Chapter 117 |
2019 -- H 6085 SUBSTITUTE A AS AMENDED Enacted 07/08/2019 |
A N A C T |
RELATING TO EDUCATION - CERTIFICATION OF TEACHERS |
Introduced By: Representatives Barros, Ackerman, Bennett, Corvese, and Shanley |
Date Introduced: May 09, 2019 |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
SECTION 1. Chapter 16-11 of the General Laws entitled "Certification of Teachers [See |
Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby amended by adding |
thereto the following section: |
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. |
(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 district- districtwide or school-wide 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. |
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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LC002572/SUB A |
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