2006 Louisiana Laws - RS 17:3893 — Teacher assistance and assessment program; process; effect of participation

§3893.  Teacher assistance and assessment program; process; effect of participation

A.(1)  An assessment team consisting of at least two trained assessors shall be assigned to conduct the assessment process. Members of the team shall be selected in accordance with board policy from among the following groups:

(a)  Experienced teachers.

(b)  Principals or their designees.

(c)  Higher education faculty members.

(d)  Central office administrators.

(e)  Retired teachers.

(f)  Retired administrators.

(g)  Other educators as deemed appropriate.

(2)  Each local school board shall provide for the selection of a sufficient number of persons from each category of assessor as specified in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection to provide a pool of potential assessors.

B.  The assessment team shall conduct and complete the assessment process in accordance with board policy.

C.  Teachers who have been successful on the assessment shall have successfully completed the assistance and assessment program and shall enter the school personnel evaluation program conducted by their local board, pursuant to Subpart C of this Part.  Teachers who have not been successful shall repeat the assistance and assessment program during their next semester of teaching.  Any teacher who does not successfully complete the assistance and assessment program by the end of his second year shall lose his teacher certificate or other authority to teach.  Such a person may not be granted any authority to teach until two years have expired since the completion of his second year of teaching and, if granted a subsequent certificate or other authority, shall be deemed to be teaching in the public schools for the first time as it relates to participation in the assistance and assessment program and successful completion of assessment as a requirement to acquiring or retaining regular teacher certification.  A second failure to complete the assistance and assessment program shall result in the permanent loss of all authority to teach in the public schools of this state.

D.  Nothing contained in this Section shall diminish the right of the local board to evaluate employees or to make employment decisions or of principals and other employees with supervisory responsibilities to observe the employees they supervise.

E.(1)  The service of a teacher, as defined for the purposes of this Subpart, shall be considered the service of a fully certified teacher for all purposes of the school system related to funding, calculation of minimum foundation funds, accreditation, or approval or for any other purpose, administrative, substantive, or otherwise.

(2)  Further, participation in the teacher assistance and assessment program shall have no effect on the service of the teacher as it relates to entitlement to all benefits including retirement, accrual of leave time, progress on the salary schedule, and any other benefit calculation or consideration to which he would otherwise be entitled.

Acts 1994, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 1, §2, eff. June 22, 1994; Acts 1997, No. 838, §1, eff. Aug. 1, 1998.