, including students and pilot project assessments. The department shall provide interim and final reports annually to the legislature and the governor on the efficacy of the adjunct instructors pilot project.

     SECTION 2. APPLICABILITY.--The adjunct instructors pilot project is applicable to the 2018-2019 through 2023-2024 school years.

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