SB300ENGROSSED
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ZSXTWK-2
By Senator Orr
RFD: Finance and Taxation Education
First Read: 09-May-23
2023 Regular Session
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A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To create the School Principal Leadership and Mentoring
Act and the Alabama Principal Leadership Development System
for public K-12 education; to provide for the creation and
implementation of a mentoring program for new principals and a
continuing professional learning program for principals and
assistant principals; and to provide annual stipends for each
principal and assistant principal who satisfactorily completes
the program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as
the School Principal Leadership and Mentoring Act.
Section 2. For the purposes of this act, the following
terms shall have the following meanings:
(1) BOARD. The State Board of Education.
(2) DEPARTMENT. The State Department of Education.
(3) DESIGN TEAM. The group of individuals appointed to
design the Alabama Principal Leadership Development System
including, but not limited to, school leadership standards,
principal leadership framework, design of a leadership
academy, ongoing professional learning, mentoring, evaluation
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system, or any other aspect the design team determines
necessary for the growth and development of successful school
administrators.
(4) HIGH-POVERTY SCHOOL. A school that has a free and
reduced federal lunch student percentage of 75 percent or
greater as determined by the most recent data posted or that
provides meals to all students through the community
eligibility provision.
(5) LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOL. Any school that is
identified as a Comprehensive Support and Improvement School,
a Targeted Support and Improvement School, an Additional
Targeted Support and Improvement School, a school with a D or
F grade as defined by the Alabama Education Report Card,
Chapter 6C of Title 16, Code of Alabama 1975, or a full
support school or limited support school as defined by the
Alabama Literacy Act, Chapter 6G of Title 16, Code of Alabama
1975, or the Alabama Numeracy Act, Chapter 6H of Title 16,
Code of Alabama 1975.
(6) MENTORING. A long-term relationship between a new
principal mentee and a trained principal mentor that fosters
the professional, academic, or personal development of the
principal mentee.
(7) NEW PRINCIPAL. A principal who is serving in his or
her first or second year as a principal.
(8) PRINCIPAL. An individual who is certified for the
position of principal, as prescribed by the board, and who is
employed full-time by a local board of education as the chief
school administrator of a public school.
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(9) PRINCIPAL MENTEE. A new principal who is
participating in a mentoring relationship with a more
experienced principal through which the principals may further
define and articulate core values, grow instructional
leadership competencies, and develop professional confidence.
(10) PRINCIPAL MENTOR. An experienced school
administrator who guides new principals in defining and
articulating core values, growing instructional leadership
competencies, and developing professional confidence.
(11) PROFESSIONAL LEARNING. A comprehensive, sustained,
job-embedded, and collaborative approach to improving the
effectiveness of principals in elevating student achievement
through professional study.
(12) PROFESSIONAL LEARNING UNIT. A content-driven,
long-term unit of professional study for instructional leaders
that fully addresses all knowledge and ability indicators
under at least one of the Alabama Standards for School
Leaders, or a professional study that constitutes a
professional learning unit that requires multiple professional
learning experiences over time and is aligned with the Alabama
Standards for School Leadership, the Principal Leadership
framework, and the Alabama Standards for Professional
Learning.
(13) PROGRAM. The Alabama Principal Leadership
Development System created by this act.
(14) SCHOOL. A public school located in the state and
providing instruction in grades preK-12, or any configuration
of those grades.
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(15) SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR. Includes principals and
assistant principals.
(16) SUPERINTENDENT. The State Superintendent of
Education.
Section 3. (a)(1) A design team shall be appointed to
develop the program. In selecting design team members, the
superintendent may consult with professional associations that
primarily serve school administrators, higher education
partners, and others to facilitate a design team with
expertise in elementary, middle, and high school leadership,
as well as curriculum, school climate, data management,
assessment, instruction, mentoring, and other areas necessary
for leading a school with high expectations for academic
achievement and growth and a positive school climate. At a
minimum, the membership of the design team shall include all
of the following:
a. The State Superintendent of Education, or his or her
designee.
b. Three serving principals, including a high school,
middle school, and elementary school principal appointed by
the Board of Directors of the Council for Leaders in Alabama
Schools.
c. Three serving assistant principals, including a high
school, middle school, and elementary school assistant
principal appointed by the Board of Directors of the Council
for Leaders in Alabama Schools.
d. Two local superintendents of education appointed by
the Board of Directors of the School Superintendents of
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Alabama.
e. Three serving public school teachers, including a
high school, middle school, and elementary school teacher
appointed by the Board of Directors of the Alabama Education
Association.
f. Two members who are each serving as a member of a
local board of education appointed by the Board of Directors
of the Alabama Association of School Boards.
g. One member who is serving as an instructor at an
institution of higher education in the state and is familiar
with the responsibilities and roles of principals appointed by
the Alabama Commission on Higher Education.
h. Two members appointed from the state at-large by the
Board of Directors of the A+ Education Partnership.
i. Four members appointed from the state at-large by
the Governor.
(2) The appointing authorities shall coordinate their
appointments to assure the team membership is inclusive and
reflects the racial, gender, geographic, urban, rural, and
economic diversity of the state.
(b) To assist in developing and implementing the
program, the department may contract with a professional
learning organization in the state that has demonstrated
successful experience in providing training to principals in
distributive and collaborative leadership. In addition, the
design team may contract with a national organization with
demonstrated expertise in the most current research related to
effective principal leadership.
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(c) The goal of the program is to increase the
effectiveness of school administrators resulting in improved
academic outcomes for all students. At a minimum, the program
shall provide all of the following:
(1) Statewide infrastructure that provides consistent
access to sustained, high-quality professional learning and
mentoring for school administrators.
(2) Updated Alabama Standards for School Leadership and
Principal Leadership framework to reflect recent research and
best practices, which shall replace the Alabama Standards for
Instructional Leaders.
(3) Principal Leadership framework, which shall guide
development of the program. This framework shall satisfy the
requirements of the instructional leadership framework in the
Alabama Numeracy Act and shall provide guidance for all of the
following:
a. A clear and shared vision for principal leadership,
including the following domains for principal effectiveness:
Visionary leadership, instructional leadership, innovative
leadership, managerial leadership, and relational leadership.
b. Recognizing and supporting excellent instruction
through the use of high-quality instructional materials and
evidence-based teaching practices.
c. Supporting evidence-based best practices of
high-quality professional learning.
d. Data driven instructional leadership to continuously
drive improvement in student achievement, including managing a
multi-tiered system of supports to improve student
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achievement.
e. Effective coaching and management of school-based
academic coaches.
f. Norms for participation and collaboration in
coaching cycles to strengthen teacher practices.
(4) Comprehensive instruction on school leadership and
other relevant topics aligned to the new Alabama Standards for
School Leadership and the Principal Leadership framework.
(5) Additional resources for those schools that have
difficulty in recruiting and retaining effective school
administrators.
(6) Competitive grants or technical assistance, or
both, to encourage local school districts to develop principal
pipeline programs.
Section 4. Commencing with the 2023-2024 school year,
the design team shall develop the program in three phases,
with increasing complexity and accountability, and implemented
in the following stages:
(1) Commencing with the 2023-2024 school year, each
school administrator shall develop a comprehensive
professional learning plan to be implemented beginning in the
2024-2025 school year, and in each subsequent school year
thereafter. In addition to required professional learning
units, the plan shall include an additional five days of
high-quality professional learning targeted to building skills
for school leadership as identified in the annual professional
learning plan. The department shall publish a list of
acceptable professional learning programs, or otherwise
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approve professional learning experiences for this purpose
aligned to the Alabama Standards for School Leadership and
Principal Leadership framework including, but not limited to,
a menu of microcredentials, additional in-person academies,
field experiences, and other advanced work. Each professional
learning plan shall include at least one goal related to
student academic growth or achievement, or both, and at least
one goal for school climate. School administrators in
elementary schools shall participate in early literacy and
numeracy professional learning recommended by the
superintendent for their individual schools as part of their
high-quality professional learning plan.
(2) Commencing with the 2024-2025 school year, each new
principal shall work with a principal mentor for two
consecutive years. A principal mentor shall be selected based
on his or her successful experience as a school leader and
commitment to developing principal mentees in school
leadership. A training program for principal mentors shall be
developed, or selected, by the design team.
(3) No later than the fall of 2025, a year-long
leadership academy shall be developed by the design team. The
leadership academy shall be aligned to the Alabama Standards
for School Leadership and Principal Leadership framework.
(4) No later than the fall of 2025, the design team, in
partnership with a national expert, shall develop an
evaluation system for all participating school administrators.
The evaluation system shall be aligned to the Alabama
Standards for School Leadership and Principal Leadership
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framework and shall include measures of student growth and
achievement and all of the following domains for principal
effectiveness:
a. Visionary leadership.
b. Instructional leadership.
c. Innovative leadership.
d. Managerial leadership.
e. Relational leadership.
(5) No later than July 1, 2024, the design team shall
recommend to the superintendent a schedule for implementation
of the program so that all principals shall have the
opportunity to begin the program not later than the 2029-2030
school year.
Section 5. (a) Any appropriation by the Legislature
shall be used, in part, to fund salary supplements and related
benefit costs for school administrators and other costs
relating to the program.
(b)(1) The department shall provide an annual
supplement of up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000) to any
principal and up to five thousand dollars ($5,000) to any
assistant principal who successfully completes the program, is
employed full-time in a public preK-12 school, and is properly
certified by the state. The department shall provide
additional supplements of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000)
to any principal and up to two thousand five hundred dollars
($2,500) to any assistant principal serving in a
low-performing school or high-poverty school. The amount of
any supplement provided by this subdivision is subject to
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appropriations by the Legislature. Successful completion of
the program shall consist of the following:
a. Beginning with all then currently employed
principals and assistant principals, as of October 1, 2024,
annual completion of five additional days of approved,
high-quality professional learning as described in Section 4.
b. Beginning with all newly employed, first-time
principals, as of July 1, 2024, or later, annual completion of
five additional days of approved, high-quality professional
learning and participation in a new school administrator
mentor program.
c. Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, all then
currently employed and new principals, in addition to the five
additional days of high-quality professional learning,
participation in the evaluation system created in Section 4.
d. Beginning with the 2029-2030 school year, all then
currently employed principals, in addition to the five
additional days of high-quality professional learning,
participation in the evaluation system created in Section 4
and participation in and completion of the year-long
leadership academy in accordance with a schedule for
completion as developed and disseminated by the
superintendent.
e. Beginning with the 2029-2030 school year, for newly
employed principals, annual completion of five additional days
of high-quality professional learning, participation in the
evaluation system created in Section 4, participation and
ultimately completion of the mentorship program, and
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participation in and ultimately graduation from the year-long
leadership academy.
(2) Notwithstanding subdivision (1), any individual
employed as a principal on July 1, 2024, shall be exempt from
the mentoring requirement.
(c) Upon completion of the evaluation system, it is the
intent of the Legislature that additional supplements be
provided to principals who meet or exceed student growth goals
as identified through the evaluation system in low-performing
schools and high-poverty schools.
(d) On or before January 1, 2024, the superintendent
shall submit a report to the Legislature detailing the number
of school administrators expected to receive the annual
supplement provided in subsection (b) for the 2025 fiscal
year. The report shall be submitted to the Chair of the Senate
Finance and Taxation Education Committee, Chair of the House
Ways and Means Education Committee, and the Legislative Fiscal
Officer.
Section 6. (a) The Legislature shall annually
appropriate to the department an amount sufficient to cover
the actual costs of developing and implementing the program
including, but not limited to, the awarding of stipends and
grants and the hiring of additional staff as necessary. Any
appropriations shall be subject to the provisions, terms,
conditions, and limitations of the Budget and Financial
Control Act, the Budget Management Act of 1976, and this act.
(b) The department shall provide technical assistance
to local boards of education as necessary to ensure compliance
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with this act.
(c) The board may adopt rules as necessary to implement
and enforce this act.
Section 7. (a) On or before the first legislative day
of the 2025 Regular Session, the superintendent shall submit a
report to the Legislature regarding the design and
implementation status of the program. The report shall be
submitted to the Chairs of the Senate Finance and Taxation
Education Committee, Senate Education Policy Committee, House
Ways and Means Education Committee, and House Education Policy
Committee.
(b) On or before the first legislative day of the 2026
Regular Session, the superintendent shall submit a report to
the Chairs of the Senate Finance and Taxation Education
Committee, Senate Education Policy Committee, House Ways and
Means Education Committee, and House Education Policy
Committee that details all of the following:
(1) The method for identifying exemplary, high-quality
principal mentors to participate in providing instruction
through the program.
(2) The number of school administrators, by title, who
attended the program during the immediately preceding year and
the number of those school administrators who successfully
completed the program.
(3) The number of school administrators, by title,
expected to participate in the program during the immediately
succeeding year.
(4) The number of principals who have met or exceeded
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their student growth goals as identified through the
evaluation system.
(5) The manner in which the department expects to
measure the success of the program, including measuring
improved retention, improvements in school climate, and
improved student outcomes.
(6) A recommendation concerning whether to continue the
program, any recommended changes to the program, and the
estimated cost of continuing the program.
Section 8. This act shall become effective immediately
following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its
otherwise becoming law.
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Senate
Read for the first time and referred
to the Senate committee on Finance
and Taxation Education
................09-May-23
Read for the second time and placed
on the calendar:
0 amendments
................11-May-23
Read for the third time and passed
as amended
Yeas 34
Nays 0
Abstains 0
................16-May-23
Patrick Harris,
Secretary.
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