HB 18-1367

HB 18-1367, also known as the Leadership Professional Development for School Principals bill, aims to create a pilot program that provides professional development opportunities for public school principals in Colorado. The program will focus on enhancing leadership skills and improving teacher retention, school environment, and student performance. It will be designed by the Department of Education or a contracted nonprofit during the 2018-19 budget year, with applications from interested principals accepted in subsequent years. School districts whose principals participate in this program will receive grants to support their involvement. The bill was signed into law and is now active, meaning the pilot program can begin its implementation phase as planned.

Official Summary

The bill creates the school leadership pilot program (program) to provide professional development for public elementary, middle, and high school principals. During the 2018-19 budget year, the department of education (department) is directed to design and implement the program or contract with a nonprofit entity to design and implement the program. The program must include identification of high-quality school principals who will interact with the school principals selected to receive professional development through the program. The program must also include professional development in distributive and collaborative leadership skills with the goal of improving educator retention, school climate and culture, and student outcomes. School principals may apply to receive professional development through the program during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 budget years. The department or the contracted entity must review the applications and recommend participants to the state board of education (state board), who shall select the participants. Subject to available appropriations, the state board must provide grants to the employing entities of the school principals who participate in the program either as high-quality school principals or to receive professional development. The grants are paid from money appropriated to the school leadership pilot program fund created in the bill. By March 15, 2019, the department must report to the education committees of the general assembly concerning the design of the program. By January 15, 2021, the department must report to the education committees concerning implementation of the program, including recommendations for whether the program should be continued. The program is repealed, effective July 1, 2021. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

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