To update the eligibility criteria for Level I educational leadership and Level II school principal preparation programs as a result of 2018 legislation. (See, chapter law 2018-6 § 37, Laws of Florida and chapter law 2018-7, § 52, Laws of Florida.)

 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

State Board of Education

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

6A-5.081Approval of School Leadership Programs

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: To update the eligibility criteria for Level I educational leadership and Level II school principal preparation programs as a result of 2018 legislation. (See, chapter law 2018-6 § 37, Laws of Florida and chapter law 2018-7, § 52, Laws of Florida.)

SUMMARY: The proposed amendment expands the entities eligible to offer Level I and II programs beyond school districts and postsecondary institutions to include charter schools and charter management organizations. In addition, the amendment clarifies that former military officers who hold a temporary educational leadership certificate are eligible for admittance into Level II programs.

SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS AND LEGISLATIVE RATIFICATION:

The Agency has determined that this will not have an adverse impact on small business or likely increase directly or indirectly regulatory costs in excess of $200,000 in the aggregate within one year after the implementation of the rule. A SERC has not been prepared by the Agency.

The Agency has determined that the proposed rule is not expected to require legislative ratification based on the statement of estimated regulatory costs or if no SERC is required, the information expressly relied upon and described herein: The rule amendment relates to expanding the entities that may offer programs and the alternative admission requirements for former military officers; therefore, there is no direct or immediate impact on economic growth, private sector job creation, employment, or private sector investment. If there is any impact on economic growth and private sector job creation, the impact would be positive because the expansion of entities that may offer programs leading to school leadership positions would only have a positive impact on the economy. For the same reasons, although no impact on business competitiveness is anticipated, any impact would be positive. Because the proposed rule relates only to the expansion of entities who may offer educational leadership programs and persons who may participate, it is not likely to increase regulatory costs or approach any criteria that requires legislative ratification.

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.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 1001.02(2)(n), 1012.562, 1012.55, 1012.986, FS.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1012.562, 1012.55, 1012.986, FS.

A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:

DATE AND TIME: October 25, 2018, 9:00 a.m.

PLACE: Crystal River Middle School, 344 NE Crystal St., Crystal River, FL 34428.

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Eileen McDaniel, Bureau Chief, Bureau of Educator Recruitment, Development and Retention, 325 West Gaines Street, Room 124, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400; [phone]; or [e-mail].

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

 

6A-5.081 Approval of School Leadership Programs.

This rule sets forth the requirements and implementation of the approval process for each type of school leadership program offered by a Florida postsecondary institution or public school district.

(1) Definitions. For the purposes of this rule, the following definitions apply.

(a) through (i) No change.

(j) “Instructional expertise” means documented successful demonstration of the core standards for effective educators outlined in the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices (FEAPs) and a documented track record of achieving student gains. Acceptable documentation of instructional expertise must include a rating of “effective” or higher on the “Performance of Students” and “Instructional Practice” sections of the candidate’s two most recent performance evaluations per Section 1012.34, F.S. For candidates who are not employed by a Florida public school district, a provider a postsecondary institution or school district may accept alternative equivalent documentation demonstrating two years of effective instruction with a record of student learning gains.

(k) No change.

(l) “Partner” means to develop and maintain a collaborative professional relationship with agreed upon goals and outcomes. Partnerships must include evidence that the institution, and a school district(s), charter school(s), or charter management organization(s) work together to:

1. Determine program admission standards, and identify and select candidates,

2. Provide job-embedded field experiences for program candidates; and,

3. Identify strategies for continuous improvement of the program based upon a review of the performance of program candidates and the performance of program completers using aggregate data from performance evaluations.

(m) through (o) No change.

(p) “Provider” means an entity that is authorized to offer school leadership programs; these entities are a postsecondary institution, school district, charter school and a charter management organization. The term includes applicants and entities approved to offer school leadership programs. 

(q)(p)  “Program completer” means an individual who has satisfied all educational leadership or school principal program requirements approved under this rule.

(r)(q) “School leadership positions” mean the administrative personnel positions that are defined in Section 1012.01(3)(c), F.S.

(2) Requirements and processes for initial request and approval of educational leadership programs and school principal programs.

(a) Requirements for approval of educational leadership programs:

1. Providers Postsecondary institutional programs shall employ faculty who are qualified to teach courses required in the program. Faculty and staff who supervise field experiences shall document annual onsite participation in activities in prekindergarten through grade 12 school settings.

2. through 3. No change.

4. Providers Postsecondary institutional programs and school districts shall describe the qualifications used for admission and admit only candidates that demonstrate instructional expertise and leadership potential as approved under this rule.

5. Providers Postsecondary institutional programs and school districts shall describe how competency-based training is aligned to the Florida Principal Leadership Standards.

6. Providers Postsecondary institutional programs and school districts shall describe how training shall be aligned to the personnel evaluation criteria under Section 1012.34, F.S.

7. Providers Postsecondary institutional programs and school districts shall only endorse as program completers candidates who demonstrate all of the Florida Principal Leadership Standards at the initial certification level and earn passing scores on all portions of the Florida Educational Leadership Examination required in Section 1012.56, F.S.

8. Except for postsecondary institutions, a provider school districts shall offer its approved professional development program in educational leadership only to its employees who hold a master’s degree from an accredited or approved institution as described in Rule 6A-4.003, F.A.C. Programs may provide for admission of candidates without this degree, provided that the provider district’s program documentation includes a process of formally notifying such candidates that they are not eligible to complete the program without official documentation of the master’s degree.

(b) Processes for submission of an educational leadership program for initial approval:

1. The president or chief executive officer of a Florida post-secondary institution, a charter school or charter management organization or a public school district superintendent who seeks approval to offer an educational leadership program or school principal program, shall submit a written request which is further described in the documents, Florida Department of Education Request to Submit Form-Educational Leadership, Form RTS-EL 2016, and Florida Department of Education Request to Submit Form-School Principal, Form RTS-SP 2016 within 30 business days prior to January 15, April 15, July 15, and October 15. The Department will inform the institution or district superintendent in writing of the receipt of a fully completed request within five (5) business days.

2. Upon written verification by the Department of a fully completed request, the provider institution or district superintendent shall submit to the Department an electronic folio, which is further described in the documents, Florida Department of Education Initial Program Approval Standards for Educational Leadership, Form EL IAS-2016, and Florida Department of Education Initial Program Approval Standards for School Principal, Form SP IAS 2016 by January 15, April 15, July 15, and October 15.

3. The Department shall conduct a review of the electronic folio submitted in support of the request for initial approval within ninety (90) days of receipt of the portfolio. The Department shall notify the provider institution or school district in writing of the following:

a. through c. No change.

(c) Requirements for approval of school principal programs:

1. With the exception of former military officers that qualify for admittance under section 1012.55(1)(e)(1), F.S., a provider The school district shall only admit candidates who hold a valid Florida Educator’s Certificate in the area of educational leadership, education administration, or administration and supervision pursuant to requirements of Rule 6A-4.0083, F.A.C., and who are employed in a public school within the district in a school leadership position through which the candidate can fully demonstrate the competencies associated with the Florida Principal Leadership Standards.

2. The provider school district shall only admit candidates who have earned a highly effective or effective evaluation rating under Section 1012.34, F.S.,

3. The provider school district shall describe how it provides individualized instruction using a customized learning plan for each candidate, and the competency-based training that is aligned to its school administrator evaluation criteria under Section 1012.34, F.S., and the William Cecil Golden Professional Development Program for School Leaders under Section 1012.986, F.S.

4. The provider school district shall ensure individuals who are designated as program completers have satisfactorily performed instructional leadership responsibilities as measured by the school district’s school administrator evaluation system under Section 1012.34, F.S., for persons employed by the school district or by the charter school or charter management organization.

(3) Requirements and processes for continued approval of educational leadership programs and school principal programs.

(a) Reporting processes for continued approval are as follows:

1. Each provider institution or school district shall annually submit program candidate and completer data to the Department’s secure management information system.

2. By November 15 of each year, each provider institution or school district shall submit via the Department’s eIPEP platform located at https://www.florida-eipep.org/, a program evaluation plan in accordance with Florida Department of Education Continued Program Approval Standards, Form EL CAS-2015 for educational leadership programs; or Form SP CAS-2016 for school principal programs.

3. through 4. No change.

(4) through (5) No change.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02, 1012.562, 1012.986 FS. Law Implemented 1012.56, 1012.986 FS. History–New 6-20-07, Amended 12-20-16,

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Hershel Lyons, Chancellor, K12 Public Schools.

NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Pam Stewart, Commissioner, Department of Education.

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: September 21, 2018

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: May 30, 2018.