S257 - Appropriations Act of 2017. (SL 2017-57)

Overview: S.L. 2017-57, Sec. 8.8D requires the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to administer the Fourth and Fifth Grade Reading Teacher Bonus Program (Program) for the 2017-2018 fiscal year to provide a bonus to qualifying teachers who have certain Education Value Added Assessment System (EVAAS) student growth index scores for fourth or fifth grade reading from the previous school year.

To be eligible for consideration, a teacher must meet one or both of the following criteria:

• Be in the top 25% of teachers in the State according to the student growth index scores for fourth or fifth grade reading from the previous school year. Teachers meeting this criterion are eligible for a bonus of $2,150.
• Be in the top 25% of teachers in the teacher's respective local school administrative unit (LEA) according to the student growth index scores for fourth or fifth grade reading from the previous school year. Teachers meeting this criterion are eligible for a bonus of $2,150.

To qualify to receive the bonus, the teacher must meet the eligibility criteria and remain teaching in the same LEA at least from the school year the data for the EVAAS score is collected until the school year a bonus provided is paid.

The State Board of Education must study the effect of these bonuses on teacher performance and retention and report the results of its findings, the distribution of statewide bonuses as among LEAs, and the distribution of bonuses within LEAs as among individual schools to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, and the Fiscal Research Division by March 15, 2018.

This section became effective July 1, 2017.