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 Resource System Grants
Creation of a new clinical experience program linked to an accredited institution of higher education. Provision of stipends for principals in clinical placements to supplement their salaries. Creation of a new principal mentor program. Conducting educator surveys of learning conditions, such as school climate and leadership, to provide feedback and inform school improvement efforts. Provide stipends for mentor principals to cover additional expenses and time. Any LEA that creates an induction or mentoring program with these funds shall address, at a minimum, these key program elements: 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. Establishment of criteria to develop a rigorous mentor selection and training process. Inclusion of a formative assessment of or feedback on coaching and instructional support from mentors. Requirement that school and classroom observations of instructional and community leadership are conducted by mentors. 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. 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 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.