The bill amends various provisions of the Arkansas Code related to teacher incentive and merit pay, specifically focusing on eligibility requirements and summative evaluations under the Teacher Excellence and Support System. Notably, it introduces a new requirement that individuals must satisfy specific criteria by July 1, 2025, to qualify for funding related to yearly incentive bonuses for teachers with National Board certification. Additionally, the bill modifies the summative evaluation process, allowing for evaluations to be conducted in writing or digitally, and emphasizes the use of multiple sources of evidence, including peer observations and student feedback, to inform the evaluation process.

Furthermore, the bill establishes that if a public school does not conduct a summative evaluation in a given year, it must perform an annual rating that meets the requirements of the Merit Teacher Incentive Fund Program. This annual rating is defined as a formative or summative rating based on observations and a teacher's professional growth plan. The eligibility criteria for awards from the Merit Teacher Incentive Fund Program are also expanded to include teachers demonstrating outstanding growth in student performance, with a focus on value-added growth model scores, and other categories such as mentoring roles and teaching in critical shortage areas.

Statutes affected:
HB 1939: 6-17-413, 6-17-2805(c), 6-17-2805, 6-17-2904(a)
Act 808: 6-17-413, 6-17-2805(c), 6-17-2805, 6-17-2904(a)