Plymouth Community School Superintendent Andy Hartley is watching a few bills pertaining to education in this year’s state legislature.
House Bill 1001 pertains to school accountability where schools will be held harmless for ILEARN test scores for a period of two years. Test scores may not be used by a school corporation as part of an annual performance evaluation of a particular certificated employee. Hartley told the school board on Tuesday that the bill is expected to be signed by the Governor.
He also commented that the Senate is currently reviewing House Bill 1002 that would remove the requirement that a school corporation’s annual performance evaluation be based on student achievement.
In House Bill 1003, authored by Representative Jack Jordan, Hartley said it provides that 15 of the total number of professional growth experience points required to renew a license may be obtained through the completion of an externship with a company or professional development with a local business.
“It also has in that bill language regarding flexibility that schools can seek a waiver from various state statutory requirements if we feel it would help us in improving student achievement, meeting students needs, things like that,” said Hartley.
With that, there are certain restrictions that cannot be waived such as graduation requirements, student safety or security, or other expectations that are in state statute.
Finally, House Bill 1204 allows school corporations to count early graduates in the February count date which will take effect in the next school year.
Hartley said he’d update the board on the progress of those bills as information becomes available.
