Bill #2

AN ACT RELATING TO PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENT, RECRUITMENT, SELECTION, RETENTION, AND ONGOING SUPPORT


PREAMBLE

WHEREAS, beginning educators are inequitably and disproportionately found in schools in high-poverty neighborhoods and communities; and

WHEREAS, beginning educators are, on average, less effective than more experienced ones; and

WHEREAS, a new principal may require up to five years to fully implement their vision for a school in order to achieve stability in achievement and staffing; and

WHEREAS, nearly 30 percent of principals who lead troubled schools quit every year and more than 50 percent of principals leave their jobs by their third year in the role; and

WHEREAS, principal turnover is expensive for local school systems, costing as much as $75,000 for every principal leaving the system according to the School Leaders Network, representing costs associated with recruiting, inducting, and other personnel matters relating to new principal training; and

WHEREAS, principal turnover is detrimental to student achievement, as principals are estimated to account for about 25 percent of a school’s total influence on student academic performance; and

WHEREAS, the Every Student Succeeds Act (P.L. 114-95) provides various levels of federal support and new opportunities to support teacher, principal, and other school leader training and preparation along the educator career continuum; and

WHEREAS, research demonstrates that comprehensive, multi-year induction programs accelerate the professional growth, reduce the rate of attrition, provide a stronger return on states’ and school districts’ investment, and improve student learning; and

WHEREAS, only 20 states require some type of support for first-time school principals, and of those, only six states—California, Delaware, Hawaii, Missouri, New Jersey, and Vermont—require induction or mentoring for first- and second-year school principals; now therefore

Article: EDUCATION

CHAPTER 1.DEVELOPMENT, RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AND SUPPORT

SECTION 1. Improved Human Resource System Grants

a)  The state education agency (SEA) shall provide grant funding and technical assistance, as necessary, to a local education agency (LEA) to improve its human resource systems to significantly improve principal recruitment, screening, hiring, and retention.

a.  The SEA shall at a minimum, take into consideration an LEA’s level of need as based on the number of schools serving a high percentage of free and reduced-price lunch students, student academic achievement, geography, and the rate of principal retention.

b.  Any LEA seeking grant funding or technical assistance for activities described in this part shall complete and submit a needs assessment that includes the qualifications set forth in (a)(a).

b)  An LEA awarded grant funds under this part may use those funds for activities that improve the recruitment and retention of high-quality principals, such as:

a.  Redesign the placement process to match an individual school’s needs with particular candidates’ strengths.

b.  Establish strategic succession plan procedures to ensure sufficient resources for an effective transition.

c.  Partner with a professional human resource firm to conduct a national search for high-quality candidates.

d.  Establish leadership teams to identify and recruit high quality candidates from within the district who exhibit qualities required of an effective principal.

e.  Increase principal compensation to match competitive offers from other districts.

f.  Provide other means of compensation such as relocation assistance for high-quality candidates.

c)  An LEA awarded grant funds under this part may combine those funds with other basic state education revenues for staff development and any other allowable activities under this part.

SECTION 2. Induction, Mentoring, and Ongoing Support System Grants

a)  The state education agency (SEA) shall provide grant funding and technical assistance, as necessary, to a local education agency (LEA) to improve ongoing support processes for principals.

a.  The SEA shall, at a minimum, take into consideration an LEA’s level of need as based on the number of schools serving a high percentage of free and reduced-price lunch students, student academic achievement, geography, and the rate of principal retention.

b.  Any LEA seeking grant funding or technical assistance for activities described in this part shall complete and submit a needs assessment that includes the qualifications set forth in (a)(a).

b)  An LEA awarded grant funds under this part may use those funds for activities that improve the quality of new and current principals, such as:

a.  Creation of a new principal induction program.

b.  Creation of a new clinical experience program linked to an accredited institution of higher education.

c.  Provision of stipends for principals in clinical placements to supplement their salaries.

d.  Creation of a new principal mentor program.

e.  Conducting educator surveys of learning conditions, such as school climate and leadership, to provide quality feedback and inform school improvement efforts.

f.  Provide stipends for mentor principals to cover additional expenses and time.

c)  Any LEA that creates an induction or mentoring program with these funds shall address, at a minimum, these key program elements:

a.  Assignment of a mentor or coach from a similar school context and demographic before the start of the academic school year to the extent possible.

b.  Establishment of criteria to develop a rigorous mentor selection and training process.

c.  Inclusion of a formative assessment of or feedback on coaching and instructional support from mentors.

d.  Requirement that school and classroom observations of instructional and community leadership are conducted by mentors.

e.  Participation in a professional learning community or beginning educator peer network for at least two years, but up to three years, upon a new principal’s initial start date.

f.  Provision for collaborative planning and release time for new principals and mentors.

CHAPTER 2: EFFECTIVE DATE

SECTION 1.The effective date of this Act shall be July 1, 2017.

SYNOPSIS

Chapter 1: This legislation requires the state education agency to provide grant funding and technical assistance for the improvement of principal development, recruitment, selection, retention, and ongoing support practices, such as the establishment of a new principal induction program, in local school districts. Funding may be awarded through a competitive process that takes into account the need of the educational and human capital needs of the district as determined by the state. An LEA must apply to the state and complete a needs assessment to be eligible to receive financial and/or technical support.

Chapter 2: This legislation shall go into effect no later than July 1, 2017.