MA S375

Establishes a competitive grant program administered by the Commissioner of Education for eligible entities to create and maintain teacher leadership programs that promote distributed leadership and shared decision-making in schools

Full-time teachers with at least 3 years of experience who remain classroom instructors may apply to participate as teacher leaders; participants must demonstrate ability in at least 5 of 8 specified competencies including data analysis, mentorship, and supporting diverse learners

Grant periods cannot exceed 3 years with possible 2-year extensions; at least 95% of funds must go to program implementation while no more than 5% may be used for administrative expenses

Requires financial compensation for teacher leaders' additional responsibilities, with priority given to high-need educational agencies and entities with plans to increase retention of underrepresented teachers

Mandates annual reporting to the legislature by December 31 and independent evaluation measuring program effectiveness, including 3-year and 5-year teacher retention rates disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and gender