Education Reform

Certification and Compensation

This legislation continues the steady progress towards a certification system that supports and recognizes the effective teaching that is occurring in our classrooms. It also recognizes that a world-class educational system requires a salary system that fairly compensates our educational staff.

There will be no immediate changes to the certification process or compensation system.

A Coordinate and Aligned Certification System

Now:

The Professional Educators Standards Board (PESB) is directed to continue its work to adopt performance standards — including cultural competency standards — and implement a certification system that is based on external assessment.   The ProCert process already has been in development since 2007.

By 2010:

The PESB is to adopt the new standards and update the Legislature on the status of implementation of the ProCert assessments.

No earlier than 2011:

The PESB is to begin awarding the Professional Certificate based on two years of teaching experience and begin working with the Compensation Work Group (also established in House Bill 2261) to develop an enhanced salary system that is coordinated with the certification process.

Fair and Competitive Salaries

The Legislature intends to create an enhanced salary allocation model that teachers may opt in to. Recognition is included in the bill that teachers should be given the option to grandfather permanently into the existing salary schedule.

No changes to the current salary schedule are made at this time and recognition is also included in the bill that teachers should be given the option to grandfather permanently into the existing salary schedule.

A Compensation Work Group convenes in 2011, giving time for the PESB time to do its work. The new salary system must be "collaboratively designed" with input from teachers, administrators and classified employees. The enhanced salary model must align with the educator development and certification systems.

The work group must:

- Conduct a comparative labor market analysis to identify what is a fair, competitive salary.

- Develop an implementation schedule and cost estimates.

- Recommend ways to reduce the tiers within the new model.

- Determine how to account for regional variations.

- Provide for salary equalization.

- Examine the role and types of bonuses that might be appropriate within the system.

- Report back to the Legislature by December 1, 2012.

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