11.1 The purpose of PAR is to provide assistance to permanent and beginning teachers who have responsibility for a classroom, including Resource Specialists, in the areas of subject matter knowledge, teaching strategies, and teacher methods.
11.1.2 Based on available funding and resources, PAR services will be offered to teachers in the following order of priority:
a. Permanent teachers who receive an “unsatisfactory” evaluation that fits within the parameters of the PAR program (see 11.2.1).
b. Permanent teachers who volunteer for peer assistance.
c. Probationary teachers not eligible for BTSA who volunteer for peer assistance.
d. Participation of Beginning teachers eligible for BTSA through PAR.
e. Staff development for individual or group of teachers.
f. Curriculum development.
11.2 Any evaluation performed pursuant to this article which contains at least one (1) of the following "unsatisfactory" rating profiles of an employee's performance evaluation under California Standards requires that the certificated employee shall participate in the Peer Assistance and Review Program. "One" unsatisfactory rating in all domains, ''Two'' unsatisfactory ratings in three (3) domains, or "all" unsatisfactory ratings in any one (1) domain. Teachers with one (1) "unsatisfactory" will be encouraged, but not mandated to participate in the program.
11.2.1 The governing board of each school district shall evaluate and assess certificated employee performance as it reasonably relates to:
a. The progress of pupils toward the District’s adopted academic content standards.
b. The instructional techniques and strategies used by the employee.
c. The employee’s adherence to District-adopted curricular objectives.
d. The establishment and maintenance of a suitable learning environment, within the scope of the employee’s responsibilities.
11.2.2 The evaluation and assessment of certificated employee performance pursuant to this section shall not include the use of publishers norms established by standardized tests.
11.2.3 Assistance and remedial efforts and activities shall be sustained and multifaceted, and shall be proceeded by a conference when the teacher receives the unsatisfactory evaluation. The conference shall involve the teacher being referred, the evaluator, and, if chosen, the consulting teacher. If the participating teacher requests it, the Association shall provide representation in the meeting.
11.2.4 Initial assistance shall focus on the specific areas recommended for improvement by the participating teacher’s evaluator based upon the “unsatisfactory” rating or ratings in the performance evaluation that resulted in the referral to the PAR Program.
11.2.5 Performance goals for an individual teacher shall be in writing, clearly stated, aligned with pupil learning, and consistent with Section 44662 of the Education Code.
11.2.6 Assistance and review shall include multiple observations of a teacher during periods of classroom instruction.
11.2.7 The School District shall provide sufficient staff development activities to assist a teacher to improve his or her teaching skills and knowledge.
11.2.8 The program shall expect and strongly encourage a collaborative relationship between the Consulting Teacher and the principal with respect to the process of peer assistance and review. Communication and consultation between the participating teacher and the principal/evaluator shall be ongoing.
11.2.9 The program shall have a monitoring component with a written record.
11.2.10 The teacher and evaluator shall each be entitled to review all reports generated by the consulting teacher prior to submission to the PAR Panel and to have affixed thereto his or her comments. The teacher and principal/evaluator will receive copies of all such reports at least five (5) working days prior to any such meeting.
11.2.11 The consulting teacher shall submit a final written report regarding the teacher's participation in PAR to the PAR Panel and to the teacher's principal/Evaluator no later than March 1. This report shall describe the measures of assistance provided to the teacher and describe the results of the assistance in the area or areas recommended for improvement.
11.3 Voluntary Participation of Permanent Teachers
11.3.1 Permanent teachers desiring assistance in improving their practice may apply to the PAR Panel for such assistance on a confidential basis.
11.3.2 The volunteer and consulting teacher will meet to determine the needs of the volunteering teacher as specifically as possible and will jointly develop an Assistance Plan.
11.3.3 Consulting teachers shall provide oral and written feedback to the volunteer teacher. All communications shall be confidential.
11.3.4 The volunteer teacher may terminate participation in the program at any time.
11.3.5 When a teacher enters the program voluntarily, documentation will not be placed in the personnel file as long as participation continues on a voluntary basis. All communication between the teacher and the consulting teacher shall remain confidential.
11.4 Voluntary Participation of Experienced Teachers
11.4.1 Probationary teachers not eligible for BTSA desiring assistance in improving their practice may apply to the PAR Panel for assistance on a confidential basis.
11.4.2 The volunteer and consulting teacher will meet to determine the needs of the volunteering teacher as specifically as possible and will jointly develop an Assistance Plan.
11.4.3 Consulting teachers shall provide oral and written feedback to the volunteer teacher. All communications shall be confidential.
11.4.4 The volunteer may terminate participation at any time.
11.4.5 When a teacher enters the program voluntarily, documentation will not be placed in the personnel file so long as participation continues on a voluntary basis. All communication between the teacher and the consulting teacher shall remain confidential.
11.5 Participation of Beginning Teachers Eligible for BTSA in PAR
PAR funding can be utilized to support teachers taking part in the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Program.
11.6 The Peer Assistance and Review Panel
11.6.1 The governance structure of the program includes a joint teacher administrative peer review panel that shall select consulting teachers, review peer review reports prepared by consulting teachers, and make recommendations to the governing board of a school district regarding participants in the program, including forwarding to the governing board the names of the individuals who, after sustained assistance, are not able to demonstrate satisfactory improvement.
11.6.2 The majority of the panel, four (4) members, one (1) per school site, shall be composed of certificated classroom teachers chosen to serve on the panel by the Association. The remainder of the panel, two (2) members, shall be composed of school administrators chosen to serve on the panel by the school district.
11.6.3 The Term of Office will be three (3) years, except for the initial panel members, whose terms will be staggered terms of one (1) to three (3) years to assure continuity from year to year.
11.6.4 Decisions of the Panel shall be by consensus whenever possible. If a vote is required, action must be taken by an affirmative vote of at least a majority of members.
11.6.5 Consulting Teachers shall be selected by the majority of the panel.
11.6.6 The selection process shall include provisions for classroom observation of the candidates for Consulting Teacher by the panel.
11.6.7 The PAR Panel shall be responsible for:
a) Establishing its own rules and procedures.
b) Selecting its own chairperson.
c) Establishing a procedure for application and selection of peer consultants.
d) Selecting peer consultants.
e) Accepting referrals for permanent teacher peer assistance from evaluators.
f) Accepting voluntary requests for assistance from individual teachers if there are sufficient consulting teachers available to serve these additional requests for service.
11.6.8 The Panel shall also annually evaluate the impact of the District’s Peer Assistance and Review program in order to improve the program. This evaluation may include, but is not limited to, interviews or surveys of the program participants. The Panel may submit recommendations for improvement of the program to the governing board of the School District and to the Association no later than May 15 or the May governing board meeting.
11.6.9 Functions performed pursuant to this article by certificated employees employed in a bargaining unit position shall not constitute either management or supervisory functions as defined by subdivisions (g) and (m) of Section 3540.1 of the Government Code.
11.6.10 All proceedings and materials related to the administration of the PAR Program shall be strictly confidential. Panel members and consulting teachers may disclose such information only as necessary to administer the Program. Documents and writing related to an employee’s participation in the PAR Program are regarded as personnel matters and shall be subject to the personnel record exemption of the Public Records Act (Government Code Sections 6250 et. seq.)
11.6.11 Teachers who provide assistance and review shall have the same protection from liability and access to appropriate defense as other public school employees pursuant to Division 3.6 (commencing with Section 810) of Title 1 of the Government Code.
11.6.12 May 15 of each fiscal year, the PAR Panel will establish a Program budget for the succeeding year including:
a) The estimated revenue for the PAR program;
b) The estimated expenditures, based on:
i) The number of teachers mandated to participate,
ii) The number of spaces available for volunteers,
iii) The projected number of Consulting Teachers needed,
iv) Release time needed for PAR Panel and consulting teachers,
v) Compensation for PAR Panel and Consulting Teachers,
vi) Projected costs of training for everyone involved with PAR,
vii) Projected cost of PAR funded staff development,
viii) Projected cost of curriculum development activities (if any).
11.6.13 A PAR Panel member shall neither participate in discussion nor vote on any matter in which he or she has a personal conflict of interest.
11.6.14 Neither the PAR participant, the Consulting Teacher, nor the Evaluator/Principal may be present during confidential deliberations of the PAR Panel. The Panel may request additional information from any person involved in the Program.
11.6.15 The decision of the PAR Panel shall be submitted in writing and personally delivered to the P.T.C., the PAR Participant, the Consulting Teacher, the evaluator/principal and the Association President ten (10) working days prior to being forwarded to the Board of Education.
11.7 Consulting Teachers
11.7.1 A consulting teacher participating in this program shall be a credentialed classroom teacher with permanent status. The consulting teacher shall have at least three (3) years of recent experience in classroom instruction.
11.7.2 The consulting teacher shall have demonstrated exemplary teaching ability, as indicated by, among other things, effective communication skills, subject matter knowledge, and mastery of a range of teaching strategies necessary to meet the needs of pupils in different contexts.
11.7.3 The consulting teacher shall have demonstrated positive personal relations, collaboration, and team building skills.
11.7.4 Duties of the consulting teacher may include, but are not limited to:
a) Consulting with the participating teacher to develop strategies to improve in the areas targeted by the evaluator for improvement.
b) Meeting and consulting with the evaluator regarding the nature of assistance being provided.
c) Observations of the PAR Participant in the classroom.
d) Allowing the teacher to observe Consulting Teacher or other teachers selected by the Consulting Teacher.
e) Attending any needed training in how to support another teacher or in subject area or teaching techniques.
f) Recommending workshops for the PAR Participant to attend.
11.8 Budget and Use of Funds
11.8.1 The District may use the funds from this program for:
a) The implementation of the Peer Review and Assistance Program.
b) Any program that supports the training and development of experienced probationary teacher.
c) Professional development or other educational activities previously provided pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Education Code Section 44490) of Chapter 3.
11.8.2 Compensation for teachers working as consulting teachers or on the PAR Panel would be based on a stipend of Four Thousand Three Hundred Sixty Dollars ($4,360) to provide one hundred fifty (150) hours of service. That one hundred fifty (150) hours would be sufficient for one (1) consulting teacher to work with two (2) Teachers in the BTSA program. Other assignments, based on the guidelines below, could be made by the PAR Panel.
a) Work with one mandated teacher (20 hours) $3,488
b) Work with one BTSA teacher (90 hours) $2,616
c) Work with one voluntary teacher (50 hours) $1,453
d) Work on the PAR Panel (25 hours) $ 727
11.8.3 A teacher serving in one (1) of the positions requiring less than one hundred fifty (150) hours can work with the PAR Panel and District to do curriculum or staff development tasks to work up to one hundred fifty (150) hours.
11.8.4 If one (1) of the tasks shown in article 11.8.2 cannot be accomplished within the allotted hours, the teacher providing the service can request the PAR Panel to have a specified number of additional hours added to the time, paid at the same rate as designated for the job shown.
11.8.5 Training that is required to perform the job outlined in 11.8.2 will be necessary for all teachers who participate. That training will be paid for using funds from this Article and teachers will receive an additional stipend of Twenty-Nine Dollars ($29) per hour of training.
11.8.6 All stipends outlined in articles 11.8.2 through 11.8.5 apply only to Consulting Teachers and PAR Panel members under the auspices of Article 10, the Peer Assistance and Review Program.
11.8.7 Not more than five percent (5%) of the funds received by a school district for the Peer Assistance and Review Program for Teachers may be expended for administrative expenses.
11.8.8 Expenditures for the PAR Program shall not exceed revenues received from the State for the PAR Program.
11.8.9 It is the intent of the District and the Association that this article remains in effect for as long as specific state funding for the California Peer Assistance and Review Program is received by the District. If PAR funding is eliminated, this Article shall expire and have no force or effect without need for further action by either the District or the Association. The District shall notify the Association in writing that the PAR Program has lost funding.