The rule revisions are necessary in order to implement new requirements for School Principal certification that are based on the principal leadership standards adopted by the State Board of Education.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
State Board of Education

RULE NO: RULE TITLE
6A-4.0083: School Principal - Administrative Class
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The rule revisions are necessary in order to implement new requirements for School Principal certification that are based on the principal leadership standards adopted by the State Board of Education.
SUMMARY: The rule amendment is proposed to update the requirements for School Principal certification to align to the new principal leadership standards. The current language and requirements are obsolete and based on repealed statutes.
SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS: No Statement of Estimated Regulatory Cost was prepared.
Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.
SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: 1001.02, 1012.55, 1012.56 FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1001.02, 1012.55, 1012.56 FS.
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Beverly Gregory, Chief Bureau of Educator Certification, Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Room 201, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400, [phone]

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

6A-4.0083 School Principal – Administrative Class.

To be eligible to receive certification as a school principal, an individual shall satisfy each of the following requirements:

(1) Hold a valid professional certificate covering educational leadership, administration, or administration and supervision.

(2) Document successful performance of the duties of the school principalship. These duties shall be performed in a Department of Education an approved district school principal certification program pursuant to Rule 6A-5.081, F.A.C. management training and development program designed and implemented consistent with the principal leadership standards approved by the State Board of Education with the program described in the publication titled, Preparing New Principals, 1985, approved by the Florida Council on Educational Management, which is hereby incorporated and made a part of this rule. In addition, these duties shall:

(a) Be performed as a full-time employee of a district school board in a leadership position through which the candidate can fully demonstrate the competencies associated with the Florida Principal Leadership Standards. and assigned to perform the duties of an assistant principal, intern principal, or an interim principal for a period of not less than one (1) full school year which is ten (10) months or more in length

(b) Be a formally planned professional development program designed and implemented to prepare the individual to effectively perform as become a school principal.

(c) Be comprehensive of all the duties of the school principalship.

(d) Be performed under the direct supervision of a currently practicing school principal or district manager who has been approved by the district school board to serve as the supervising principal or manager for this program.

(3) Demonstrate successful performance of the competencies of the school principalship standards which shall be documented by the Florida district school superintendent based on a performance appraisal system approved by the district school board and the Department pursuant to Rule 6A-5.081, F.A.C. The performance appraisal system shall be consistent with Guidelines for District Performance Appraisal Systems, January, 1985, approved by the Florida Council on Educational Management, which is hereby incorporated and made a part of this rule. A comprehensive performance appraisal system:

(a) Has clearly stated purposes.

(b) Promotes individual and organizational growth.

(c) Is used for personnel decisions.

(d) Is fair, equitable and legally sound.

(e) Provides for negotiation of expectations in relation to situations.

(f) Values appraisee input.

(g) Requires planning, feedback, and coaching.

(h) Has procedures for collection and retrieval of data for decision making.

(i) Links rewards to performance.

(j) Establishes criteria for assessment.

(k) Provides training and orientation of participants.

(4) An individual who holds a valid Florida Educator’s Certificate covering administration or administration and supervision issued prior to July 1, 1986 and served as a school principal prior to July 1, 1986 for not less than one (1) school year may apply for certification as a school principal under the provisions of Rule 6A-4.0085, F.A.C.

(5) Only individuals who meet the requirements for certification as a school principal shall be appointed by a district school board to the position of school principal; however, when deemed by the school board to be necessary and in the best interests of the students of the school, an individual who holds a certificate in educational leadership, administration or administration and supervision, including experienced out-of-state principals as provided by Section 231.0861(4), Florida Statutes, may on the basis of objective screening and appointment procedures as provided in Section 231.0861, Florida Statutes, be appointed as an interim principal for a period not to exceed one (1) year during which the individual must successfully demonstrate performance of the duties of the principalship as provided in subsection 6A-4.0083(2), F.A.C.

(6) Individuals who do not meet the requirements for certification as school principal but who hold valid certificates covering educational leadership, administration, or administration and supervision may, subject to the procedures established by each district school board, apply for vacancies of intern assistant principal, assistant principal, intern principal, interim principal, and other positions for which this certification coverage is valid.

(7) All principals, intern principals, and assistant principals appointed by each district school board shall be selected and appointed using an objective-based process which documents that the applicant possesses the competencies necessary for successful performance of the duties as required by Section 231.0861, Florida Statutes. The objective-based process for screening, selection, and appointment shall be consistent with Criteria for School District Screening, Selection, and Appointment Process for Principals and Assistant Principals, September, 1984, approved by the Florida Council on Educational Management, which is hereby incorporated and made a part of this rule.

(5) This rule shall become effective July 1, 2007.

Specific Authority 1001.02, 1012.55, 1012.56 229.053(1), 231.15(1), 231.17(1) FS. Law Implemented 1001.02, 1012.55, 1012.56 231.02, 231.0861, 231.087(3)(e), 231.15, 231.17 FS. History–New 7-1-86, Formerly 6A-4.083, Amended 7-1-86, 10-31-88, 7-1-07.

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Beverly Gregory, Chief Bureau of Educator Certification, Department of Education
NAME OF SUPERVISOR OR PERSON WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Pam Stewart, Deputy Chancellor, K-12 Educator Quality, Department of Education
DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: April 4, 2007
DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAW: March 16, 2007