Leadership Professional Development For School Principals

The bill creates the school leadership pilot program (program) to provide professional development for public elementary, middle, and high school principals. During the 2018-19 budget year, the department of education (department) is directed to design and implement the program or contract with a nonprofit entity to design and implement the program. The program must include identification of high-quality school principals who will interact with the school principals selected to receive professional development through the program. The program must also include professional development in distributive and collaborative leadership skills with the goal of improving educator retention, school climate and culture, and student outcomes.

School principals may apply to receive professional development through the program during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 budget years. The department or the contracted entity must review the applications and recommend participants to the state board of education (state board), who shall select the participants. Subject to available appropriations, the state board must provide grants to the employing entities of the school principals who participate in the program either as high-quality school principals or to receive professional development. The grants are paid from money appropriated to the school leadership pilot program fund created in the bill.

By March 15, 2019, the department must report to the education committees of the general assembly concerning the design of the program. By January 15, 2021, the department must report to the education committees concerning implementation of the program, including recommendations for whether the program should be continued.

The program is repealed, effective July 1, 2021.

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)