Senate Bill 618 (2022) — School Teacher Training and Mentoring Program
SB 618
Florida Bills
Florida Senate - 2022 SB By Senator Jones 35-00632-22 2022618__ CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled
An act relating to the School Teacher Training and Mentoring Program; creating s. 1012.988, F.S.; 3 establishing the School Teacher Training and Mentoring Program within the Department of Education; providing the purpose of the program; requiring the department to provide funds to school districts to place teachers who meet specified qualifications as mentors for certain other teachers, subject to appropriation; 9 providing for the provision of stipends for classroom teacher mentorship; providing for the proration of the stipends under certain circumstances; providing department and school district responsibilities for developing policies, curriculum, and best practices relating to classroom instruction; authorizing the State Board of Education to adopt rules; providing an effective date. 17
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 19
Section
Section 1012.988, Florida Statutes, is created to read: 22 1012.988 School Teacher Training and Mentoring Program.— 23
(1) There is established within the Department of Education the School Teacher Training and Mentoring Program. The purpose of the program is to increase the effectiveness and involvement of classroom teachers and improve student achievement, equity, 27 and excellence in this state’s public schools. 28
(2) The department shall: 29 Florida Senate - 2022 SB 618 35-00632-22 2022618__ CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
(
a) Subject to appropriation, provide funds to school districts to place retired classroom teachers who were evaluated as highly effective or current classroom teachers who are evaluated as highly effective as mentors to new classroom teachers; classroom teachers who are rated as needs improvement, 34 developing, or unsatisfactory; and classroom teachers who are from a different demographic group, if needed.
The funds must be sufficient for each school district to establish three mentors at each school within the district and for school districts to provide each selected classroom teacher a stipend in the amount of $2,000. However, if the funds appropriated are not adequate to provide the maximum stipend amount to each selected classroom teacher, amounts must be prorated using the same percentage reduction for all mentors. 43
(
b) Increase classroom teacher involvement and input when developing state-level policies, curriculum, and best practices relating to classroom instruction. 46
(
c) Create and expand nontraditional curriculum models and practices in reading and mathematics in an effort to steer systemic change. 49
(3) School districts shall: 50
(
a) Subject to funds received from the department, provide a stipend to three retired classroom teachers who were evaluated as highly effective or current classroom teachers who are evaluated as highly effective at each school within the district to serve as mentors as described in paragraph (2)(a). However, 55 if there is a proven need at a school within the district, the school district may allocate more than three stipends to that school.
The provision of such stipends may be part of a school Florida Senate - 2022 SB 618 35-00632-22 2022618__ CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. district’s professional development certification and education competency program under s. 1012.56(8). 60
(
b) Increase classroom teacher involvement and input when developing district-level policies, curriculum, and best practices relating to classroom instruction. 63
(4) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to administer this section. 65