Article 3. Administrator Training And Evaluation of California Education Code >> Division 3. >> Title 2. >> Part 25. >> Chapter 3.1. >> Article 3.

The Legislature recognizes that the principal plays a pivotal role in the life of a school. Research indicates that at schools where pupil achievement is higher than might be expected, principals provide strong leadership and support. Teachers at these schools report that their principals facilitate innovation, support teachers in efforts to promote new ideas, and assist staff to acquire needed skills and materials. Other studies show that the principal is the most effective agent for bringing about educational improvement. The Legislature further recognizes that although principal leadership is essential to effective instruction, research shows that many principals are neither prepared nor encouraged to be educational leaders. According to principals and others, administrator training does not always match responsibilities of the job, and opportunities for continuing development are inadequate. The Legislature, by the provisions of this article, intends to provide site and central district administrators ongoing opportunities to improve their management and leadership skills. The Legislature intends that administrator support and development activities funded by this article will result in direct improvements in services to California public school pupils. The Legislature further intends that current funding for duplicative educational programs be redirected to fund the provisions of this article. It is also the intention of the Legislature to enhance the desirability of teaching as a profession by promoting a school environment that facilitates a constructive working relationship between teachers and administrators.

(a) Any school district, county superintendent of schools, or consortium of those entities shall be eligible for funds in order to establish an administrator training and evaluation program, which shall provide to school administrators support and development activities designed to improve clinical supervision skills.
  (b) In order to receive funding for an administrator training and evaluation program, a school district, county superintendent, or consortium shall:
  (1) Develop a three-year plan for support and development activities, based on a systematic assessment of unmet needs of pupils and school personnel in the districts to be served.
  (2) Operate the program in conjunction with the teacher education and computer center which serves the school district or county office of education or, in the case of a program operated by a consortium, operate the program in conjunction with one or more teacher education and computer centers which serves a school district or county office of education in the consortium.

(a) The three-year plan developed pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 44682 shall address, but need not be limited to, objectives identified pursuant to Sections 44670.4, 52014, and 52015, and the capacity of site and central district administrators to provide leadership necessary to do the following:
  (1) Improve instructional, management, human development, and counseling skills.
  (2) Ensure that curricula, instruction, and materials are keyed to the educational needs of each pupil, with particular emphasis on pupils who have not achieved proficiency in basic reading, writing, and computational skills, limited and non-English speaking pupils, disadvantaged pupils, and pupils with exceptional abilities or needs.
  (3) Develop curricula and instructional materials in a wide variety of areas such as arts and humanities and physical, natural, and social sciences.
  (4) Promote, facilitate, and ensure active participation of the school staff in the school decisionmaking process, and collaboration among the school staff, and among the staff and members of the school community, in the educational and administrative planning, implementing, and evaluating of the school program.
  (5) Improve the school and classroom environment, including relationships between and among pupils, school personnel, and community members, including parents.
  (6) Make available followup activities to assist participating individuals in using newly acquired skills on the job.
  (b) Each three-year plan shall describe the following:
  (1) General staff development objectives and steps necessary to achieve the objectives in subdivision (a), including intended outcomes.
  (2) A proposed budget.
  (3) Procedures for ongoing evaluation and modification of training activities, including evaluation on a continuing basis by participating administrators and outside personnel as necessary.
  (c) Administrator training and evaluation programs shall be designed and implemented under the direction of participating school and district administrators, including the district administrators or administrators responsible for supervision of curriculum and instruction, and in cooperation with teacher training institutions. The programs shall allow for diversity in development activities, including, but not limited to, small groups, self-directed learning, and systematic observation during visits to other schools. The district administrator or administrators responsible for curriculum and instruction, or other central district administrators shall be included as active participants in one or more staff development activities pursuant to this article whenever appropriate. The amendments made to Section 44681 and to paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of this section by the Statutes of 1986 shall be applicable only to three-year plans developed on or after January 1, 1987.

Administrator training and evaluation programs shall set aside specific times throughout the school year to conduct programs. The times shall include, but not be limited to, periods when participating administrators are released from their regular duties.

Any school district governing board, upon petition by a majority of the administrators designated to design an administrator training and evaluation program, may request the State Board of Education to grant a waiver of any provision of this article.

The State Board of Education shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this article.

The State Department of Education may provide technical assistance, at the request of any entity involved in establishing and implementing an administrator training and evaluation program. At the request of the Legislature, the department shall assess the effectiveness of the training provided by administrator training and evaluation programs.

(a) Federal and state funds appropriated or apportioned for the purposes of this article shall not be used to supplant funds currently expended by school districts for the purpose of administering or conducting staff development programs.
  (b) Priority in funding shall be given to applicants who provide evidence of the following:
  (1) Programs designed to strengthen clinical supervision skills of site administrators.
  (2) Specific substantial district support to implement proposed administrator development activities.
  (3) A high degree of collaborative planning of proposed activities among school principals, and between principals and central district administrators.
  (4) A process to continue a high degree of collaboration among school principals and between principals and central district administrators in implementing, evaluating, and modifying development activities funded by this article and other state education programs.
  (5) A direct relationship between proposed activities and specific school improvement goals developed pursuant to an existing or new process which involves principals, central district administrators, teachers, other school personnel, secondary students, and parents.
  (c) Lowest funding priority shall be given to programs designed for the primary purpose of granting a degree or a credential to participating staff.

It is the intent of the Legislature that the administrator training and evaluation programs be funded annually in each Budget Act.