2023 -- H 5168

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- CERTIFICATION OF TEACHERS

     Introduced By: Representatives McNamara, Biah, Donovan, and Noret

     Date Introduced: January 19, 2023

     Referred To: House Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-11-9 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-11 entitled "Certification

of Teachers [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby

amended to read as follows:

     16-11-9. Fast-track principal certification program.

     (a) The department of elementary and secondary education (the “department”) shall

establish a fast-track principal certification program.

     (b) The fast-track principal certification program shall include, but need not be limited to,

the following courses:

     (1) School finance;

     (2) School law; and

     (3) Program evaluation, including data analysis Supervision of school personnel.

     (c) Participants will earn a principal certification after successful completion of the courses,

from a program approved by the department, required in subsection (b) of this section, and

successful completion of the following three (3) requirements:

     (1) A year-long internship shadowing a principal in the district where the participant is

currently employed;

     (2) Leading a districtwide or schoolwide initiative; and

     (3) Successfully passing assessment requirements for Rhode Island principal certification.

     (d) To be eligible for admission into the fast-track principal certification program, an

applicant shall:

     (1) Have a minimum of ten (10) years’ experience as a teacher rated “effective” or “highly

effective”;

     (2) Have a recommendation from the superintendent(s) of the local education agency

(LEA) or agencies in which the applicant worked as a teacher previously, or is working currently;

     (3) Have a record of consistent leadership within an LEA, demonstrated through serving

as a facilitator of professional development, a dean, a district coach, a department chair, or in

another leadership position within a school or LEA; and

     (4) Possess a master’s degree or higher.

     (e) Participants who earn a principal certification pursuant to this section shall complete a

department-approved leadership development program to build leadership skills that support

teaching and learning within the first renewal cycle of their certification.

     (f) For the purposes of this section, “local education agencies” shall include all of the

following within the state:

     (1) Public school districts;

     (2) Regional school districts;

     (3) State-operated schools;

     (4) Regional collaborative schools; and

     (5) Charter schools.

     (g) Participants who have earned a principal certification by fulfilling all of the

requirements of this section and completing courses offered by the RIDE accredited school

principal preparation program (internship) shall not be required to complete the department-

approved leadership program set forth in subsection (e) of this section but shall instead successfully

complete an additional course on program evaluation (including data analysis).

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- CERTIFICATION OF TEACHERS

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     This act would revise the fast-track principal certification program and require a course in

program evaluation (including data analysis) instead of a course in supervision of school personnel.

The act would also provide that participants who have earned a principal certification by fulfilling

all of the requirements and completing courses offered by RIDE, would instead complete an

additional course on program evaluation (including data analysis) in lieu of the department-

approved leadership program to build leadership skills that support teaching and learning.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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