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Teacher Evaluations-
the $20 Million School Site Mandate
   
The State's third largest K-12 mandated cost program happens to be a school  site based program-- The Stull Act.    This program reimburses a number of activities associated with teacher performance evaluations and in FY  2006/07, statewide costs totaled $20 million.  This placed this program behind Collective Bargaining at $26 million.  The Stull Act is a complex and confusing program that affects every school district and county office.  Without a well planned & executed mandate accounting approach, claimants can easily find their results lacking on multiple levels.          
 
How did we get Here?
 
In 1999, Steve Smith of Mandated Cost Systems was contacted by Denair Unified School District and asked whether anyone had ever pursued a reimbursable mandated cost program for employee performance evaluations.  After preliminary research, Steve Smith determined a probable winner existed with this program and the services of David Scribner were enlisted to pursue a test claim on this program.  
 
In 2005, the Commission on State Mandates (CSM) found reimbursable mandates existed with certain elements of certificated performance evaluations.  
 
In 2006, the initial claim filing occurred with $114 million in claims filed for the period of FY 1995/96 to FY 2004/05.  
 
The Devil's in the Details
 
Under the Stull Act program, only certificated instructional evaluations are reimbursable.  Do not claim classified evaluations or certificated non-instructional evaluations.  However, if the evaluation is an additional evaluation that is being done to follow-up on an unsatisfactory evaluation then any certificated evaluation qualifies.   
 
Evaluating and assessing the employee's performance and writing the performance evaluation is claimable.  The  evaluation conference was found by CSM not to be reimbursable.  However, not every teacher evaluation is reimbursable. 
 
If you have a highly qualified teacher who has been employed by the school district for ten years and meets other specified criteria-claim the evaluation every 5 years.  A permanent teacher's evaluation is reimbursable every 2 years while a probationary teacher's evaluation is reimbursable each year.  Temporary teachers and student interns are not reimbursable under this mandate so don't claim them.  There's more.
 
Do not claim evaluations for kindergarten teachers because that grade level is seen as optional.  Claim evaluations for special education and regular education teachers in grades 1-12 as well as any other teacher serving in a program mandated by state or federal law.  Yes, there's still more. . .
 
Education Code Section 44662(b) requires teacher performance evaluations to address the following:
 
1. The progress of pupils towards the standards of expected pupil achievement   at each grade level in each area of study.
2. The progress of pupils towards the state adopted
academic content standards as measured by the STAR test.
3. The instructional techniques and strategies used by the teacher.
4. The teacher's adherence to curricular objectives.
5. The establishment and maintenance of a suitable learning environment.
 
The CSM determined that three of these five criteria are reimbursable.  The other two criteria predated 1975 and therefore were not found to be reimbursable.  One of the reimbursable criteria only applies to teachers  teaching certain subject areas while the other two criteria apply primarily to regular education & special education teachers.   Because of this wrinkle on eligibility, your mandate accounting system needs to be able to demonstrate only the eligible criteria are claimed.  
 
Finally, compare your negotiated collective bargaining agreement's evaluation procedure with the specific activities you are tracking as it is easy to overlook some of the performance assessment criteria being utilized.  Without a full understanding of your LEA's specific procedures, steps within the process can easily go unclaimed.
 
So, is your school district on target with this program?
 
Max8550-Right On Target. 
 
With Scribner & Smith as your mandate accountants, each evaluation documented and claimed will demonstrate all of the compliance details cited above.  No other claim preparer manages the Stull Act (Teacher Evaluation) program with the level of detail necessary to ensure compliance and maximized claims.  
 
If you are interested in finding out more, please contact us to set up a demo. 
Steve Smith, President 
 
 David E. Scribner, Esq., CEO

dscribner@max8550.com 
Scribner & Smith
2200 Sunrise Boulevard, Suite 220
Gold River, California 95670
 T 916.852.8970    F 916.852.8978