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Amend the bill by striking out all of section 1 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §13012-A, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2017, c. 381, §14, is further amended to read:
 
4. Requirements.   If aA school administrative unit employsmay not employ a conditionally certified teacher or educational specialist unless it has a locally designed peer support and mentoring system as described in section 13015-A. For a conditional certificate issued under subsection 1, paragraph A or B, the school administrative unit shall for at least the first year2 years of employment, or longer if determined to be necessary, and, for a conditional certificate issued under subsection 1, paragraph C, the school administrative unit shall for at least the first year of employment, or longer if determined to be necessary:
 
A. Ensure that the conditionally certified teacher or educational specialist receives high-quality professional development that is sustained, intensive and classroom-focused in order to have a positive and lasting impact on classroom instruction while teaching; and
 
B. Provide a program of intensive supervision for the conditionally certified teacher that consists of structured guidance and regular ongoing support or a mentoring program, which is separate from any student-teacher requirement that may be required under another authority.’
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 3 and 4 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 3.  20-A MRSA §13015-A  is enacted to read:
§ 13015-A. Peer support and mentoring system
 
1.  Purpose.     The purpose of a peer support and mentoring system is to:
 
A.  Provide strong support services and mentoring programs that are sustained, intensive and classroom-focused in order to have a positive and lasting effect on classroom instruction and develop good teaching and classroom management skills for teachers certified for less than 5 years and teachers with conditional certificates;
 
B.  Provide assistance to and review for all individuals who are candidates for a higher level certificate or who are teaching under a waiver of the requirement to be certified under this chapter; and
 
C.  Assist all teachers in becoming better teachers.
 
A peer support and mentoring system is separate from local practices and procedures regarding the supervision and evaluation of a teacher for retention by a school administrative unit. The system must include opportunities for all educators to share, learn and continually improve their practices as educators in collaboration with peers. Peer support and mentoring must be formative in nature and be for the sole purpose of ongoing professional growth for educators.’
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 7 and 8.
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 11.
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.
 
SUMMARY
This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, removes the requirement that a support and mentoring system must be approved by the Commissioner of Education, and it clarifies that the support and mentoring system is a peer support and mentoring system and that it must include opportunities for educators to share, learn and improve their practice in collaboration with peers, be formative in nature and be for the sole purpose of ongoing professional growth for educators.
This amendment also removes the provisions of the bill on teacher preparation programs and salary supplements for approved support and mentoring systems for teacher certification and the appropriations for the Educators for Maine Program under the Finance Authority of Maine.