Bill Text: GA HR1485 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: Professional Standards Commission; Certification and Professional Learning Task Force; create

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 5-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-03-11 - House Committee Favorably Reported [HR1485 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2009-HR1485-Comm_Sub.html

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10 LC 33 3654S

The House Committee on Education offers the following substitute to HR 1485:

A RESOLUTION

Creating the Certification and Professional Learning Task Force; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, local school systems are facing shrinking resources and Georgia educators are experiencing furloughs and other financial setbacks; and

WHEREAS, professional learning activities for educators cost money to both educators and local school systems; and

WHEREAS, this is an era of substantive change in education, with new initiatives related to the federal Race to the Top fund, the impending reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, increased flexibility for schools, charter schools, raising achievement in underachieving schools, and similar efforts; and

WHEREAS, this changing environment and the temporary suspension of Professional Standards Commission rules for professional learning requirements for clear renewable certificates provide an opportunity to analyze and restructure professional development requirements.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA that there is created the Certification and Professional Learning Task Force for the purposes of reviewing certificate renewal requirements and procedures and making recommendations for improvement with the goal of improving schools and teaching, leading to improved student learning.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
(a) The task force shall consist of 16 members as follows:

(1) Two representatives from the Professional Standards Commission, as designated by the executive secretary of the commission;

(2) Two representatives from the Department of Education, as designated by the State Superintendent of Schools;

(3) One member of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate;

(4) One member of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(5) One representative from a college of education within the University System of Georgia, appointed by the President of the Senate;

(6) One representative from a private Georgia college of education, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(7) One representative from a regional educational service agency, appointed by the President of the Senate;

(8) One representative local school superintendent, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(9) One representative public school principal, appointed by the President of the Senate;

(10) One representative public elementary school teacher, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(11) One representative public middle school teacher, appointed by the President of the Senate;

(12) One representative public high school teacher, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(13) One representative from the Georgia Staff Development Council, as designated by the council; and

(14) One representative from the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, as designated by the Governor.

(b) The task force shall be chaired by a representative from the Professional Standards Commission. The task force shall meet at the call of the chairperson. Members of the task force shall serve without compensation.
(c) The task force shall study and make recommendations on:

(1) The roles of state agencies, local school systems, regional educational service agencies, colleges and universities, and other organizations in providing high quality professional learning focused on improving schools and teaching, resulting in improved student learning;

(2) The effectiveness of current professional learning renewal requirements on school improvement and student learning; and

(3) The adequacy of the current professional learning activities delivery system.

(d) The task force shall present an interim report to the chairpersons of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Education and Youth Committee by April 15, 2011, with a final report of its findings and recommendations to be completed no later than November, 2011. The report shall be presented to a joint session of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Education and Youth Committee no later than November 30, 2011. The task force shall stand abolished on November 30, 2011.