The bill amends the existing law regarding the tenure of certificated teachers in public educational institutions, specifically focusing on the definitions and conditions surrounding probationary periods and performance evaluations. It clarifies the definition of "demote" to include specific actions such as suspension without pay for 15 or more consecutive days, while excluding certain salary discontinuances and reductions. Additionally, it stipulates that a probationary teacher rated as effective or highly effective on their most recent evaluation cannot be displaced by a tenured teacher solely based on tenure status.

Furthermore, the bill modifies the criteria for successfully completing the probationary period. It establishes that a probationary teacher must be rated as effective or highly effective on their three most recent evaluations and complete at least five full school years of employment. Alternatively, if a probationary teacher is rated as highly effective for three consecutive evaluations and completes at least four full school years, they are considered to have successfully completed the probationary period. The bill also mandates that teachers receiving ineffective or minimally effective ratings must be provided with an individualized development plan to improve their performance, which must be assessed in future evaluations.

Statutes affected:
Senate Introduced Bill: 38.74