1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; modifying probationary and 
  1.3             continuing contract teacher review; amending Minnesota 
  1.4             Statutes 1994, section 125.12, subdivisions 3b and 4b. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 125.12, 
  1.7   subdivision 3b, is amended to read: 
  1.8      Subd. 3b.  [PEER REVIEW FOR PROBATIONARY TEACHERS.] A 
  1.9   school board and an exclusive representative of the teachers in 
  1.10  the district shall develop a probationary teacher peer review 
  1.11  process through joint agreement.  The purpose of the review 
  1.12  shall be to improve the quality of instruction by linking, 
  1.13  through a written plan, the professional development of a 
  1.14  probationary teacher to the goals of the district, the school, 
  1.15  the personal goals of the teacher, and to student learning 
  1.16  goals.  Probationary teachers shall be aided in their 
  1.17  development by a review team that includes, but is not limited 
  1.18  to, teachers, the building principal, and parents of students 
  1.19  attending the school.  The review team shall support and provide 
  1.20  direction for the probationary teacher in the following ways:  
  1.21     (1) peer coaching in effective teaching methods; 
  1.22     (2) regular consultation; and 
  1.23     (3) additional assistance for those teachers not meeting 
  1.24  the expectations of the professional development plan in a 
  1.25  timely manner.  
  2.1      The review process must ensure that only those teachers 
  2.2   attaining the goals within the professional development plan are 
  2.3   employed beyond the probationary period.  
  2.4      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 125.12, 
  2.5   subdivision 4b, is amended to read: 
  2.6      Subd. 4b.  [PEER REVIEW FOR CONTINUING CONTRACT TEACHERS.] 
  2.7   A school board and an exclusive representative of the teachers 
  2.8   in the district shall develop a peer review process for 
  2.9   continuing contract teachers through joint agreement.  The 
  2.10  purpose of the review shall be to improve the quality of 
  2.11  instruction by linking, through a written plan, the continued 
  2.12  professional development of a teacher to the goals of the 
  2.13  district, the school, the personal goals of the teacher, and to 
  2.14  student learning goals.  Teachers shall be aided in their 
  2.15  development by a review team that includes, but is not limited 
  2.16  to, teachers, the building principal, and parents of students 
  2.17  attending the school.  The review team shall support and provide 
  2.18  direction for the continuing contract teacher in the following 
  2.19  ways:  
  2.20     (1) peer coaching in effective teaching methods; 
  2.21     (2) regular consultation; and 
  2.22     (3) additional assistance for those teachers not meeting 
  2.23  the expectations of the professional development plan in a 
  2.24  timely manner.  
  2.25     The review process must ensure that those teachers who fail 
  2.26  to attain the goals within the professional development plan 
  2.27  receive disciplinary action as prescribed by district policies, 
  2.28  contract language, or state law.