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

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

2. What does the contract say planning time is? “…that time in which teachers may be assignedto 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

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

4. Secondary School Planning • “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

5. Elementary 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

6. When can teachers plan for specific classroom activities? • 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

7. Exceptions to planning time 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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 4th quarter • Elementary Quarter 4 Grades • Teachers must vote whether or not to send report cards home with students Article VII, Section S-20

11. 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

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

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

17. 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.

18. Questions and Answers