September 9, 2015, Introduced by Senator HANSEN and referred to the Committee on Education.
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled
"The revised school code,"
by amending sections 1246 and 1536 (MCL 380.1246 and 380.1536), as
amended by 2009 PA 205.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1246. (1) A school district, public school academy, or
intermediate school district shall not continue to employ a person
as a superintendent, principal, assistant principal, or other
person whose primary responsibility is administering instructional
programs or as a chief business official unless the person meets 1
or more of the following requirements, as applicable:
(a) For a superintendent, principal, assistant principal, or
other person whose primary responsibility is administering
instructional programs, or a chief business official, who was
employed
as a school administrator in this state on or before the
effective
date of the amendatory act that added this subdivision,
January 4, 2010, has completed the continuing education
requirements prescribed by rule under subsection (2).
(b) Subject to subsection (3), for a superintendent,
principal, assistant principal, or other person whose primary
responsibility is administering instructional programs and who is
initially employed as a school administrator in this state after
the
effective date of the amendatory act that added this
subdivision,
January 4, 2010, possesses a valid Michigan school
administrator's certificate issued under section 1536.
(2) The superintendent of public instruction shall promulgate
rules establishing continuing education requirements as a condition
for continued employment for persons described in subsection
(1)(a). The rules shall prescribe a minimum amount of continuing
education that shall be completed within 5 years after initial
employment and shall be completed each subsequent 5-year period to
meet the requirements of subsection (1)(a) for continued
employment. By July 1, 2016, the superintendent of public
instruction shall amend these rules to require an individual
employed under subsection (1)(a) as a superintendent or as an
elementary school principal to complete both of the following as
part of the continuing education requirements:
(a) Leadership development training.
(b) Instruction in early literacy and in how to support
diagnostic-driven literacy instruction and intervention methods.
(3) A school district, public school academy, or intermediate
school district may employ as a superintendent, principal,
assistant principal, or other person whose primary responsibility
is administering instructional programs a person who is enrolled in
a program leading to certification as a school administrator under
section 1536 not later than 6 months after he or she begins the
employment. A person employed as a school administrator pursuant to
this subsection has 3 years to meet the certification requirements
of section 1536, or the school district, public school academy, or
intermediate school district shall not continue to employ the
person as a school administrator described in this subsection.
Sec. 1536. (1) The state board shall develop a school
administrator's certificate that shall be issued to all school
district and intermediate school district superintendents, school
principals, assistant principals, and other administrators whose
primary responsibility is administering instructional programs and
who meet the requirements established under subsection (3). An
individual described in section 1246(1)(a) is not required by this
section to have a school administrator's certificate under this
section or an endorsement under subsection (2) to be employed as a
school administrator by a school district, public school academy,
intermediate school district, or nonpublic school.
(2) The state board also shall develop appropriate certificate
endorsements for school administrators, by elementary, secondary,
and central office level.
(3) The state board shall develop standards, and the
superintendent of public instruction shall develop procedures, to
implement this section. The standards and procedures shall address
at least all of the following:
(a) The educational and professional experience requirements
for a certificate or endorsement under this section.
(b) Continuing education requirements for periodic
recertification. These requirements shall be consistent with the
continuing education requirements under section 1246. By July 1,
2016, the superintendent of public instruction shall amend these
procedures and any applicable rules to require an individual
employed as a superintendent or as an elementary school principal
to complete both of the following as part of the continuing
education requirements for periodic recertification:
(i) Leadership development training.
(ii) Instruction in early literacy and in how to support
diagnostic-driven literacy instruction and intervention methods.
(c) Procedures for application for and issuance of
certificates and endorsements under this section.
(d) Standards and procedures for suspension and revocation of
a certificate. These standards and procedures shall be based on the
standards and procedures for taking action against a person's
teaching certificate under section 1535a.
(4) The department shall consult and work with appropriate
professional organizations, primarily organizations representing
superintendents and building-level administrators, in developing
the standards required under this section.
(5) For the purposes of adding 1 or more enhancement or
specialty endorsements for a school administrator's certificate,
the department may recognize performance-based professional
learning programs offered by established state professional
organizations that represent school administrators described in
subsection (1). These programs must be approved by the department
based on alignment with state board-approved school administrator
program preparation standards.
(6) A school administrator's certificate issued under this
section is valid for 5 years and shall be renewed upon completion
of renewal units as determined by the superintendent of public
instruction.
(7) The department shall recognize alternative pathways to
earning the basic school administrator's certificate based on
experience or alternative preparation, or both, if the alternative
certification program is submitted by an established state
professional organization and meets criteria set forth by state
board approved school administrator program preparation standards.
(8) As used in this section, "established state professional
organization" means an association that has served members on a
statewide basis for at least 10 years.
Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days
after the date it is enacted into law.