In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. “Career ladder” means the career ladder for public prekindergarten, primary, or secondary school teachers in the State implemented by county boards that meets the standards set forth under this subtitle and the standards adopted by the Department. “NBC” means National Board Certification issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. “NBC teacher” means a teacher who holds an active National Board Certification. “Teacher” means a certified public school employee who is primarily responsible and accountable for teaching the students in the class. “Teacher” does not include, unless otherwise provided: Curriculum specialists; Instructional aides; Attendance personnel; Psychologists; Social workers; Clerical personnel; An individual with a Resident Teacher Certificate; or An individual with a certification for career professionals.

On or before July 1, 2024, each county board shall implement a career ladder that meets the requirements of this subtitle. Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, the requirements of this subtitle shall become effective in a county on the date the county board adopts a career ladder under paragraph (1) of this subsection. There is a career ladder for educators in the State. The purpose of the career ladder is to: Transform teaching into a high–status profession in the State; Attract high–performing students to pursue the high–status teaching profession; Retain high–quality teachers who gain additional responsibility, authority, status, and compensation as they gain additional expertise; Transform the education system in the State into a top–performing system in the world; Support the reorganization of schools to provide teachers with professional learning and peer collaboration time during the school day by having more teachers in each school, including time primarily: To work in teams of teachers by subject and grade; To work together with other teachers to continuously improve instruction; To review together with other teachers individual student needs, including needs related to behavioral issues, and develop plans to address those needs; and For professional learning for teachers pursuing NBC; Develop and support highly competent school leaders that are able to lead high–performing schools due to their: Knowledge of teaching and learning; Experience as teachers, leaders, and mentors of teachers; and Knowledge of and experience with organizing schools so that all students are successful in the global economy; and Above all, inspire teachers and school leaders to instill in their students a passion for learning and a mastery of the skills necessary to succeed in the global economy. Except as provided in this subtitle, the career ladder is subject to collective bargaining in accordance with § 6–408 of this title. The career ladder shall: Adequately compensate professional teachers for their work; Support and encourage teachers working in teams to systematically improve schools and curricula; Provide teachers with the opportunity to identify and work with students who need extra help, including by providing teachers time during the school day to take on those pursuits; and Provide teachers with the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge by participating in job–embedded professional development. The guiding principles for development of the career ladder are: Progression of teachers in a manner that incentivizes teachers to stay on the teacher track rather than moving to the administrator track; A teacher salary that attracts new teachers to the profession; A teacher salary that incentivizes existing teachers to opt in to the career ladder; Teacher salary progression as performance increases as demonstrated by a teacher achieving NBC; and Incentives that are successful in all local school systems. The levels of the career ladder are as follows: Level one is a State certified teacher; Level two is a teacher pursuing: A master’s degree; 30 credits of a program of study approved by the State Board, in consultation with the Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board; or NBC; Level three is: An NBC teacher; If there is no assessment comparable to NBC for the teacher’s subject area, a teacher with a master’s degree in the teacher’s subject area; or An assistant principal; and Level four is: A teacher on the teacher leadership track, in the following tiers: Lead Teacher; Distinguished Teacher; or Professor Distinguished Teacher; or A teacher on the administrator track, in the following tiers: Licensed Principal; or Distinguished Principal. If a teacher achieves level three or four of the career ladder by being an NBC teacher, the teacher shall maintain an active National Board Certification in order to remain on level three or four of the career ladder, as applicable. Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, teachers at each level or tier of the career ladder shall teach in the classroom for a minimum percentage of their total working time, as specified in this subtitle. The percentages referenced in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall become effective in phases over a 7–year period beginning July 1, 2028, as specified by a county board on approval of the State Board. The following teachers shall be given priority for working time outside the classroom as the percentages referenced in paragraph (1) of this subsection are phased in: Newly licensed teachers, particularly new teachers in low–performing schools or schools that have a high concentration of students living in poverty; and Teachers in schools that: Are low–performing; Have a high concentration of students living in poverty; or Have large achievement gaps between subpopulations of students. The percentage of teachers who are Professor Distinguished Teachers or Distinguished Principals may not be more than 1% of the total number of all teachers. Teachers in the upper levels of the career ladder shall mentor teachers in the lower levels of the ladder, especially those teachers who teach in schools with high proportions of low–performing students. Each county board shall strive to place NBC teachers in schools throughout the county and in a manner that supports equity and prioritizes low–performing schools. A county board may not receive funding from the State for the implementation of the career ladder under § 6–1009 of this subtitle unless the county board implements a career ladder that meets the requirements of this subtitle.

Beginning with teachers listed under § 6–1002(h)(3) of this subtitle, as specified by the State Board, a teacher on level one, two, or three of the career ladder shall: Teach in the classroom on average 60% of the teacher’s working time; and Spend the remaining time on other teacher activities, including: Improving instruction; Identifying, working with, and tutoring students who need additional help; Working with the most challenging students; Working with students living in concentrated poverty; and Leading or participating in professional learning. An assistant principal is on level three of the career ladder and shall: Be an NBC teacher; or Have an advanced professional certificate for administration. Beginning with teachers listed under § 6–1002(h)(3) of this subtitle, as specified by the State Board, an assistant principal shall: Participate in classroom activity involving direct interactions with students for at least 20% of their working hours; and Spend a portion of the remaining time on other teacher related activities, including: Setting priorities for the subject level departments or grade levels of the school; and Fulfilling specialized roles, such as head of professional development. The requirements of paragraph (2) of this subsection may not be construed to require that an assistant principal be designated as a teacher of record.

There is a teacher leadership track on level four of the career ladder. A teacher on the teacher leadership track: Shall: Be an NBC teacher; or If there is no assessment comparable to NBC for the teacher’s subject area, have a master’s degree in the teacher’s subject area; and Is responsible for mentoring peers and serving as an expert resource on content and pedagogy for their school, their district, and the State. The first tier of the teacher leadership track is a lead teacher. A lead teacher shall: Meet all skill and credential requirements for levels one through three on the career ladder; Be able to lead, in an effective and disciplined way, teams of teachers working to improve the curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the school; Have the skills and knowledge to mentor new teachers or less skilled teachers to enable them to develop their skills, including mentoring teachers who are pursuing NBC; Have sufficient research expertise, including expertise in action research, in order to lead teams of teachers that will use research to develop programs, curriculum, teaching techniques, and other interventions; Be able to conduct formal evaluations of the interventions developed under item (iv) of this paragraph to determine the extent to which the interventions are successful and to alter the interventions as necessary to improve outcomes for students; and Teach students using culturally responsive and trauma–informed pedagogy. When a lead teacher position becomes available in a county, a lead teacher shall be selected in accordance with this paragraph. Throughout the process of selecting a lead teacher under this paragraph, priority shall be given to teachers who have experience teaching in schools that: Reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the State; or Have received a grant under § 5–223 of this article. Distinguished teachers, professor distinguished teachers, and, if necessary because of a limited number of distinguished and professor distinguished teachers, lead teachers who teach in the county shall provide a list of qualified candidates to: The principal of the school in which the position is available; and The local superintendent. The principal of the school in which the position is available and the local superintendent shall appoint a candidate from the list provided under subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph. Beginning with teachers listed under § 6–1002(h)(3) of this subtitle as specified by the State Board, a lead teacher shall: Teach in the classroom on average 50% of the teacher’s working time; and Spend the remaining time on other teacher activities, including: Mentoring newer and struggling teachers and teachers who are pursuing NBC; and Leading workshops and demonstrations at the school level. The second tier of the teacher leadership track is a distinguished teacher. A distinguished teacher shall have demonstrated exceptional skills in all the requirements for a lead teacher, which may be determined through an evaluation of: The teaching capability of the teacher’s mentees; Whether the teams the teacher led resulted in effective improvements in curriculum, instruction, and assessment; The quality of the teacher’s published work, including publication in refereed journals; The demand for the teacher’s counsel and guidance, both inside and outside of the teacher’s school; The teacher’s ethical standards and ability to promote a school culture in which all students are expected to achieve at high levels and all professionals are expected to work to help students achieve at high levels; and The teacher’s ability to inspire, guide, and develop teachers to achieve a high level of competence. When a distinguished teacher position becomes available in a county, a distinguished teacher shall be selected in accordance with this paragraph. Throughout the process of selecting a distinguished teacher under this paragraph, priority shall be given to lead teachers who have experience teaching in classrooms and leading teams of teachers in schools that: Reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the State; or Have received a grant under § 5–223 of this article. Professor distinguished teachers and, if necessary because of a limited number of professor distinguished teachers, distinguished teachers who teach in the county shall provide a list of qualified candidates to: The principal of the school in which the position is available; and The local superintendent. The principal of the school in which the position is available and the local superintendent shall appoint a candidate from the list provided in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph. Beginning with teachers listed under § 6–1002(h)(3) of this subtitle as specified by the State Board, a distinguished teacher shall: Teach in the classroom on average 40% of the teacher’s working time; and Spend the remaining time on other teacher activities, including: Mentoring lead teachers; and Leading workshops and demonstrations at the school and district level. The third tier of the teacher leadership track is a professor distinguished teacher. A professor distinguished teacher is a distinguished teacher with exceptional accomplishments, which may be demonstrated by: The publication of research papers as a university professor; or Being qualified to teach and be a leader in both an institution of higher education and an elementary or secondary school. Candidates to be a professor distinguished teacher include: A senior faculty member in a professional development school who holds a doctorate and is qualified to serve as a clinical professor; and A teacher who: Is based at an institution of higher education; Serves as a mentor and instructor of teachers in training; Mentors new teachers during induction; and Designs and leads professional development across the State. A county board shall appoint a professor distinguished teacher in consultation with the appropriate institution of higher education. Throughout the process of selecting a professor distinguished teacher under this paragraph, priority shall be given to distinguished teachers who have experience teaching, leading teachers, and developing teachers in schools that: Reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the State; or Have received a grant under § 5–223 of this article. Beginning with teachers listed under § 6–1002(h)(3) of this subtitle as specified by the State Board, a professor distinguished teacher shall teach in a classroom on average 20% of the teacher’s working time. When the career ladder under § 6–1002(a) of this subtitle is determined by the Accountability and Implementation Board to be well established throughout the State, a county board shall select: A mentor teacher for induction programs and teacher training practicums from the teacher leadership track; and An expert to write curriculum and assessment items and develop model lessons from the distinguished teacher and professor distinguished teacher tiers of the teacher leadership track. Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a teacher in the teacher leadership track shall spend a portion of their working time teaching in the classroom. A teacher in the teacher leadership track may be assigned nonteaching duties for a period of time, but shall return to teaching in the classroom after a certain period of time, as determined by the county board.

Each county board may convene a local career ladder development board. The membership of the local career ladder development board shall include advanced teachers and stakeholders. The local career ladder development board shall set standards for teachers to achieve each tier in the teacher leadership track in the county.

There is an administrator track on level four of the career ladder. The primary purpose of the administrator track is to develop teachers into principals. A teacher on the administrator track is responsible for managing administrative functions in the school. The first tier of the administrator track is a licensed principal. The State Board, in consultation with the Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board, shall establish the criteria that a teacher shall meet to achieve the licensed principal tier. The criteria under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph: Except as provided in subparagraph (iii) of this paragraph and beginning on July 1, 2034, shall include a requirement that a teacher be an NBC teacher before the teacher may be a licensed principal; and May include a requirement that a teacher shall complete an induction or training program for new principals. The State Board, in consultation with the Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board, shall establish a process through which an individual may receive a waiver to serve as a licensed principal if the individual: Is not an NBC teacher; but Meets other qualifying criteria, as determined by the State Board, in consultation with the Professional Standards and Education Board. Beginning with teachers listed under § 6–1002(h)(3) of this subtitle as specified by the State Board, a licensed principal is encouraged to teach in the classroom for at least 10% of the principal’s working hours. When a licensed principal position becomes available in the county, a licensed principal shall be selected in accordance with this paragraph. Throughout the process of selecting a licensed principal under this paragraph, priority shall be given to teachers who have experience teaching in schools that: Reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the State; or Have received a grant under § 5–223 of this article. Teacher leaders, other licensed principals, and distinguished principals in the county shall provide a list of qualified candidates to the local superintendent. The local superintendent shall appoint a candidate from the list provided under subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph. The second tier of the administrator track is distinguished principal. To be a distinguished principal, a teacher shall demonstrate the ability to: Effectively identify, attract, lead, and retain highly professional teachers; Organize and manage a school in a way that incentivizes and supports teachers to do their best work; Set high standards for faculty and students and achieve the standards set by others; Work with stakeholders on the teacher’s vision; Identify and help cultivate a teacher’s potential for growth; Help students, parents, and teachers embrace the goal for all students to achieve internationally competitive standards; Mentor and support other principals; and Help other principals achieve higher levels of performance. Beginning with teachers listed under § 6–1002(h)(3) of this subtitle as specified by the State Board, a distinguished principal is encouraged to teach in a classroom for at least 10% of the principal’s working hours. When a distinguished principal position becomes available in the county, a distinguished principal shall be selected in accordance with this paragraph. Throughout the process of selecting a distinguished principal under this paragraph, priority shall be given to licensed principals who have experience teaching and serving as principals in schools that: Reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the State; or Have received a grant under § 5–223 of this article. Teacher leaders and other distinguished principals in the county shall provide a list of qualified candidates to the local superintendent. The local superintendent shall appoint a candidate from the list provided under subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph. All licensed and distinguished principals shall: Be trained in and demonstrate capability with racial awareness and cultural competence, including: Teaching students and managing teaching faculty from different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds; and Implementing restorative practices; Cultivate a school environment in which teachers: Develop cultural competence; Enhance empathy and respect for students; Work to eliminate biases and stereotypes; and Provide instruction in a manner that assumes that all students regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, or other characteristics are capable of the highest levels of academic achievement; and Be evaluated on their success in fostering the school environment in item (2) of this subsection. A county board may add a tier to the administrator track for district office directors.

In addition to the other requirements of this subtitle, movement up the career ladder shall depend on: The teacher’s performance; The teacher’s experience; and The availability of positions. A teacher may not be promoted to the next level or tier on the career ladder unless: The most recent evaluation of the teacher’s instruction by the principal or other individual, as determined by the county board, is effective; The teacher and the principal, supervisor, or any other individual, as determined by the county board, agree that the teacher is ready to take on the additional responsibilities required by the position at the next level; and There is an open position at the next level. Promotion up the career ladder is not guaranteed. In choosing a candidate for an open position in the career ladder, consideration shall be given to the candidate’s experience in schools that represent the demographic and economic diversity of the school system. As a teacher moves up the career ladder and receives effective evaluations, the teacher shall be given increased authority, responsibility, and autonomy for making school–level decisions. Movement from one level or tier to a higher level or tier shall result in a salary increase consistent with § 6–1009 of this subtitle. A teacher may move from one track of the career ladder to a different track with the approval of the principal of the school in which they teach.

Teachers are encouraged to obtain an NBC and participate in the career ladder. In this subsection, “Program” means the program established under paragraph (2) of this subsection. There is a Program to: Encourage and support teachers in the State in obtaining and maintaining an NBC, including teachers from groups historically underrepresented in the teaching profession; and Develop a culture of collaborative support for accomplished teaching. The Program shall include: A virtual course for teachers interested in pursuing an NBC; Virtual and in–person support to teachers pursuing an NBC; and Training and support for National Board Facilitators. The Department shall establish a National Board Coordinator to direct the Program, including by coordinating with the Local National Board Coordinators and the National Board Facilitators in each school system or region. Each local superintendent shall select a Local National Board Coordinator to: Organize the delivery of the Program in each local school system by collaborating with: Local teacher preparation programs and nonprofit organizations that have a record of success in helping teachers obtain NBC; The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, which has established resources and tools for teachers seeking NBC; and Representatives of employee organizations designated as the exclusive negotiating agent for the public school employees in a unit of the county; Recruit, train, and support National Board Facilitators in the region; and Collaborate with the National Board Coordinator. A local superintendent may choose to enter into a regional agreement to implement the Program with one or more local school systems. National Board Facilitators shall provide teachers in the local school system or in the region with virtual and in–person support and coaching in obtaining and maintaining an NBC. National Board Facilitators shall be selected: By the local superintendent; or If the local superintendent entered into a regional agreement under paragraph (5) of this subsection, in a manner as specified under the agreement. County boards shall encourage teachers to obtain master’s degrees in fields that require special expertise, have shortage areas, and enhance the teacher’s professional skills and qualifications so that teachers are able to teach dual–enrollment courses as adjunct faculty at institutions of higher education including by providing additional compensation as appropriate and through collective bargaining.

Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, beginning on July 1, 2022, teacher salary increases associated with the career ladder shall at a minimum include the following: Becoming an NBC teacher – $10,000 salary increase; An NBC teacher teaching at a low–performing school as identified by the county board – $7,000 salary increase; Becoming lead teacher – $5,000 salary increase; Becoming distinguished teacher – $10,000 salary increase; Becoming professor distinguished teacher – $15,000 salary increase; and Becoming a distinguished principal – $15,000 salary increase. The teacher salary increases under paragraph (1) of this subsection do not apply to paragraph (1)(iii) through (vi) of this subsection until § 6–1002(a) of this subtitle becomes effective as recommended by the Department and approved by the Accountability and Implementation Board. Salary increases associated with maintenance of an NBC are subject to collective bargaining in accordance with § 6–408 of this title. The State share for the following salary increases provided under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall not exceed the following amounts: Earning a first maintenance of NBC – $8,000 salary increase; Earning a second maintenance of NBC – $7,000 salary increase; and Earning a third maintenance of NBC – $6,000 salary increase. If a teacher is eligible for more than one salary increase under subsections (a) and (b) of this section, the teacher shall receive all salary increases that apply. A teacher that receives a salary increase under subsection (a)(2) of this section for teaching at a low–performing school may not lose that salary increase while teaching at the school even if the school ceases to be low–performing. On or before July 1, 2024, each county shall demonstrate to the Accountability and Implementation Board established under § 5–402 of this article that, during the period between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2024, teachers in the county received a 10% salary increase above the negotiated schedule of salary increases between the public school employer and exclusive representative for the employee organization. Beginning on July 1, 2026, the minimum teacher salary for all teachers shall be $60,000. In this subsection, “total program amount” means the sum of, for each item under subsections (a) and (b)(2) of this section: The teacher salary increase multiplied by the number of teachers receiving the salary increase; and Rounded to the nearest whole dollar. The increase in the salary required under subsections (a) and (b)(2) of this section shall be a shared cost between the State and the county in accordance with this subsection. The required State share for each county is the result of the following calculation multiplied by 0.5 and rounded to the nearest whole dollar: The salary increase multiplied by the number of teachers eligible to receive the salary increase in the prior fiscal year; Divide the result calculated under item (i) of this paragraph by the ratio, rounded to seven decimal places, of local wealth per pupil to statewide wealth per pupil as defined in § 5–201 of this article; and Multiply the result calculated under item (ii) of this paragraph by the result, rounded to seven decimal places, that results from dividing the total program amount by the sum of all of the results calculated under item (ii) of this paragraph for all counties. The required local share is equal to the total program amount for each county minus the State share calculated under paragraph (3) of this subsection and rounded to the nearest whole dollar. Beginning in fiscal year 2023, the State shall distribute the State share of the teacher salary increases as calculated under subsection (f) of this section to each county board. Beginning in fiscal year 2023, the county shall distribute the local share of the teacher salary increases as calculated under subsection (f) of this section to each county board. Beginning in fiscal year 2023, the county board shall distribute the State and the local share of the teacher salary increase to the school in which the teacher works.

Teacher evaluation systems used in connection with the career ladder shall: Be aligned with the five core propositions of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards; Include a peer assistance and review model; Define the system’s expectations for an evaluator’s level of skill and knowledge; and Include a calibrated method to measure performance and to provide personalized feedback that is aligned with the teacher’s strengths, needs, and professional learning context. An evaluation system used in connection with a career ladder shall use observations to evaluate a teacher that: Include documented observable evidence; Are linked to student learning and not solely consist of simple checklists; Include post observation conferences between the teacher and evaluator to encourage reflection on the teacher’s teaching practice; Require an assessment of the competency of the evaluator; Are developed with stakeholders; and Require teachers and evaluators to be fully trained to understand the evaluation process.

On or before July 1, 2024, the Department shall develop and design a new system of professional development that is tied to the career ladder. The new system of professional development shall include: Training on how to lead and mentor teams of professionals to promote professional learning among colleagues; Training on how to collaborate with colleagues to improve student performance; Training on how to design and support collaborative professional learning for teachers pursuing an NBC; A train–the–trainer model; and Advanced training on the science of learning specific to individual disciplines. On or before June 30, 2026, each county board shall provide the system of professional development designed by the Department under subsection (a) of this section to each teacher who teaches in the county. Beginning on July 1, 2026, each county board shall provide the system of professional development designed by the Department under subsection (a) of this section to each teacher teaching in the county no later than 1 year after the teacher begins teaching in the State.

In this section, “nonclassroom teacher” means a position in a school for which, if the individual earns NBC, the individual is eligible to join the career ladder, including: Administrators; Assistant principals; Instructional specialists; and Principals. Except as provided under paragraph (2) of this subsection, each teacher or nonclassroom teacher who pursues NBC shall receive from the State an amount equal to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards fees associated with the initial completion and renewal of NBC. Each teacher and nonclassroom teacher may only receive payment under this subsection for one retake of each assessment on the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Each county shall pay to the State one–third of the cost for each teacher or nonclassroom teacher who receives funds under subsection (b) of this section to pursue NBC. A teacher or a nonclassroom teacher who does not complete all the requirements for assessment by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards shall reimburse the State the full amount of the funds received under subsection (b) of this section. The State shall reimburse the county the amount received under subsection (c) of this section on receipt of the reimbursement from a teacher or nonclassroom teacher under paragraph (1) of this subsection. The provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection do not apply to a teacher or nonclassroom teacher who completes all the requirements for assessment by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards but does not obtain NBC.

The State Board, in consultation with the Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board and the Accountability and Implementation Board established under § 5–402 of this article, shall adopt regulations to implement the provisions of this subtitle.