N.Y. Education Law § 3033: New York state mentor teacher-internship program

§ 3033. New York state mentor teacher-internship program. 1. Boards

of education and boards of cooperative educational services are hereby

authorized to participate in the New York state mentor

teacher-internship program in accordance with the provisions of this

section.

2. Each board of education or board of cooperative educational

services which applies for funds under this section shall prepare a plan

for implementation of a mentor teacher-internship program consistent

with article fourteen of the civil service law. The plan shall be

developed in accordance with this section and regulations of the

commissioner. The board of education or board of cooperative educational

services shall submit an application and plan by May first of the

current year for approval by the commissioner; provided however for the

nineteen hundred ninety-seven--ninety-eight school year, such plan may

be submitted by November first, nineteen hundred ninety-seven.

3. Each board of education and board of cooperative educational

services which determines to participate in the program shall select

persons eligible to serve as mentor teachers from a list of persons who

have demonstrated their mastery of pedagogical and subject matter

skills, given evidence of superior teaching abilities and interpersonal

relationship qualities, and who have indicated their willingness to

participate in such program. Such list of persons eligible to serve as

mentor teachers shall be developed by a selection committee composed of

certified or licensed personnel employed by the school district or the

board of cooperative educational services, a majority of whom shall be

classroom teachers chosen by the certified or recognized teachers

employee organization. The assignment of particular mentor teachers and

teacher interns to work together shall be made by the superintendent of

the participating district or district superintendent of the

participating board of cooperative educational services. Each person

designated as a mentor teacher shall continue to provide classroom

instruction for at least sixty percent of the time spent in performance

of such individual's duties during the school year or such person may so

serve on a full-time basis for not more than two school years out of

five consecutive school years, provided that such service as a mentor

teacher shall not diminish or impair the tenure and seniority rights of

the mentor teacher.

4. Each board of education and board of cooperative educational

services which determines to participate in the mentor

teacher-internship program shall require those first or second year

eligible teachers which it chooses to include in the program to perform

their duties under the guidance of a mentor teacher, and shall ensure

that such teacher intern and mentor carry no more than a ninety percent

classroom instruction assignment in order to allow such teacher intern

time to receive special assistance from a mentor teacher. In order to

participate as a teacher intern in a mentor teacher-internship program,

a first or second year teacher shall hold a provisional or permanent

teaching certificate, temporary emergency license, regular license, or

temporary per diem certificate for a field in which no licensed person

is available to teach and shall not have participated in such program in

the previous year.

5. A school district or board of cooperative educational services

participating in an approved mentor teacher-internship program in the

current year shall be eligible for aid including but not limited to

costs related to release time of the intern and mentor teacher up to ten

percent of the mentor teacher's salary and up to ten percent of the

teacher intern's salary respectively in accordance with the provisions

of this subdivision. To receive such assistance, a school district or

board of cooperative educational services must file a claim with the

commissioner by October first of the current school year in a form

prescribed by the commissioner which shall include the actual salary of

each program participant as of September fifteenth of such year. The

commissioner shall pay one-half of the amount of such assistance by

January fifteenth of each year and shall pay the remaining amount based

upon a final report filed by the school district by August fifteenth of

each year.

6. Each board of education and board of cooperative educational

services which participates in the program shall file a report with the

commissioner on or before August first of each school year concerning

compliance with the requirements of the program during the preceding

school year. Such report shall be in such form and in such manner as

the commissioner may require. The commissioner shall evaluate such

programs and file a report with the legislature on or before December

first, nineteen hundred eighty-seven.