33-1004I. MASTER EDUCATOR PREMIUMS. (1) A portion of the moneys available to the education support program shall be distributed per full-time equivalent instructional staff position employed by each school district. Such moneys shall be paid to instructional staff employees who have earned a master educator designation by meeting the minimum qualifications set forth in subsection (2) of this section and the additional qualifications developed or adopted by the employing school district pursuant to subsection (3) of this section, in an amount set forth in subsection (4) of this section.

(2) The minimum qualifications for an instructional staff or a pupil service staff employee to earn a master educator designation shall be as follows:

(a) An instructional staff or pupil service staff employee must have eight (8) or more years of teaching experience provided that the three (3) years immediately preceding the award must be continuous and in Idaho. The remainder of the teaching experience making up the eight (8) years must have been earned in Idaho or in a compact-member state pursuant to section 33-4101, Idaho Code;

(b) An instructional staff or pupil service staff employee must demonstrate mastery of instructional techniques for no fewer than three (3) of the previous five (5) years of instruction through:

(i) Artifacts demonstrating evidence of effective teaching; and

(ii) Successful completion of an annual individualized professional learning plan; and

(c) A majority of an instructional staff employee’s students must meet measurable student achievement as defined in section 33-1001, Idaho Code, for no fewer than three (3) of the previous five (5) years.

(d) A majority of a pupil service staff employee’s students must meet measurable student achievement or measurable student success indicators, as defined in section 33-1001, Idaho Code, for no fewer than three (3) of the previous five (5) years.

(3) In addition to the minimum qualifications for a master educator designation set forth in subsection (2) of this section:

(a) Local school districts may develop and require additional qualifications showing demonstrated mastery of instructional techniques and professional practice through multiple measures, provided that such qualifications shall be developed by a committee consisting of teachers, administrators and other school district stakeholders and shall first be approved by the state board of education;

(b) Local school districts may develop plans that recognize groups of teachers based on measurable student achievement goals aligned with school district approved continuous improvement plans. Groups may be school-wide or may be smaller groups such as grade levels or by subject matter. Each teacher in a master educator group shall receive a master educator premium if goals are met according to the district plans. Plans shall be developed by a committee consisting of teachers, administrators and other school district stakeholders and shall first be approved by the state board of education. Any school district that does not follow their preapproved plan shall not receive future master educator premium dollars; or

(c) If a local school district has not developed qualifications pursuant to paragraph (a) or (b) of this subsection, then eligible school district staff may apply to the state board of education by showing demonstrated mastery of instructional techniques and professional practice through multiple measures as developed by a committee facilitated by the state board of education consisting of teachers, administrators and other stakeholders, which measures shall be approved by the state board of education.

(4) The amount of the master educator premium paid to a qualified instructional staff employee shall be four thousand dollars ($4,000) each year for three (3) years starting with the initial award of the master educator premium. After the third year of receiving the master educator premium, the instructional staff employee must continue to demonstrate that he or she meets the master educator premium qualifications in each subsequent year. If the qualifications are not met, then the premium will be discontinued until such time as the qualifications are met.

(5) Local school district boards of trustees may provide master educator premiums to instructional staff employees consistent with the provisions of this section.

(6) For the purposes of this section, the term "school district" also means "public charter school" and the term "board of trustees" also means "board of directors."

(7) The state board of education may promulgate rules implementing the provisions of this section.

History:

[33-1004I, added 2015, ch. 229, sec. 10, p. 716; am. 2017, ch. 92, sec. 1, p. 239.]