1. APPLICATION FOR BEST TEACHING SALARY CAREER LADDER PILOT PROGRAM

BETTER EDUCATED STUDENTS AND TEACHERS (BEST)

TEACHING SALARY CAREER LADDER PILOT PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION GRANT NARRATIVE

IN ADDITION TO SPECIFIC STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS WHICH MUST BE INCLUDED, EXAMPLES ARE GIVEN IN ITALICS THAT YOU MAY CHOOSE TO CONSIDER BASED ON THE INTENT OF THE LAW. SEVEN BROAD PRINCIPLES ARE IDENTIFIED THAT FOCUS ON TEACHER COMPENSATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES. THESE SEVEN PRINCIPLES ARE:

¨   MULTIPLE CAREER PATHS

¨   MARKET-DRIVEN COMPENSATION

¨   PERFORMANCE-BASED ACCOUNTABILITY

¨   ONGOING, APPLIED PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

¨   PRINCIPAL LEADERSHIP

¨   HIGH-QUALITY INSTRUCTION OF LOW-PERFORMING STUDENTS

¨   EXPANDING THE SUPPLY OF HIGH-QUALITY TEACHERS

PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN SECTIONS A-G, LIMITING YOUR DISTRICT RESPONSES TO A TOTAL OF 20 PAGES OR LESS.

A: GENERAL QUESTIONS

1. Describe the research that your district used in the formulation of the proposed career ladder model.

District Response to A-1

2. Describe how the model you implement will be scalable on a statewide basis (small, medium, and large districts), assuring that high-performing teachers will be rewarded.

District Response to A-2

3. Describe the workshops/trainings you plan to conduct for principals and lead and mentor teachers to prepare them for their roles and responsibilities as leaders.

District Response to A-3

B: MULTIPLE CAREER PATHS

1. Describe the timeline and plan for your district school board to adopt designated categories of classroom teachers reflecting the salary career ladder levels. Please include a detailed description that further explains the teacher eligibility requirements for each of the four levels in your district. Each and every classroom teacher must be assigned to one of the four career ladder levels. (GUIDELINE 1.0)

(a) Associate teacher

·   Classroom teachers in the school district who have not yet received a professional certificate or those with a professional certificate who are evaluated as low-performing teachers.

(b) Professional teacher

·   Classroom teachers in the school district who have received a professional certificate.

(c) Lead teacher

·   Classroom teachers who have received a professional certificate.

·   Responsible for leading others in the school as department chair, lead teacher, grade-level leader, intern coordinator, or professional development coordinator.

·   Must participate on a regular basis in the direct instruction of students and serve as faculty for professional development activities as determined by the State Board of Education.

·   Eligibility: A teacher must demonstrate outstanding performance pursuant to s.1012.34 (3)(a)1-7 and must have been a "professional teacher" as defined above for at least 1 year.

(d) Mentor teacher

·   Classroom teachers in the school district who serve as regular mentors to other teachers who are either not performing satisfactorily or who strive to become more proficient.

·   Mentor teachers must serve as faculty-based professional development coordinators and regularly demonstrate and share their expertise with other teachers in order to remain mentor teachers.

·   Mentor teachers must also participate on a regular basis in the direct instruction of low-performing students.

·   Eligibility: A teacher must demonstrate outstanding performance pursuant to s. 1012.34(3)(a)1.-7. and must have been a "lead teacher" as defined above for at least two years.

DISTRICT RESPONSE TO B-1:

B: MULTIPLE CAREER PATHS, CONTINUED

2. Describe the timeline and plan for your district school board to adopt in an open meeting new, permanently established positions of increasing responsibility for teachers at each level of the four salary career ladder positions as defined in s. 1012.231, F.S. (SPECIFIC APPROPRIATION 64A)

DISTRICT RESPONSE TO B-2:

3. Describe the timeline and plan for your bargaining agent representative to submit to the district school board for verification an agreement to each of the established career ladder positions and salary levels. Please enclose a copy of the positions and salary levels.

(GUIDELINE 1.1)

DISTRICT RESPONSE TO B-3:

B: MULTIPLE CAREER PATHS, CONTINUED

4. List and explain your generic job description for each of the four levels of the career ladder. (GUIDELINE 1.0)

You Must Include Those Duties and Responsibilities Specified in s. 1012.231, F.S.:

(a) Associate teacher

·   Classroom teachers in the school district who have not yet received a professional certificate or those with a professional certificate who are evaluated as low-performing teachers.

(b) Professional teacher

·   Classroom teachers in the school district who have received a professional certificate.

(c) Lead teacher

·   Classroom teachers who have received a professional certificate.

·   Responsible for leading others in the school as department chair, lead teacher, grade-level leader, intern coordinator, or professional development coordinator.

·   Must participate on a regular basis in the direct instruction of students and serve as faculty for professional development activities as determined by the State Board of Education.

·   Eligibility: A teacher must demonstrate outstanding performance pursuant to s.1012.34 (3)(a)1-7 and must have been a "professional teacher" as defined above for at least 1 year.

 (d) Mentor teacher

·   Classroom teachers in the school district who serve as regular mentors to other teachers who are either not performing satisfactorily or who strive to become more proficient.

·   Mentor teachers must serve as faculty-based professional development coordinators and regularly demonstrate and share their expertise with other teachers in order to remain mentor teachers.

·   Mentor teachers must also participate on a regular basis in the direct instruction of low-performing students.

·   Eligibility: A teacher must demonstrate outstanding performance pursuant to s. 1012.34(3)(a)1.-7. and must have been a "lead teacher" as defined above for at least two years.

Mentor Teacher Job Description May Include, But Is Not Limited To:

a.  Collaborating with colleagues to construct exemplary lessons.

b.  Overseeing adoption of curriculum resources.

c.  Providing demonstration lessons.

d.  Facilitating curriculum planning.

e.  Sharing instructional leadership with principal.

f.  Leading professional development activities.

g.  Teaching a portion of the day, which can be flexible and clustered.

h.  Working additional contract days which may be reflected in the new salary schedule.

i.  Participating in a formalized peer review process as formative evaluators.

B: MULTIPLE CAREER PATHS, CONTINUED

Lead Teacher Job Description May Include, But Is Not Limited To:

a.  Collaborating with colleagues to construct benchmark lessons.

b.  Training early associate and professional teachers, other lead teachers, and mentor teachers.

c.  Observing and providing peer assistance for colleagues.

d.  Leading early associate and professional teachers.

e.  Participating in professional development activities.

f.  Having one professional growth block per day.

g.  Working additional contract days which may be reflected in the new salary schedule.

h.  Participating in a formalized peer review process as formative evaluators.

Professional and Associate Teacher Job Descriptions May Include, But Are Not Limited To:

a.  Collaborating with colleagues to construct benchmark lessons.

b.  Teaching in teams.

c.  Participating in professional development activities.

d.  Teaching as a reflective practioner.

DISTRICT RESPONSE TO B-4

B: MULTIPLE CAREER PATHS, CONTINUED

5. Describe your district’s plan to ensure mentor and lead teachers are able to fulfill their job responsibilities. This may include your district’s recommendations for the amount of release time for mentors and lead teachers, amount of time for learning community meetings, amount of time for extended calendar days for mentor and lead teachers, and student activities during those times. Please specify the projected ratios of mentors to lead teachers and leads to associate and professional teachers.

Ensuring That Mentor and Lead Teachers are Able to Fulfill Their Job Responsibilities May Include, But Is Not Limited To:

a.  Specifying of the number of additional contract days for mentor and lead teachers.

b.  Assigning all mentor and lead teachers to learning communities of professional and associate teachers.

c.  Hiring additional teachers or reassigning teachers to provide mentor and lead teachers classroom release time and learning community time. Replacement teachers should provide high-quality educational continuity for students.

d.  Having leads and mentors sign a contract addendum outlining their roles and responsibilities, extended calendar, and salary.

DISTRICT RESPONSE TO B-5:

C:  MARKET-DRIVEN COMPENSATION/PERFORMANCE-BASED ACCOUNTABILITY

1. Describe and enclose your plan for career ladder mobility, including performance-based accountability criteria necessary for promotion and demotion (both voluntary and involuntary) within the career ladder. (GUIDELINE 1.2)

Performance-Based Accountability Promotion Criteria Must Be Based On the Following, as Specified in s. 1012.34, F.S.:

a.  Performance of students, including annual learning gains.

b.  Ability to maintain appropriate discipline.

c.  Knowledge of subject matter. The district school board shall make special provisions for evaluating teachers who are assigned to teach out-of-field.

d.  Ability to plan and deliver instruction, including the use of technology in the classroom.

e.  Ability to evaluate instructional needs.

f.  Ability to establish and maintain a positive collaborative relationship with students' families to increase student achievement.

g.  Other professional competencies, responsibilities, and requirements as established by rules of the State Board of Education and policies of the district school board.

Performance-Based Accountability Promotion Criteria May Also Be Based On, But Is Not Limited To:

a.  Peer reviews (established as a statutory option).

b.  Teaching standards using scoring rubrics.

c.  Teaching responsibilities using scoring rubrics.

d.  Requirements and scoring rubrics for teacher portfolio.

e.  Policies governing the Teacher Performance-Based Accountability System.

f.  Teacher Interview/Portfolio

Performance-Based Accountability Demotion Criteria May Include, But Is Not Limited To: 

a.  Less Than Satisfactory Annual Performance Appraisals

DISTRICT RESPONSE TO C-1:

C:  MARKET-DRIVEN COMPENSATION/PERFORMANCE-BASED ACCOUNTABILITY, CONTINUED

2. Describe your plan to base a portion of all classroom teachers’ compensation on performance. (GUIDELINE 2.2)

Performance Must Be Based On the Following, as Specified in s. 1012.34, F.S.:

a.  Performance of students, including annual learning gains.

b.  Ability to maintain appropriate discipline.

c.  Knowledge of subject matter. The district school board shall make special provisions for evaluating teachers who are assigned to teach out-of-field.

d.  Ability to plan and deliver instruction, including the use of technology in the classroom.

e.  Ability to evaluate instructional needs.

f.  Ability to establish and maintain a positive collaborative relationship with students' families to increase student achievement.

g.  Other professional competencies, responsibilities, and requirements as established by rules of the State Board of Education and policies of the district school board.

Performance May Also Be Based On, But Is Not Limited To:

a.  Peer reviews (established as a statutory option).

b.  Teaching standards using scoring rubrics.

c.  Teaching responsibilities using scoring rubrics.

d.  Requirements and scoring rubrics for teacher portfolio.

e.  Policies governing the Teacher Performance-Based Accountability System.

DISTRICT RESPONSE TO C-2:

C: MARKET DRIVEN COMPENSATION/PERFORMANCE-BASED ACCOUNTABILITY, CONTINUED

3. Describe the timeline and plan for implementation of your new recommended salary schedule(s) for teachers based upon the differentiated classroom teacher categories in your career ladder. (GUIDELINE 1.3)

DISTRICT RESPONSE TO C-3:

4. Enclose a copy of both your current and new salary schedule(s) and describe how the salary schedule(s) for classroom teachers, which bases a portion of each employee’s compensation on performance, will be consistent with the district’s career ladder, where there is no duplication of remuneration for duties and responsibilities. (GUIDELINE 2.0)

DISTRICT RESPONSE TO C-4:

C: MARKET DRIVEN COMPENSATION/PERFORMANCE-BASED ACCOUNTABILITY, CONTINUED

5. Describe your plan to utilize the district’s 5% performance-based pay policy that provides for the evaluation of classroom teachers within each level of the salary career ladder.

(GUIDELINE 2.4)

DISTRICT RESPONSE TO C-5:

D: ONGOING, APPLIED PROFESSIONAL GROWTH (OAPG)

1. Describe your plan for providing school-based, standards-driven, ongoing professional development and efficient services for all categories of classroom teachers in the career ladder.

(GUIDELINE 2.1)

Designing a Plan for School-Based, Ongoing Professional Growth and Efficient Services May Include, But Is Not Limited To:

a)  Establishing learning communities within the schools and assigning mentor and lead teachers to specific groups. Specify length of time and number of days per week.

b)  Regularly using learning community meetings to review the Performance-Based Accountability System including rubrics, and practicing observation and conferencing skills.

c)  Assigning mentor teachers to professional development coordination, curriculum enhancement, and assessment planning.

d)  Assigning lead teachers to the development of benchmark lessons, demonstration lessons, and professional growth activities.

e)  Providing appropriate trainings related to coaching, peer evaluations, and the Performance-Based Accountability System.

f)  Establishing a school-level Leadership Team that meets regularly. This Leadership Team may be responsible for developing and reviewing district, school, and learning community goals and outcomes and Performance-Based Accountability rubrics. This team may also conduct peer reviews and develop strategies for instructional conferences, data analysis, individual growth plans, and other relevant Leadership Team responsibilities. Specify length of time and number of days per week.

g)  Identifying instructional personnel who will provide high-quality educational continuity for students when teachers are engaged in learning communities.

DISTRICT RESPONSE TO D-1:

E: PRINCIPAL LEADERSHIP DESIGNATION

1. Please describe your timeline and plan to establish in an open school board meeting principal leadership designations based on teacher retention, overall student performance, and school grade, as well as prescribed criteria in s. 1012.987, F.S. Please enclose your designations and criteria. Districts must reach consensus by December 15, 2003, and begin trial (pilot) implementation January 2004. (GUIDELINE 3.0)

Principal Leadership Standards Should Include, But Are Not Limited To:

a.  Vision

b.  Instructional Leadership

c.  Managing the Learning Environment

d.  Community and Stakeholder Partnerships

e.  Decision-Making Strategies

f.  Diversity

g.  Technology

h.  Learning, Accountability, and Assessment

i.  Human Resource Development

j.  Ethical Leadership

DISTRICT RESPONSE TO E-1:

F: HIGH-QUALITY INSTRUCTION OF LOW-PERFORMING STUDENTS

1. As per subsection (d) of s. 1012.231, F.S., please describe your plan for mentor teachers to provide high-quality instruction to low-performing students.

DISTRICT RESPONSE TO F-1:

G: EXPANDING THE SUPPLY OF HIGH-QUALITY TEACHERS

1. Describe your plan to expand and sustain the supply of high-quality teachers in your district.

District Plan May Include, But Is Not Limited To:

a.  Advertising for positions outside the district and state.

b.  Offering incentives.

c.  Providing on-going, high quality professional development for all teachers as outlined in s. 1012.98, F.S.

d.  Offering career ladder opportunities within the teaching profession that incorporate increased responsibilities and performance expectations commensurate with increased salary.

e.  Providing coaching, team-teaching, and demonstration lessons by mentor and lead teachers.

f.  Expanding the district’s Alternative Preparation/Certification program.

DISTRICT RESPONSE TO G-1:

REVENUE

NOTES

Funding

In-Kind

·   REVENUE SOURCES

1.  FEDERAL AID*

a.  Title I

b.  Title II

c.  Comprehensive School Reform (CSR)Grant

d.  Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

2.  STATE AID

a.  BEST Implementation

Grant Funding

b.  State Categorical for Professional Development, Specific Appropriation 63, Aid to Local Governments Grants and Aids – Teacher Training From General Revenue Fund

3. LOCAL FUNDING

a.  School District Budget

b.   School Budget

c.  Business/Community

Resources/Foundations

4. OTHER

GRAND TOTAL