STATE OF MICHIGAN

95TH LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2009

Introduced by Senator Kuipers

ENROLLED SENATE BILL No. 981

 

Summary of Administrative Certification

 

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 21 the effective date of the amendatory act that added this subdivision, 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, possesses a valid Michigan school administratorŐs 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.

 

(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 administratorŐs 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 administratorŐs 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. 25

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(b) Continuing education requirements for periodic recertification. These requirements shall be consistent with the continuing education requirements under section 1246.

 

(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 personŐs 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 administratorŐs

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 administratorŐs 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 administratorŐs 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, Ňestablished state professional organizationÓ means an association that has served

members on a statewide basis for at least 10 years.