PURPOSE: Sections 168.500–168.515, RSMo establish a career advancement program, the Missouri Career Development and Teacher Excellence Plan, referred to as the career ladder program. Participation by local school districts in the Career Ladder Program shall be voluntary. The Career Ladder Program is a matching program of variable matched rates established by statute. The general assembly makes an annual appropriation for the purpose of providing the state’s share of the Career Ladder Program. This rule sets forth guidelines for local district participation in the Career Ladder Program.

1. (1) For the purpose of this rule, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the following terms shall mean:

   1. (A) Career ladder salary supplement—The district may establish a salary supplement up to fifteen hundred dollars ($l,500) for Career Stage I teachers, three thousand dollars ($3,000) for Career Stage II teachers and five thousand dollars ($5,000) for Career Stage III teachers. The state’s payment is contingent upon appropriations for this purpose;
   2. (B) Department—The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education;
   3. (C) Eligible district—A school district which has adopted a local district career ladder plan and had that plan approved by the department according to standards and procedures established in this rule;
   4. (D) Participating teacher—An individual employed full-time by a school district who is certificated under rules governing teacher certification to serve as a classroom teacher, librarian, guidance counselor, school psychological examiner, parents as teachers educator, school psychologist, special education diagnostician, or speech pathologist and is on the district salary schedule and, as verified by a school district, has met criteria established for the career ladder; and
   5. (E) School district—A school or group of schools governed by a locally elected board of education or the State Board of Education and operated at public expense.
2. (2) The department will provide school districts a model career ladder, guidelines and criteria for school district plans which meet the requirements established by statute and this rule.
3. (3) Each local school district desiring to participate in the Career Ladder Program shall submit an application and district plan to the Division of Urban and Teacher Education prior to July 15, 1996 and April 15 in subsequent years.
4. (4) Upon receipt of the school district’s career ladder application, the Division of Urban and Teacher Education will review plans for eligibility to participate in the variable match rate program. The local district’s career ladder plan will be evaluated to determine compliance with applicable statutes and standards and procedures established in the Criteria for Local District Career Ladder Plans (Appendix A).
5. (5) School districts will be notified of necessary modifications, eligibility or denial prior to August 1, 1996 and June 30, in subsequent years.
6. (6) Each eligible district shall identify participating teachers on Core Data collection forms provided by the department.
7. (7) Upon receipt of the Core Data information, the department will compile a list of participating teachers and determine the state portion of the career ladder salary supplement according to the variable matching rate provisions of the law. The department will send to each district the list of participating teachers. The district will correct as necessary, verify this list and certify its accuracy to the commissioner of education on or before March 15.
8. (8) Upon receipt of the certified list, the department will schedule one (1) payment to occur in July in concert with regular payment of foundation program funds, contingent upon appropriations for this purpose, participating districts shall receive the appropriate reimbursement for Career Ladder Stage I in the first year of participation; Stages I and II in the second year; and Stages I, II and III in the third year.
9. (9) Eligible districts receiving career ladder salary supplements shall pay to each teacher an amount specified in the district application not to exceed the amounts provided by section 168.515(1), RSMo. If staffing/eligibility changes occur subsequent to the certification of the career ladder entitlement which cause the district to receive more or fewer funds necessary to implement the provisions of section 168.515, RSMo, the department shall be notified, with the modifications to Career Ladder Payment form by September 1, and the department will make an offsetting correction on the ensuing payment.

10. (10) Independent auditors retained by local districts will be responsible to examine district payroll records to determine if the proper career ladder supplemental pay has actually been paid to participating teachers as certified by the district to the department. Instances of noncompliance should be set forth in the audit report in the accountant’s report on state and federal compliance. The local district shall develop and submit to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education a District Career Ladder Plan (DCLP). This plan will provide the organizational basis for the district’s career ladder. Development of a career ladder is voluntary for local school districts. When districts establish a career ladder plan, they also must accept the responsibility of raising the local portion of the funding. Teachers who clearly meet the Qualifications and Responsibilities established as specific criteria (168.500.2(3), RSMo) for the district Career Ladder shall have a reasonable expectation of participating on the career ladder.

    1. I. The DCLP shall contain a statement requiring that all responsibilities in the teacher’s Career Development Plan directly and obviously relate to improvement of programs and services for students as outlined in the District School Improvement Plan, Curriculum Development Plan, Professional Development Plan, Missouri School Improvement Program or instructional improvement.
    2. II. The DCLP shall contain three (3) stages and the qualifications for each stage. The annual supplemental pay shall not exceed $1,500 for Stage I, $3,000 for Stage II, or $5,000 for Stage III. The state’s payment is contingent upon appropriations for this purpose (168.515.1., RSMo). This supplemental pay shall be in addition to that which the teacher would normally be accorded by the district’s salary schedule (168.505.1., RSMo).
    3. III. Each career ladder stage shall contain specific qualifications to be completed prior to application (168.500.2., RSMo). These qualifications shall include:
    4. IV. Each career ladder stage shall contain responsibilities commensurate and adjustable to the compensation offered for that stage that will be completed by the teacher while on the career ladder. These responsibilities shall directly and obviously relate to the improvement of programs and services for students as outlined in the District School Improvement Plan, Curriculum Development Plan, Professional Development Plan, Missouri School Improvement APPENDIX A Criteria for Local District Career Ladder Plans REQUIRED ELEMENTS OF THE DISTRICT CAREER LADDER PLAN
11. A. Five (5) years of teaching experience in Missouri public schools for Stage I (168.500.2(5), RSMo).
12. B. A clearly defined level of performance relative to the district’s Performance Based Teacher Evaluation (PBTE) process for each stage on the career ladder (168.500.2(3), RSMo). As stated in the state Model for PBTE, the EXPECTED PERFORMANCE LEVEL is a designation accorded to an EFFECTIVE teacher. Performance which clearly meets the district’s expected performance level shall be required for Stage I and performance which meets and exceeds the expected level shall be required for Stages II and III: • At Stage I, the teacher shall show evidence of performance at the expected level on all of the criteria on the most recent final evaluation instrument in the district’s PBTE system. • Stage II, the teacher shall show evidence of performance at the expected level on all of the criteria on the most recent final evaluation instrument and above the EXPECTED level on 10% of the evaluative criteria included in the district’s PBTE system with at least one (1) of the criteria in the area of instructional process for teachers and librarians, guidance counseling process for counselors and the process area most closely related to specific job performance as it relates to students for school psychological examiners, parents as teachers educators, school psychologists, special education diagnosticians and speech pathologists. • At Stage III, the teacher shall show evidence of performance at the expected level on all of the criteria on the most recent final evaluation instrument and above the EXPECTED level on 15% of the summative evaluative criteria included in the district’s PBTE system with at least one (1) of the criteria in the area of instructional process for teachers and librarians, guidance counseling process for counselors and the process area most closely related to specific job performance as it relates to students for school psychological examiners, parents as teachers educators, school psychologists, special education diagnosticians and speech pathologists. In the PBTE system, the key emphasis is on the EXPECTED level of performance (EFFECTIVE teaching) and the percentage figures should be viewed as significant performance above the EXPECTED level. Unless otherwise approved by the department, the DCLP shall require no more than the percentages stated above.
13. C. A Career Development Plan to be organized by the teacher. The Career Development Plan shall contain the responsibilities to be completed by the teacher while on the career ladder, and provisions for verifying completion of these responsibilities. Following approval by the district, these plans may be amended for good cause. • To qualify for Stage II, a teacher shall have completed a Career Development Plan and two (2) years of service on Stage I of the career ladder. One (1) year of service on the previous stage may be waived by the local Board of Education based upon a total of seven (7) years teaching in the public schools. • To qualify for Stage III, a teacher must have completed a Career Development Plan and three (3) years service on Stage II of the career ladder. Two (2) years of this service on the previous stage may be waived by the local Board of Education based upon a total of ten (10) years teaching in the public schools.
14. D. Appropriate certification in subject area for each teacher, except upon good cause shown (168.500.2., RSMo).
15. E. Full-time regular length contract.

16. F. The DCLP may contain additional qualifications deemed appropriate by the local Board of Education to the extent they are consistent with the provisions of 168.500—l68.515, RSMo. Program or instructional improvement. Responsibilities shall be detailed in the teacher’s Career Development Plan.

    1. V. The local school district shall show evidence of teacher, administrator, and patron involvement in the development of the DCLP. Teachers selected for involvement should be chosen by teachers in the district.
    2. VI. A Career Ladder Review Committee, consisting of teachers selected by other teachers in the district and administrators shall present to the local board a list of Career Ladder participants that have been approved for payment.
    3. VII. The DCLP shall contain provisions for assessment of the district’s career ladder. Plans will be made for periodic assessment of the district’s career ladder under the direction of the local board of education with assistance from administrators, teachers, and patrons. Criteria for assessment shall include, but not be limited to, benefits for schools and students, and teacher interest and participation.

    4. VIII. The DCLP shall contain the instrument, procedures and forms used in the district’s PBTE process.

       1. IX. The DCLP shall contain evidence of continuous training for evaluators in PBTE. This training shall be comprehensive in nature and include, but not be limited to, knowledge of effective teaching, formative observation, summative evaluation and assistance to teachers in improvement of instruction. Training shall also address procedures for consistency and reliability among evaluators.

       2. X. The DCLP shall contain procedures for appealing decisions made regarding approval or denial of application and placement on the career ladder (168.510, RSMo), including the right to substantive and procedural appeals of the PBTE. Procedures shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:

          1. A. An opportunity to have the decision reviewed by the authority/committee rendering the initial decision;
          2. B. An opportunity to have the decision rendered in “A” reviewed by the superintendent of schools; and
          3. C. An opportunity to have the decision rendered in “B” reviewed by the local board of education. Appeal procedures shall be implemented in a timely fashion. All decisions made with respect to a teacher’s application to, and placement on, any stage of the career ladder shall be based on the qualifications for that stage as stated in the DCLP.
       3. XI. The DCLP shall contain provisions for recognition of teacher mobility from one participating district to another within this state (168.500.4., RSMo).

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will periodically review local district plans and will collect information from local districts regarding the career ladder process. The local district must advise the department regarding amendments to the DCLP adopted by the local board of education following approval of the original DCLP by the department. AUTHORITY: sections 168.500–168.515, RSMo 1994.* This rule previously filed as 5 CSR 80-850.030. Original rule filed Feb. 26, 1986, effective May 29, 1986. Amended: Filed Aug. 31, 1992, effective April 8, 1993. Amended: Filed Sept. 27, 1995, effective March 30, 1996. Moved to 5 CSR 20-400.370, effective Aug. 16, 2011. *Original authority: 168.500, RSMo 1985, amended 1986, 1993, 1996; 168.505, RSMo 1985, amended 1993; 168.510, RSMo 1985, amended 1996; and 168.515, RSMo 1985, amended 1993, 1996.