Wi%E,.G 
, . 
.., 
FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
.i ". 
Second Regular Session 
1 
e 
[!;:[; 
-(.!, 
, , 
5~ 
' j 7 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The country is experiencing a shortage of qualified school administrators and 
principals with such shortage expected to intensify. This shortage comes at a time when 
the Department of Education is enacting new and more rigorous learning standards, 
school officials are expected to handle an increasing number of non-educational problems 
and issues, and the current generation o€ school administrators and officials are retiring. 
The combination of these factors results in a shrinking pool of qualified 
applicants. The shortage is particularly severe in high poverty school districts because of 
lower salaries and the challenging work environment. In many such districts, a 
disproportionate number of school administrators and principals have less than three 
years of experience. 
The ability of a school or district to improve teaching and raise student 
achievement is greatly dependent on the quality of leadership. Quality leadership can 
only be achieved if potential leaders are provided with the necessary support, 
professional development, and resources. 
All current and prospective principals and superintendents need support in their 
first three years, such as mentoring and sustained professional development, to become 
effective school leaders and to raise school and classroom perfonnance effectively. 
This bill seeks to provide ongoing, intensive professional development to 
superintendents, principals, and prospective superintendents and principals, particularly 
those serving, or intending to serve, in high-poverty, low-performing school districts and 


schools. It is also intended to improve the capacity of current and prospective 
superintendents and principals to serve as effective leaders and successfully implement 
standards-based reforms. With the establishment of these development programs, it 
would encourage the recruitment and retention of quality school leaders at the district- 
and school-level by enabling them to further develop their skills and knowledge. These 
aspirations geared towards recognizing and supporting the importance of principals and 
superintendents in facilitating student learning and improving academic achievement. 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
IO 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
.3 ,?;i. ... II 
FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
Second Regular Session 
) 
8 r$-r 
I,.’ 
-e PI;W 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
MANDATING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ESTABLISH A 
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM TO IMPROVE THE LEADERSFIIP 
CAPACITIES OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House ofRepresentatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. This act shall be known as the “Investment in Quality 
School Leadership Act”. 
SECTION 2. Award of Grunt to Establish a Professional Development Program. 
- The Secretary of Education shall award grants to eligible consortia to establish 
professional development programs. These programs shall serve a particular region and 
provide superintendents, principals, and prospective superintendents and principals, 
particularly those serving, or intending to serve, in high-poverty, low-performing school 
districts and schools, with ongoing, intensive professional development opportunities to 
improve their capacity to serve as effective leaders and successfully implement 
standards-based reforms. 
SECTION 3. Award Basis - The Secretary shall award grants on a competitive 
basis to eligible applicants to carry out this section. 
In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to consortia 
in which the local educational agency participating in the consortium serves the highest 
concentration of children living in poverty. 
25 
1 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
SECTION 4. Eligibility Requirements for Prospective Participants - 
1. Required Participants - In order to receive a grant under this section, a 
consoitium shall include not less than-- 
a. one local educational agency serving a high concentration of 
children living in poverty; 
b. one institution of higher education; and 
c. one organization that does not usually provide educational 
services, but has the necessary expertise to provide 
professional development to school administrators. 
2. Other Participants -An eligible consortium may also include-- 
a. one or more additional local educational agencies; 
b. State educational agencies; 
c. for-profit organizations with the expertise to provide 
professional development to school administrators; and 
d. public or private nonprofit organizations with the expertise to 
provide professional development to school administrators. 
SECTION 5. Grant Application Process - In order to receive an award under this 
section, an eligible applicant shall submit an application to the Secretary at snch time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. 
Each such application shall include-- 
a. information demonstrating that the applicant shall meet the 
matching requirement of Section 7; and 
b. a description of the involvement of superintendents and 
principals in developing the application. 
SECTION 6. Use of Funds - A consortium that receives a grant under this section 
shall use the grant funds to establish or expand a leadership development program 
described in subparagraph (a). 
2 


1 
1. Activities - The program referred to in subparagraph (a) shall provide 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
superintendents, principals, and prospective superintendents and principals, 
particularly individuals serving, or intending to serve, in high-poverty, low- 
performing schools and school districts, with ongoing, intensive professional 
development opportunities through activities that increase the knowledge and 
skills of participants in such areas as-- 
a. effective instructional practices; 
b. the content of the State's standards and supporting 
implementation of the standards in the classroom; 
c. comprehensive whole-school reform approaches and programs; 
d. the effective use of educational technology to improve teaching 
and learning; 
e. the recruitment, assignment, retention, and evaluation of school 
staff; 
f. the enhancement and development of management and 
organizational skills; 
g. leadership skills; 
h. the effective use of data for decision-making; and 
i. tlie iinplementatioii of school-based leadership teams. 
2. Additional Uses - A consortium that receives a grant under this section 
may also use the grant funds to support-- 
a. the recruitment and preparation of prospective principals and 
superintendents, including candidates with leadership and 
managerial experience in fields other than education; and 
b. alternative pathways to administrative positions. 
SECTION 7. Matching Requirement - 
1. In General - 
3 


9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
a. Each recipient of a grant under this Act shall provide not less 
than 50 percent of the annual cost of the project assisted by the 
grant from sources other than this Act. 
b. Contributions - A grantee's share of such costs may be 
provided in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated. 
2. Waiver - The Secretary may waive the matching reqiiirement o f  
paragraph (1) with respect to applicants that the Secretary determines 
serve low-income areas. 
SECTION 8. Resewation - The Secretary may reserve not more than 4 percent of 
the amount appropriated under subsection (i) for each fiscal year for technical assistance, 
evaluation, dissemination of information on effective programs for preparing and training 
district and school-level administrators, carrying out activities to encourage the spread 
and adoption of successful leadership development centers, and other national activities 
that support the programs under this section. 
SECTION 9. Report - 
1. Existing Programs - 
a. Study - The Secretary shall, in consultation with representatives 
of local educational agencies, educational agencies, institutions of 
higher 
education, 
superintendents, 
principals, 
education 
organizations, community groups, business, and labor, conduct a 
study to evaluate and report to Congress regarding existing 
professional development programs that recruit, prepare, and train 
district- and school-level administrators to serve as effective 
leaders and successfully implement standards-based reforms in 
diverse educational environments across the Nation. 
b. Report to Congress - The Secretary shall submit a report to 
Congress not later than one year a€ter the date of enactment of this 
4 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
Act regarding the findings of the study conducted under 
subparagraph (a). 
2. Program Report - The Secretary shall submit to Congress a report 
regarding the effectiveness of professional development programs, 
established pursuant to this section, to recruit and retain principals and 
superintendents. 
SECTION 10. Appropriation. - The amount of Five million pesos 
(P5,000,000.00) is hereby authorized to be appropriated for establishment of a 
professional development program. Thereafter, the funds necessary for the operation of 
the program shall be included in the General Appropriations Act. 
SECTION 11. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part thereof is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise 
affected shall remaiii valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive orders, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule and regulation contrary 
to, or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified, or 
amended accordingly. 
SECTION 13. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
following its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
21 
Approved, 
5