09-R362
2009 -- H 5896 SUBSTITUTE A
Enacted 11/09/09
J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
CREATING A
SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF
A BLUEPRINT FOR A NEW GENERATION OF TEACHER EDUCATION IN
Introduced By: Representatives Fox, M Rice, Ajello, Melo, and McNamara
Date Introduced: February 26, 2009
RESOLVED,
That a special legislative commission be and the same
is hereby created
consisting of twenty (20) members: one of whom shall be the
Chairman of the
Board of Regents for
Elementary and Secondary Education, or designee; one of whom shall be
the Chairman of the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher
Education, or designee; one of
whom shall be the Chair of the House Committee on Health,
Education and Welfare, or designee;
one of whom shall be the Chair of the Senate Committee on
Education, or designee; one of whom
shall be the Commissioner of the Rhode Island Department of
Elementary and Secondary
Education, or designee; one
of whom shall be President of the
designee; one of whom shall be President of Rhode Island College,
or designee; one of whom
shall be the Commissioner of Higher Education, or designee;
one of whom shall be the President
of the National Education Association, or designee one
of whom shall be the President of the
American Federation of
Teachers, or designee; two (2) of whom shall be Deans, Chairs or
Directors of Education from
a local college or university, to be appointed by the
Board of Governors for
Higher Education; two (2) of whom shall be faculty members from a
local college or university, to be appointed by the Rhode
Island Board of Governors for Higher
Education; one of whom
shall be a Dean of Arts and Sciences from a local college or university,
to be appointed by the Rhode Island Board of Governors
for Higher Education; one of whom
shall be the President of the Rhode Island School
Superintendents’ Association, or designee; one
of whom shall be a School Principal from a
Rhode Island Board of
Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education; one of whom shall be
an elementary school teacher from a Rhode Island System,
to be appointed by the
Board of Regents for
Elementary and Secondary Education; one of whom shall be a middle/high
school teacher from a
Regents for Elementary and
Secondary Education; and one of whom shall be a Director of
Personnel for a
Regents
for Elementary and Secondary Education.
In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory
commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly
resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu
of a legislator, provided that the majority leader or the minority leader of the political party which
is entitled to the appointment consents to the member of the general public.
The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study and recommend
policies that lead to a transformed PK-20 system of teacher education that holds institutions of
higher education and school districts accountable for recruitment, preparation, support, and
retention of teachers who produce higher achieving students.
This system shall address:
1. Accountability of teacher education programs, including:
(a) Process to assess the effectiveness of teacher education programs; and
(b) Public transparency.
2. Higher expectations for teacher preparation programs, including:
(a) New models for teacher preparation and ongoing support;
(b) Curriculum and capacity to address critical-need areas; and
(c) Faculty role in supporting students during preparation and early career.
3. Higher expectations for new teachers, including:
(a) Academic performance;
(b) Course taking; and
(c) Use of technology.
4. New career paths for public school teachers, including:
(a) Differentiated staffing plans;
(b) Options for performance pay;
(c) Recognition for accomplished teaching; and
(d) Continuous professional growth opportunities.
5. Recruitment and retention strategies, including:
(a) Strategies for institutions of higher education and school districts to recruit
high achieving students to enter the teaching profession;
(b) Strategies for districts to recruit certified teachers; and
(c) Strategies for institutions of higher education and districts to retain effective
new and certified teachers.
6. More effective certification and licensure structure, including:
Performance-based certification and licensure structure for individuals
pursuing traditional certification pathways, alternative pathways, and
advanced/continuing education pathways.
Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at
the call of the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate and organize and shall select a
chairperson.
Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.
The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.
All departments and agencies of the state, shall furnish such advice and information,
documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or
desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.
The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide
suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further
RESOLVED,
That the commission shall report its findings and
recommendations to the
General Assembly no later
than February 1, 2011, and said commission shall expire on April 30,
2011.
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LC01903/SUB A/2
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