Planning Time & Florida’s K-12 Comprehensive Reading Program Contractual Provisions

“… that time in which teachers may be assigned to do one or more of the following: Plan for classroom activities Confer with parents Meet with grade-level or subject area team members on matters related to curriculum and student progress Attend and participate in staffings Complete Southern Association accreditation activities Attend administrative meetings related to their performance and/or student concerns Article VII, Section S-12; Same language since 1984 What does the contract say planning time is?

What may teachers not be “assigned”? Substituting Staff Development Faculty meetings Non-instructional duties Student supervision, etc.

“At least one class period of at least 50 minutes each day students are in attendance and the regular class schedule is in effect.” (250 minutes) No guarantee of planning time before or after the student day. Teachers at alternative schools shall receive 50 minutes “during the teacher workday.” Article VII, Section S-13 Secondary School Planning

No less than 250 minutes each “full week of student attendance and the regular class schedule is in effect.” A total of 150 minutes of this time shall be assigned by the principal during the student day in a minimum of 30-minute blocks on a minimum of four different student days. The remaining 100 minutes may be assigned as schedules permit during the week. Article VII, Section S-14 Elementary School Planning

At least 100 minutes “each week students are in attendance and the regular class schedule is in effect.” High School: during the student day Elementary School: before or after the student day two 50-minute periods will be scheduled Teachers will be informed when planning time is scheduled prior to the week it occurs Article VII, Section S-15; Re-emphasized in K-12 Comprehensive Reading Plan MOU When can teachers plan for specific classroom activities?

Parent conferences Required meetings to implement changes due to state or federal mandate. This should be VERY rare! Voluntary participation in professional activities Personal activities emergencies Article VII, Section S-15 Exceptions to planning time for specific classroom activities

Planning Days Teachers get 10 planning days: 5 preplanning, 4 post quarter, and 1 year-end. Required Staff Development or lengthy faculty meetings shall be kept to a minimum. Article VII, Section S-18 Must be given 24-hour notice for required staff development, faculty and/or district meetings except in case of emergency. Article VII, Section L-4

Pre-Planning Days During 5 days, teachers will be given at least 16 hours to plan for personal classroom activities Principals must schedule in at least 2- hour blocks May be reduced for: an emergency, which may include required meetings to implement state of federal mandates, Voluntary participation in professional activities, or Personal activities Article VII, Section S-19

Quarter Planning Days Principals must give priority to scheduling time during the planning day at the end of the each quarter for teachers to prepare student report cards and plan for classroom activities. Staff Development on these days is voluntary. Grades due no earlier than end of third workday following end of quarters 1 – 3 Secondary Quarter 4 Grades due no earlier than start of second workday following close of grading period Deadline of notification for senior grade reporting procedures by beginning of 4 th quarter Elementary Quarter 4 Grades Teachers must vote whether or not to send report cards home with students Article VII, Section S-20

Protecting Planning Time Required staff development shall be reasonable in nature, duration, and scope including any follow-up activities to protect as much time as possible within the teacher workday for adequate lesson preparation and other tasks necessary to effectively fulfill their teaching responsibilities. Article VII, Section I-4 Non teaching tasks and assignments shall be kept to a minimum. Article VII, Section N-2 Committee participation will be kept to a minimum “to allow as much planning time as possible so that adequate lesson preparation is achieved.” Article VII, Section S-23 Principals shall seek to further minimize non-teaching assignments, including but not limited to committees, faculty meetings, and duties. K-12 Comprehensive Reading Plan MOU

Florida’s K-12 Comprehensive Reading Program Requires teachers to meet weekly in teams comprised of teachers from core subject areas, reading teachers, and various other support personnel. These problem-solving teams will work on the following, but are not limited to: examining and utilizing data to identify student needs, developing materials, lessons, and strategies to improve student reading performance, planning for classroom activities that support reading improvement, conducting reading-related research, implementing delivery models, obtaining/providing peer coaching, reviewing implementation strategies and evaluating impact on student achievement, and conducting follow-up activities.

K-12 Weekly Meetings Designed for all teachers to meet the needs of their students. Weekly meetings may vary in length but should not be required to exceed 40 minutes. Teams will have the flexibility to schedule their meetings during planning time within the student day or scheduled work time before or after the student day, contingent upon principal approval. With the consent of the principal, teams may alter the length of meetings or restructure their work schedules to accommodate meeting times or to provide additional staff development opportunities.

K-12 Weekly Meetings & Planning Teachers will continue to receive two uninterrupted fifty-minute blocks to plan for their specific classroom activities in accordance with Article VII, Section S-15 of the Instructional Master Contract. At the elementary school level, these fifty-minute blocks will be implemented before or after the student day. Additionally, the planning day at the end of each quarter will be protected from required staff development.

Minimize Non-teaching Assignments Incorporating staff development and required weekly meetings into the teachers’ regular work week impacts the amount of time teachers have to conduct other activities related to their teaching assignments. Principals shall seek to further minimize non-teaching assignments, including but not limited to committees, faculty meetings, and duties.

Individual Professional Development Plans Teachers are required to submit one goal for their Individual Professional Development Plans (IPDP) that addresses improving student reading.

Staff Development Points Teachers will be provided the opportunity to earn approved staff development points as part of the weekly meetings and the implementation of the K-12 Reading Plan. In accordance with Florida’s Professional Development Protocol Standards, teachers must successfully complete all staff development requirements, including reasonable follow-up activities and documentation to be awarded staff development points.

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