(1) Any approved induction program of a school district or districts, charter school, the institute, or nonpublic school for initial teacher licensees may include, but is not limited to, supervision by mentor teachers; ongoing professional development and training, including ethics; and performance evaluations. Such school district or districts, charter school, the institute, or nonpublic school may enter into agreements with accepted institutions of higher education in regard to the organization, management, and operation of an approved induction program, or any portion thereof. The school district's or districts' performance evaluations must be conducted in accordance with section 22-9-106; however, the state board of education may provide by rule for performance evaluations by mentor teachers.
The approved induction program of any individual initial teacher licensee may beextended if deemed necessary by the school district or districts, charter school, the institute, or nonpublic school providing such program; however, such program shall not exceed a maximum of three years.
The state board of education shall, by rule and regulation, establish standards andcriteria for the approval of proposed induction programs for initial teacher licensees and for the review of approved induction programs for initial teacher licensees. Such rules and regulations shall provide for such standards and criteria to be fully implemented on and after July 1, 1999, and shall provide for the gradual implementation of such standards and criteria over the five-year period prior to said date. Such standards and criteria shall, at a minimum, provide multiple approaches and options in regard to the provision of approved induction programs which take into consideration factors which the state board of education deems relevant and appropriate. Such factors shall include, but shall not be limited to, the setting categories and geographical location of school districts, the cost of providing approved induction programs, and the availability of state moneys to fund, in whole or in part, approved induction programs.
Source: L. 91: Entire article added, p. 486, § 1, effective June 6. L. 2005: Entire section amended, p. 181, § 14, effective April 7. L. 2018: (1) and (2) amended, (SB 18-160), ch. 97, p. 762, § 6, effective August 8. L. 2019: (1) and (2) amended, (SB 19-069), ch. 37, p. 125, § 7, effective August 2.