Florida Senate - 2022                                     SB 618
       
       
        
       By Senator Jones
       
       
       
       
       
       35-00632-22                                            2022618__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the School Teacher Training and
    3         Mentoring Program; creating s. 1012.988, F.S.;
    4         establishing the School Teacher Training and Mentoring
    5         Program within the Department of Education; providing
    6         the purpose of the program; requiring the department
    7         to provide funds to school districts to place teachers
    8         who meet specified qualifications as mentors for
    9         certain other teachers, subject to appropriation;
   10         providing for the provision of stipends for classroom
   11         teacher mentorship; providing for the proration of the
   12         stipends under certain circumstances; providing
   13         department and school district responsibilities for
   14         developing policies, curriculum, and best practices
   15         relating to classroom instruction; authorizing the
   16         State Board of Education to adopt rules; providing an
   17         effective date.
   18          
   19  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   20  
   21         Section 1. Section 1012.988, Florida Statutes, is created
   22  to read:
   23         1012.988 School Teacher Training and Mentoring Program.—
   24         (1) There is established within the Department of Education
   25  the School Teacher Training and Mentoring Program. The purpose
   26  of the program is to increase the effectiveness and involvement
   27  of classroom teachers and improve student achievement, equity,
   28  and excellence in this state’s public schools.
   29         (2) The department shall:
   30         (a) Subject to appropriation, provide funds to school
   31  districts to place retired classroom teachers who were evaluated
   32  as highly effective or current classroom teachers who are
   33  evaluated as highly effective as mentors to new classroom
   34  teachers; classroom teachers who are rated as needs improvement,
   35  developing, or unsatisfactory; and classroom teachers who are
   36  from a different demographic group, if needed. The funds must be
   37  sufficient for each school district to establish three mentors
   38  at each school within the district and for school districts to
   39  provide each selected classroom teacher a stipend in the amount
   40  of $2,000. However, if the funds appropriated are not adequate
   41  to provide the maximum stipend amount to each selected classroom
   42  teacher, amounts must be prorated using the same percentage
   43  reduction for all mentors.
   44         (b) Increase classroom teacher involvement and input when
   45  developing state-level policies, curriculum, and best practices
   46  relating to classroom instruction.
   47         (c) Create and expand nontraditional curriculum models and
   48  practices in reading and mathematics in an effort to steer
   49  systemic change.
   50         (3) School districts shall:
   51         (a) Subject to funds received from the department, provide
   52  a stipend to three retired classroom teachers who were evaluated
   53  as highly effective or current classroom teachers who are
   54  evaluated as highly effective at each school within the district
   55  to serve as mentors as described in paragraph (2)(a). However,
   56  if there is a proven need at a school within the district, the
   57  school district may allocate more than three stipends to that
   58  school. The provision of such stipends may be part of a school
   59  district’s professional development certification and education
   60  competency program under s. 1012.56(8).
   61         (b) Increase classroom teacher involvement and input when
   62  developing district-level policies, curriculum, and best
   63  practices relating to classroom instruction.
   64         (4) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to
   65  administer this section.
   66         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.