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156.553 Teachers' professional growth fund -- Purposes -- Courses -- Duties of Department of Education -- Professional development programs -- Administrative regulations -- Advancement by local bo

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Page 1 of 4 156.553 Teachers' professional growth fund -- Purposes -- Courses -- Duties of Department of Education -- Professional development programs -- <br>Administrative regulations -- Advancement by local boards of funds to <br>teachers for professional development education -- Reimbursement -- Priority <br>for use of funds from 2010 to 2016. (1) The teachers' professional growth fund is hereby created to provide teachers with high quality professional development in content knowledge in mathematics, <br>reading, science, language arts, social studies, arts and humanities, practical living, <br>vocational studies, and foreign languages; classroom-based screening, diagnostic, <br>assessment, and intervention strategies; and teaching methodologies, including <br>professional development that may lead to additional certification endorsements or <br>renewal of certification. Based on available funds, student achievement data, and <br>teacher data, the Kentucky Board of Education shall annually determine the priority <br>for content emphasis based on the greatest needs. (2) (a) The fund may provide moneys to teachers for: 1. Tuition reimbursement for successful completion of college or <br>university level courses, including on-line courses and seminars, <br>approved for this purpose by the Education Professional Standards <br>Board; 2. Stipends for participation in and successful completion of: <br>a. College or university courses, including on-line courses and <br>seminars, approved for this purpose by the Education Professional <br>Standards Board; b. Teacher institutes developed for core content instructors by the <br>Department of Education in compliance with KRS 156.095; and c. Other professional development programs approved by the <br>Kentucky Department of Education, including professional <br>development for teachers participating in grants awarded by the <br>Middle School Mathematics and Science Scholars Program <br>established under KRS 158.848; 3. Reimbursement for the purchase of materials required for professional <br>development programs; and 4. Reimbursement for other approved professional development activities <br>throughout the school year, including reimbursement for: <br>a. Travel to and from professional development workshops; and b. Travel to and from other schools for the observation of, and <br>consultation with, peer mentors; or (b) The fund may be used to provide grants to local school districts to support staff participation in specific, statewide initiatives for the professional <br>development of teachers and administrators in specific content areas as <br>established by the Kentucky Department of Education and the Kentucky <br>Board of Education under the provisions of subsections (4), (5), and (6) of this <br>section and referenced in KRS 158.842. Page 2 of 4 (c) The fund may be used to provide grants to colleges and universities to plan and develop statewide professional development institutes and other <br>professional development services. (d) The fund may be used to provide grants to local school districts, to colleges and universities, or other entities to assist the Kentucky Department of <br>Education in evaluating costs and the effectiveness of activities and initiatives <br>established under this section. (3) The Education Professional Standards Board shall determine the college and university courses, including on-line courses and seminars, for which teachers may <br>receive reimbursement from the fund. (4) The Department of Education shall: (a) Administer the fund. In order to process reimbursements to teachers promptly, the reimbursements shall not be subject to KRS 45A.690 to 45A.725; (b) Determine the professional development programs for which teachers may receive reimbursement, or districts or colleges and universities may receive <br>grants, from the fund; (c) Determine the level of stipend or reimbursement, subject to the availability of appropriated funds, for particular courses and programs, under subsection (2) <br>of this section; and (d) Provide an accounting of fund expenditures and results of the use of the funds for each biennium to the Interim Joint Committee on Education by November <br>1 of each odd-numbered year. (5) The professional development programs approved by the Department of Education for which teachers may receive support from the fund shall: <br>(a) Focus on improving the content knowledge of teachers; <br>(b) Provide training in the use of research-based and developmentally appropriate classroom-based screening, diagnostic, assessment, and intervention <br>strategies; (c) Provide instruction on teaching methods to effectively impart content knowledge to all students; (d) Include intensive training institutes and workshops during the summer; <br>(e) Provide programs for the ongoing support of teacher participants throughout the year, which may include: <br>1. A peer coaching or mentoring, and assessment program; and 2. Planned activities, including: <br>a. Follow-up workshops; and b. Support networks of teachers of the core disciplines using <br>technologies, including but not limited to telephone, video, and on-<br>line computer networks; Page 3 of 4 (f) Provide teacher participants with professional development credit toward renewal of certification under the provisions of KRS 161.095, relating to <br>continuing education for teachers; and (g) Provide teacher participants with the opportunity to obtain certificate endorsements or extensions in critical shortage areas, with priority given to <br>mathematics and science through 2016, and in core content areas to their <br>existing certifications through the TC-HQ process, established by the <br>Education Professional Standards Board to meet the requirements of the No <br>Child Left Behind Act of 2001, 20 U.S.C. sec. 6301 et seq. (6) The Kentucky Board of Education shall specify through promulgation of administrative regulations: <br>(a) The application and approval process for receipt of funds; <br>(b) The requirements and process for the disbursal of funds; and <br>(c) The number of each kind of approved course for which applicants may receive funds. (7) Notwithstanding any other provisions to the contrary, a local school board may advance the funds necessary for its teachers to participate in a college course or <br>professional development seminar or activity approved by the Kentucky Department <br>of Education and the Education Professional Standards Board under provisions of <br>this section and receive reimbursement from the department at the conclusion of the <br>activity or course by the teacher. If funds are advanced for the benefit of a teacher <br>under this subsection, but the teacher does not fulfill his or her obligation, the <br>teacher shall reimburse the school district for the funds expended by the district on <br>the teacher's behalf. (8) Notwithstanding the provisions of KRS 45.229, unexpended funds in the teachers' professional growth fund in the 2000-2001 fiscal year or in any subsequent fiscal <br>year shall not lapse but shall carry forward to the next fiscal year and shall be used <br>for the purposes established in subsections (1) and (2) of this section. (9) Notwithstanding any provisions of this section to the contrary, beginning June 1, 2006, through the 2009-2010 school year, priority for the use of funds from the <br>teachers' professional growth fund shall be used to train and support teams of <br>teachers from all school levels to be trained as reading coaches and mentors or as <br>mathematics coaches and mentors in statewide institutes referenced in KRS 158.840 <br>and 158.842, and for selected teachers to be highly trained in providing diagnostic <br>assessment and intervention services for students in the primary program struggling <br>with mathematics. <br>(a) The design of the statewide mathematics institutes to train mathematics coaches and mentors shall be developed by the Committee for Mathematics <br>Achievement established in KRS 158.842. The committee shall provide <br>recommendations to the Kentucky Department of Education and the Kentucky <br>Board of Education in the preparation of administrative regulations that may <br>be promulgated by the board to implement the provisions of this subsection <br>relating to mathematics. Page 4 of 4 (b) The design of the professional development program to provide highly trained mathematics intervention teachers in the primary program shall be developed <br>by the Center for Mathematics in collaboration with public and private <br>institutions of postsecondary education. (c) The development of the statewide program to train reading coaches and mentors shall be coordinated by the Kentucky Department of Education with <br>recommendations from the Collaborative Center for Literacy Development, <br>established in KRS 164.0207, and the reading steering committee established <br>in KRS 158.794. The design of the program shall reflect a consensus of the <br>agencies involved in the development of the program. The training program <br>for reading coaches and mentors shall complement other statewide reading <br>initiatives, funded with state and federal funds, and shall give priority to <br>teachers in grades four (4) through twelve (12). The program shall be <br>implemented no later than June 1, 2006. The board shall promulgate <br>administrative regulations required to implement the provisions of this <br>subsection relating to reading. (10) Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, beginning June 1, 2010, through the 2015-2016 school year, priority for the use of funds from the <br>teachers' professional growth fund shall be for the purpose of increasing the number <br>of certified teachers with extensions or endorsements in mathematics and science as <br>described in subsection (5)(g) of this section. Effective: July 15, 2008 <br>History: Amended 2008 Ky. Acts ch. 134, sec. 13, effective July 15, 2008; and ch. 185, sec. 2, effective April 24, 2008. -- Amended 2005 Ky. Acts ch. 164, sec. 5, effective <br>March 18, 2005. -- Amended 2002 Ky. Acts ch. 135, sec. 4, effective April 2, 2002. -<br>- Amended 2001 Ky. Acts ch. 135, sec. 1, effective June 21, 2001. -- Created 2000 <br>Ky. Acts ch. 527, sec. 2, effective July 14, 2000. Legislative Research Commission Note (7/15/2008). This section was amended by 2008 Ky. Acts chs. 134 and 185, which do not appear to be in conflict and have been <br>codified together.