2023 Maine Revised Statutes › TITLE 20-A: EDUCATION › Part 6: TEACHERS › Chapter 502-C: REGIONAL SCHOOL LEADERSHIP ACADEMIES › 20-A §13112. Establishment

§13112. Establishment
Beginning July 1, 2020, a regional school leadership academy may be established under a collaborative agreement.   [PL 2019, c. 70, §5 (NEW).]
1.  Regional school leadership academy mission.
The mission of an academy is to enhance the quality of the preservice and in‑service staff training programs for school principalship and other school leadership positions, to improve the distribution, supply and quality of school leadership personnel in underserved school administrative units in the State and to develop appropriate professional development pathways at participating schools in the academy. To fulfill its mission, the academy shall work in coordination with educational leadership mentors and coaches and with high‑performing educational leaders employed within the collaborative partnership.
[PL 2019, c. 70, §5 (NEW).]
2.  Development of collaborative agreements; establishment of collaborative board.
School administrative units may work in cooperation with educator preparation programs and statewide education associations to design a plan for a collaborative agreement that achieves efficiencies and reduces costs in the delivery of programs and support services for preservice and in‑service staff training for teachers, principals and other school leaders. School administrative units that work in cooperation with educator preparation programs and statewide education associations to design a plan for a collaborative agreement shall establish a collaborative board. A collaborative board is the governing body of a regional school leadership academy. The plan for the collaborative agreement must be consistent with the following goals:
A. Improving student learning and development by providing preparation, training and support for teachers, principals and other school leaders that enable students in their schools to graduate ready for college and careers;   [PL 2019, c. 70, §5 (NEW).]
B. Identifying and recruiting prospective candidates for school principalship and other school leadership positions;   [PL 2019, c. 70, §5 (NEW).]
C. Improving recruitment strategies, including contracting with a marketing or branding firm to build recruitment strategies that coach school administrators how to make effective proposals to prospective candidates that would entice them to consider becoming a principal or school leader;   [PL 2019, c. 70, §5 (NEW).]
D. Establishing and maintaining long-term partnerships with school administrative units in the region that create and maintain a skilled and adaptable school principalship and school leadership preparation program;   [PL 2019, c. 70, §5 (NEW).]
E. Enhancing the recruitment, preservice training, education and preparation opportunities for teachers, principals and other school leaders in this State to allow them to prepare for future school principalship and other school leadership positions in schools in the State;   [PL 2019, c. 70, §5 (NEW).]
F. Providing teachers, principals and other school leaders in this State who seek to upgrade their education, skills and credentials in order to facilitate their career advancement and enhance their job security;   [PL 2019, c. 70, §5 (NEW).]
G. Establishing, at a minimum, 2 years of programming to support the implementation of school leadership induction and mentoring programs that promote excellence in school leadership, improve classroom instruction, enhance student achievement, build a supportive environment within school administrative units, increase the retention of promising school leaders and promote the personal and professional well‑being of school leaders;   [PL 2019, c. 70, §5 (NEW).]
H. Creating and promoting a selection process for mentors that enhances the support for newly hired principals and other school leaders; and   [PL 2019, c. 70, §5 (NEW).]
I. Creating a budget to provide resources for the academy's programs, collaborative organizational structures and program evaluation and a plan for the academy's sustainability.   [PL 2019, c. 70, §5 (NEW).]
[PL 2019, c. 70, §5 (NEW).]
3.  Approval.
The collaborative agreement plan under subsection 2 must be approved by the collaborative board before the collaborative agreement becomes effective.
[PL 2019, c. 70, §5 (NEW).]
4.  State assistance.
The department and the state board may provide the following services and resources to assist school administrative units that form a regional school leadership academy:
A. Guidance to help school administrative units create the supports and conditions to promote professional development of their own leadership;   [PL 2019, c. 70, §5 (NEW).]
B. Facilitation of partnerships between state education policy officials from the department and the state board and education leadership professionals, educator preparation programs and statewide education associations to enhance the promotion of collaborative partnerships; and   [PL 2019, c. 70, §5 (NEW).]
C. Assistance and resources to regional school leadership academies to encourage teachers to become candidates for school leadership positions; to provide pathways for aspiring candidates to explore, study, practice and take on leadership roles in their schools; and to employ mentors and coaches to provide training for newly hired school principals and school leaders that improves their awareness of standards‑based instruction and learning and develops their leadership skills. Beginning in fiscal year 2020-21, the department shall consider providing the following resources:
(1) Awarding state grant funds from the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services pursuant to chapter 114‑A for academies that apply and qualify for such grants; and
(2) Allocating state funding pursuant to section 15688‑A, subsection 9 to school administrative units that form a regional school leadership academy.   [PL 2019, c. 70, §5 (NEW).]
[PL 2019, c. 70, §5 (NEW).]
5.  Gifts, grants and donations.
School administrative units that enter into a collaborative agreement to form a regional school leadership academy may seek and accept public and private gifts, grants and donations to offset the costs of developing and implementing the collaborative agreement plan under subsection 2 for the regional school leadership academy. A gift, grant or donation received pursuant to this subsection must be approved prior to the receipt of the gift, grant or donation by the school boards for the school administrative units that enter into the collaborative agreement.
[PL 2019, c. 70, §5 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 2019, c. 70, §5 (NEW).