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House bill reflects Blue Ribbon Commission recommendations
01/19/2016

 

brc-logo2.pngHB 1339 (Rep. Randy Truitt R – West Lafayette) incorporates policy changes recommended by Superintendent Glenda Ritz’s Blue Ribbon Commission to address the teacher shortage. Rep. Truitt, who was a member of the commission, introduced the bill last week, which is waiting to be heard in the House Education Committee.

 

The bill would address the teacher shortage through the:

  • Creation of a teacher retention and recruitment program and fund the Indiana Department of Education administers.
  • Development of a New Teacher Mentoring Program, which would provide funding for teacher mentors.
  • Removal of certain specific “objective” measures from state mandated teacher evaluations and make the statement on “objective measures” general in nature enhancing local control.
  • Lifting of the prohibition on raise eligibility for teachers who receive “needs improvement” on their evaluation.
  • Establishment of a National Board Certification incentive program to encourage more teachers to become board certified.

Superintendent Ritz released the Blue Ribbon Commission final report, which included some of these findings, on Jan. 14. The Blue Ribbon Commission was comprised of practitioners from around the state, including ISTA Vice President Keith Gambill.

 

ISTA supports a committee hearing on HB 1339 and is in favor of a clean bill focused on solving the teacher shortage rather than being used as a vehicle for political purposes.