§3773. Pilot program; administration; procedure

A. Upon the direction of the department, each system shall select one school within its jurisdiction, the principal of which is willing to participate in this program, which does or is likely to have several new teachers and which has several teachers who meet the qualifications to be a mentor who are willing to participate. The principal in each selected school shall explain the program to all the new teachers in his school and shall ascertain which of them would be willing to participate in the program. If more than one new teacher is willing to participate, the principal shall select the new teacher by random lot who shall participate. If no new teachers are willing to participate, the system shall select another school. Immediately after the selection of the participating new teacher, the principal shall cause a secret ballot election to occur to select from among all teachers in his school who are qualified and willing to be a mentor the teacher who shall be recommended as the mentor. In such election each certified member of the faculty, excluding administrators and new teachers, shall have one vote. Should the recommended teacher fail to be named a mentor by the system, another election shall be held to choose from among the remaining candidates.

B. The mentor and the teacher shall interact together for the announced duration of this program, during which time they shall be permitted by the principal to consult with each other as freely as possible, regularly observe each other in the classroom, and collaborate on such projects as they desire. The principal shall be as cooperative as possible in arranging schedules so that observations can take place. Exchanges between the new teacher and the mentor shall be considered confidential and neither shall be required or permitted, except as is mutually agreeable, to reveal the nature of their exchanges or any personal information shared or learned as a result of their relationship. However, any teaching techniques, strategies, classroom management procedures, or other such information learned by either as a result of this process shall not be confidential and shall be shared during the evaluation of the program as provided in R.S. 17:3776. The mentor, new teacher, and principal shall meet at least twice a month to discuss the program and to make any recommendations to one another that may make the program more beneficial.

C. The mentor shall be compensated for all work done as a mentor outside of his regular required workday, not to exceed ten hours a week. All such hours shall be accounted for to the principal who shall report them as necessary for payroll purposes to the system. Such additional compensation shall be paid for by state money allocated for the program pursuant to R.S. 17:3777 and shall be paid based on an hourly wage calculated by prorating the amount of regular compensation, including enhancements resulting from participation in the Louisiana Educational Employees Professional Improvement Program, when applicable, which are attributable to the state over the total number of hours of work contained in a school year.

D. The board shall adopt and promulgate such rules and guidelines for the conducting of this program as it deems necessary in order to achieve the maximum beneficial result. Such rules shall include whatever reporting procedures are necessary.

Acts 1986, No. 713, §1.