H-3999.2 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 2957
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State of Washington 56th Legislature 2000 Regular Session
By Representatives Haigh, Talcott, Quall, Miloscia, D. Schmidt, Wensman, Rockefeller, Conway, Lantz and Santos
Read first time 01/25/2000. Referred to Committee on Education.
AN ACT Relating to principal assessment and support; creating new sections; making an appropriation; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that high quality leadership by a well-trained principal is critical to the success of the teachers and students in the schools. School districts are having increasing difficulty in finding and keeping quality principals. The legislature recognizes it has been estimated that up to half of the principals working in Washington's public schools today may retire within five years. Accordingly, the legislature declares the need is urgent to recruit and retain highly capable principals to lead our public schools through the tremendous challenges of the future.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The superintendent of public instruction shall contract with a qualified independent organization to implement the principal competency assessment and support program. The purposes of the program are to assist new public school principals and principal candidates in developing individualized professional growth plans and to support new principals and principal candidates through implementation of the plan and achievement of professional certification.
(2) The principal competency assessment and support program shall consist of elements including, but not limited to, the following:
(a) A competency-based assessment measuring a new principal's or principal candidate's leadership and managerial skills;
(b) Development of an individualized professional growth plan for a new principal or principal candidate; and
(c) Participation of a mentor principal who works over a period of between one and three years with the new principal or principal candidate to help him or her build the skills identified as critical to the success of the professional growth plan.
(3) The competencies assessed pursuant to subsection (2)(a) of this section shall be those which have been determined by current research to be essential in school leadership that promotes student success.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund to the superintendent of public instruction for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001, to carry out the purposes of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. This act expires July 1, 2006.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.
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