On Wednesday, the Alabama House of Representatives Ways and Means General Fund Committee advanced legislation that would provide up to $15,000 in additional stipends for principals who complete advanced leadership training.
Senate Bill 300 (SB300) is sponsored by State Senator Arthur Orr.
“This bill will be important for principals, compensating them and increasing the training for principals,” Orr explained.
“There are extra stipends for hard-to-fill schools,” Orr said. “The principals are very much for it around the state.”
The Senate adopted a substitute version of the bill.
The substituted version of SB300 passed the Senate on Tuesday by a vote of 34 to 0.
The legislation is being carried in the House by State Representative Alan Baker.
Baker said this bill “creates the School Principal Leadership and Mentoring Act.”
The synopsis states, “Existing law requires principals and assistant principals to complete five professional learning units every five years specific to serving in those administrative positions beyond the initial instructional leadership certification provided by state institutions of higher education. This bill would create the School Principal Leadership and Mentoring Act. This bill would require the creation and implementation of the Alabama Principal Leadership Development System and would require all principals and assistant principals to attend and satisfactorily complete the program.”
Baker said that the bill provides a $10,000 stipend for principals that complete the program plus $5000 for those “serving in low-performing or high-poverty schools.”
Rep Terri Collins said, “One of the biggest issues we have is discipline. I think this could really make a difference in student performance.”
“I am pleased with all of the things I see in this,” Collins said.
Rep. Debbie Wood asked, “Where did the $850,000 appropriation come from?”
Baker said, “This rolls out in phases.”
A clerk answered, “That is based on the figure that is in the ETF budget.”
Committee Chairman Danny Garrett said, “Principals are so key and critical in good schools.”
Garrett said, “My son, who is a teacher, told me, ‘I think anyone who is a principal for five years needs to go back to a classroom, and everyone who wants to be a principal needs to shadow a principal first.’”
Baker said, “Professional development at the K-3 level would show them (principals) what proper teaching is in regard to the Literacy Act and the Numeracy Act.”
The bill also appoints a 21-member design team and states a professional leadership academy.
The legislation could be considered by the full House as early as Thursday.
Thursday will be day 22 of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. The legislature is limited to thirty legislative days in the regular session.
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