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1     AN ACT concerning education.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections
5 2-3.53a and 21-7.10 as follows:
 
6     (105 ILCS 5/2-3.53a)
7     Sec. 2-3.53a. New principal mentoring program.
8     (a) Beginning on July 1, 2007, and subject to an annual
9 appropriation by the General Assembly, to establish a new
10 principal mentoring program for new principals. Any individual
11 who is first hired as a principal in the State of Illinois on
12 or after July 1, 2007 shall participate in a new principal
13 mentoring program for the duration of his or her first year as
14 a principal and must complete the program in accordance with
15 the requirements established by the State Board of Education by
16 rule or, for a school district created by Article 34 of this
17 Code, in accordance with the provisions of Section 34-18.27 of
18 this Code. School districts created by Article 34 are not
19 subject to the requirements of subsection (b), (c), (d), (e),
20 (f), or (g) of this Section. Any individual who is first hired
21 as a principal on or after July 1, 2008 may participate in a
22 second year of mentoring if it is determined by the State
23 Superintendent of Education that sufficient funding exists for

 

 

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1 such participation. The new principal mentoring program shall
2 match an experienced principal who meets the requirements of
3 subsection (b) of this Section with each new principal in his
4 or her first year in that position in order to assist the new
5 principal in the development of his or her professional growth
6 and to provide guidance during the new principal's first year
7 of service.
8     (b) Any individual who has been a principal in Illinois for
9 3 or more years and who has demonstrated success as an
10 instructional leader, as determined by the State Board by rule,
11 is eligible to apply to be a mentor under a new principal
12 mentoring program. Mentors shall complete mentoring training
13 by entities approved by the State Board and meet any other
14 requirements set forth by the State Board and by the school
15 district employing the mentor.
16     (c) The State Board shall certify an entity or entities
17 approved to provide training of mentors.
18     (d) A mentor shall be assigned to a new principal based on
19 (i) similarity of grade level or type of school, (ii) learning
20 needs of the new principal, and (iii) geographical proximity of
21 the mentor to the new principal. The principal, in
22 collaboration with the mentor, shall identify areas for
23 improvement of the new principal's professional growth,
24 including, but not limited to, each of the following:
25         (1) Analyzing data and applying it to practice.
26         (2) Aligning professional development and

 

 

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1     instructional programs.
2         (3) Building a professional learning community.
3         (4) Observing classroom practices and providing
4     feedback.
5         (5) Facilitating effective meetings.
6         (6) Developing distributive leadership practices.
7         (7) Facilitating organizational change.
8 The mentor shall not be required to provide an evaluation of
9 the new principal on the basis of the mentoring relationship.
10     (e) On or after January 1, 2008 and on or after January 1
11 of each year thereafter, each mentor and each new principal
12 shall complete a survey of progress on a form developed by
13 their respective school districts. On or before July 1, 2008
14 and on or after July 1 of each year thereafter, the State Board
15 shall facilitate a review and evaluate the mentoring training
16 program in collaboration with the approved providers. Each new
17 principal and his or her mentor must complete a verification
18 form developed by the State Board in order to certify their
19 completion of a new principal mentoring program.
20     (f) The requirements of this Section do not apply to any
21 individual who has previously served as an assistant principal
22 in Illinois acting under an administrative certificate for 5 or
23 more years and who is hired, on or after July 1, 2007, as a
24 principal by the school district in which the individual last
25 served as an assistant principal, although such an individual
26 may choose to participate in this program or shall be required

 

 

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1 to participate by the school district.
2     (g) The State Board may adopt any rules necessary for the
3 implementation of this Section.
4     (h) On an annual basis, the State Superintendent of
5 Education shall determine whether appropriations are likely to
6 be sufficient to require operation of the mentoring program for
7 the coming year. In doing so, the State Superintendent of
8 Education shall first determine whether it is likely that funds
9 will be sufficient to require operation of the mentoring
10 program for individuals in their first year as principal and
11 shall then determine whether it is likely that funds will be
12 sufficient to require operation of the mentoring program for
13 individuals in their second year as principal.
14 (Source: P.A. 94-1039, eff. 7-20-06.)
 
15     (105 ILCS 5/21-7.10)
16     Sec. 21-7.10. Master principal designation program.
17     (a) The General Assembly recognizes the important role a
18 principal serves as a school's instructional leader and
19 believes it is in the best interest of the State to establish a
20 mechanism for training, mentoring, and recognizing master
21 level principals.
22     (b) The State Board of Education shall certify statewide
23 organizations representing principals, institutions of higher
24 education, and regional offices of education and one school
25 district or organization representing principals in a school

 

 

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1 district organized under Article 34 of this Code to establish a
2 master principal designation program if these entities meet the
3 criteria established by the State Board. These entities shall
4 work with a statewide design team made up of institutions of
5 higher education, regional offices of education, statewide
6 organizations, and other appropriate entities, as determined
7 by the State Board, to conceptualize the master principal
8 designation program. The State Board shall select, through a
9 competitive application process, a statewide entity or
10 entities to receive funds appropriated for the purpose of
11 providing a program under this Section. The State Board shall
12 adopt rules, in consultation with the State Teacher
13 Certification Board, for entities seeking to provide a program
14 under this Section, including an approval process and other
15 criteria. A master principal designation program aligned with
16 the Illinois Professional Leadership Standards shall include
17 at least the following components:
18         (1) Expansion of the principal's knowledge base and
19     leadership.
20         (2) Application of strategies and collection of
21     evidence of student learning and school processes.
22         (3) Demonstration of the ability and skills necessary
23     to lead sustained academic improvement in a school or
24     district.
25     (c) An individual serving as a principal for at least 3
26 years is eligible for participation in a master principal

 

 

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1 designation program. Each year, those entities approved to
2 offer a master principal designation program must submit to the
3 State Board a report indicating the number of individuals
4 enrolled in the program, the progress of candidates,
5 anticipated changes to the program, and any other relevant
6 information requested by the State Board. All substantive
7 changes to an entity's master principal designation program
8 shall require prior written approval from the State Board. An
9 entity that fails to meet the requirements of this Section or
10 any other criteria established by the State Board by rule shall
11 have its authority to offer a master principal designation
12 program revoked pursuant to procedures established by rule by
13 the State Board.
14     (d) In this Section, "master principal designation
15 program" shall also be known as the Illinois Distinguished
16 Principal Leadership Institute.
17 (Source: P.A. 94-1039, eff. 7-20-06.)
 
18     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
19 becoming law.