HB 5491 Summary

• Establishes state-wide education accountability plan requiring identification of schools and districts needing improvement with mandatory improvement plans and consequences, effective July 1, 2010.

• Creates school governance councils for low-achieving schools composed primarily of elected parents/guardians and students with authority to recommend school models (turnaround, restart, transformation, CommPACT, or innovation schools) and petition processes for school reorganization.

• Requires local and regional boards of education to incorporate student academic growth data as a significant factor (at least 50% weight) in teacher evaluations beginning July 1, 2011, with State Board of Education developing model evaluation guidelines.

• Expands high school graduation requirements to include online coursework options and community service credit, establishes online credit recovery programs for districts with 8% or greater dropout rates, and requires all districts to offer Advanced Placement course programs starting July 1, 2011.

• Establishes task force to study and monitor academic achievement gaps between racial and socioeconomic groups by January 1, 2011, and requires two parent-teacher conferences annually for each school.