15-552

15-552. Alternative teacher development
program; report; program termination

A. The state board of education shall establish an alternative teacher
development program for the purpose of accelerating the process of identifying, training
and placing highly qualified individuals into low income schools through the use of
teaching intern certification and the identification of a qualified service provider.

B. The department of education shall develop application procedures, selection
criteria and minimum performance standards for service providers that wish to participate
in the program.

C. The state board of education shall award a matching grant to a service provider
that meets all of the requirements of this section. The amount of the matching grant
shall be equal to the matching monies raised by the service provider, not to exceed the
total of monies appropriated to the alternative teacher development program. The service
provider that receives the matching grant shall demonstrate that its alternative teacher
development program serves public schools in this state and meets all of the following
requirements:

1. Is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that has been providing alternative
teacher recruitment and placement in this state for a period of not less than ten years.

2. Serves only public schools that provide instruction to student populations in
which a majority of the students are from low income households.

3. Requires that individuals seeking to participate in the alternative teacher
development program offered by the service provider have attained a baccalaureate degree
from an accredited institution.

4. Maintains a competitive application and selection process for individuals
seeking to participate in the alternative teacher development program offered by the
service provider.

5. Requires all individuals who participate in the alternative teacher development
program to commit to serve as a teacher in a low income public school in this state for
not less than two years.

6. Provides ongoing support, evaluations and professional development to teachers
placed in a classroom through the alternative teacher development program.

D. The service provider selected to participate in the alternative teacher
development program shall annually report at least the following information to the
department of education:

1. The number of teachers placed in low income schools by the service provider.

2. The number of students served by teachers placed in low income schools by the
service provider.

3. Demographic data concerning the aggregate composition of students in classrooms
served by teachers placed by the service provider.

4. A listing of the school districts and schools in which teachers were placed by
the service provider.

5. A total of all matching monies raised by the service provider.

E. The department of education shall submit an annual report by December 15 of each
year concerning the alternative teacher development program to the governor, the
president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives that includes an
evaluation of the effectiveness of the program. The department of education shall provide
a copy of the report to the secretary of state and the director of the Arizona state
library, archives and public records. The report shall include a comparison of the annual
academic achievement gain of students served by teachers participating in the alternative
teacher development program and students served by beginning teachers in the same school.

F. The program established by this section ends on July 1, 2016, pursuant to
section 41-3102.