Amends TCA Title 49.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSE SELECTION<br /> <br /> This bill requires the department of education ("department"), by December 31, 2024, to identify and approve at least one standards-aligned professional development course on mathematics instruction skills that is available, at no cost, to teachers in K-8. The department must use the findings of the mathematics expert review committee convened as described below under the heading "Mathematics Expert Review Committee," and the findings and conclusions of the landscape analysis required as described below under the heading "Landscape Analysis" to inform its approval of a professional development course.<br /> <br /> TEACHING-AS-A-PROFESSION CAREER PATHWAY<br /> <br /> This bill requires the department to revise the standards for high school students participating in a teaching-as-a-profession career pathway to include standards-aligned mathematics instruction skills in alignment with the professional development course on mathematics instruction skills identified and approved by the department pursuant to the above provision. The department must use the findings of the mathematics expert review committee and the findings and conclusions of the landscape analysis to inform the standards, which must be approved by the state board of education ("board").<br /> <br /> LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS<br /> <br /> This bill requires the department to conduct a landscape analysis of the following:<br /> <br /> (1) The current mathematics proficiency levels in this state disaggregated by local education agency ("LEA"), grade levels, and student groups, including student achievement and student growth in mathematics;<br /> <br /> (2) LEAs with varying levels of mathematics proficiency, including an examination of instructional programming, as well as strategies to remediate, intervene, and provide supports to improve student proficiency in mathematics;<br /> <br /> (3) Professional development and pedagogical practices used by LEAs for teachers in mathematics;<br /> <br /> (4) The practices used by educator preparation providers in this state to prepare mathematics teachers for educator licensure; and<br /> <br /> (5) The benefits and potential outcomes of requiring teachers to successfully complete a standards-aligned mathematics professional development course to obtain, renew, advance, or maintain an educator license with an endorsement that qualifies the teacher to teach mathematics to students in K-8.<br /> <br /> MATHEMATICS EXPERT REVIEW COMMITTEE<br /> <br /> This bill requires the department to convene a mathematics expert review committee comprised of mathematics educators in this state and mathematics experts in this state and nationwide to review and evaluate the mathematics professional development options available in this state to assist the department in identifying a professional development course on mathematics instruction skills suitable for approval pursuant to the heading "Professional Development Course Selection," above. The mathematics expert review committee must report its findings to the department.<br /> <br /> REPORTS<br /> <br /> This bill requires the department to report the findings and conclusions of the landscape analysis and the findings of the mathematics expert review committee, along with any recommendations for legislation, to the education committee of the senate, the education instruction and education administration committees of the house of representatives, and the board no later than December 31, 2024.<br /> <br /> RULEMAKING<br /> <br /> This bill authorizes the board to promulgate rules to effectuate this bill.<br /> <br /> ON FEBRUARY 22, 2024, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1712, AS AMENDED.<br /> <br /> AMENDMENT #1 makes the following changes to the bill:<br /> <br /> (1) Requires the department of education to identify and approve at least one standards-aligned professional development course on mathematics instruction skills that is available, at no cost, to teachers in grades K-8 by July 1, 2025, instead of December 31, 2024; and<br /> <br /> (2) Requires the department of education to report its findings and conclusions of the landscape analysis to all education committees of the senate and house of representatives no later than January 31, 2025, instead of December 31, 2024.<br />