16 Ky. Admin. Regs. 7:020

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 5, November 1, 2024

Section 16 KAR 7:020 - Kentucky Principal Internship Program

RELATES TO: KRS 161.020, 161.027, 161.028

NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS requires a certificate of legal qualifications for each public school position for which a certificate is issued. KRS 161.027 requires that an applicant for certification as school principal with less than two (2) years of appropriate service complete a one (1) year principal internship program. This administrative regulation establishes the requirements for the Kentucky Principal Internship Program required by KRS 161.027.

Section 1. An applicant for principal certification requesting exemption from the Kentucky Principal Internship Program as allowed by KRS 161.027 shall submit to the Education Professional Standards Board proof of:

(1) A minimum to two (2) years successful experience serving as a certified principal in a Kentucky public school or a nonpublic school which meets the state performance standards as established in KRS 156.160 or which has been accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. The two (2) years of experience shall have been within a period of ten (10) years prior to the most recent application for principal certification and shall be confirmed by the school official responsible for evaluating the applicant during the time of employment as a school principal; or

(2) A minimum of two (2) years of successful out of state experience serving as a state certified school principal.

Section 2.

(1) An applicant shall be eligible to participate in the Kentucky Principal Internship Program established in this administrative regulation, if the applicant:

(a) Has successfully completed all prerequisites to certification specified by KRS 161.027 and KAR Title 16; and

(b) Has been issued either a statement of eligibility, a temporary provisional, or a temporary certificate by the Education Professional Standards Board.

(2) The principal internship specified by KRS 161.027 shall take place when a person holding either a valid statement of eligibility, temporary provisional, or temporary certificate is employed as a principal or full-time assistant principal in a public school or a nonpublic school which meets the state performance standards as established in KRS 156.160 or is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency.

Section 3.

(1) The purposes of the Kentucky Principal Internship Program shall be:

(a) To provide beginning principals with the opportunity for learning under the supervision of experienced educators; and

(b) To provide continuing certification upon the demonstration of the principal intern's ability to meet the administrator standards developed by the Interstate School Leadership Licensure Consortium (ISSLC) established in Section 4(1) of this administrative regulation.

(2) These purposes shall be accomplished through the Kentucky principal internship committee which shall be assigned to supervise, assist, and assess the principal intern.

Section 4.

(1) The administrator standards used in the assessment of the principal intern shall be as follows:

(a) A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the school community;

(b) A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth;

(c) A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by ensuring management of the organization, operations, and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment;

(d) A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by collaborating with families and community members, responding to diverse community interests, and needs, and mobilizing community resources;

(e) A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner; and

(f) A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.

(2) The intern shall demonstrate to the principal internship committee the ability to meet the administrator standards through observations of performance and the preparation of a portfolio.

(3) The required entries in the portfolio shall be documentation which illustrates each of the administrator standards and the Kentucky Principal Internship Program professional growth targets.

Section 5.

(1) Members of the principal internship committee shall include a principal mentor, employing school district superintendent or designee, and an administrator educator.

(2) The principal mentor shall be selected by the superintendent of the school district employing the principal intern.

(3) An individual selected to serve as a principal mentor shall have a minimum of three (3) years of experience serving as a principal while holding a valid Professional Certificate for Instructional Leadership-School Principal. The three (3) years of principal experience shall have been within five (5) years of appointment to the principal internship committee. Preference in selection shall be given to the following criteria in the order stated:

(a) A currently-employed principal within the intern's school;

(b) A currently-employed principal within the employing school district;

(c) A currently-employed principal in a nearby school district; or

(d) A recently-retired principal;

(4) If the district is unable to identify a principal mentor in accordance with the hierarchy established in subsection (3) of this section, the district shall request that the Education Professional Standards Board staff assist i the identification of a principal mentor.

(5) Selection of a principal mentor from another school district shall be subject to the approval of the superintendent of the proposed principal mentor. An assistant principal shall not serve in this capacity.

(6) The superintendent of the employing local school district shall serve on the committee or shall appoint a designee who has had experience as a principal or assistant principal.

(7) An administrator educator, who is a faculty member in a state-approved administrator training program at an institution of higher education, shall be appointed by the Education Professional Standards Board in consultation with the employing institution of higher education. Preference in selection shall be given to an administrator educator who has had experience as a principal or an assistant principal. If an administrator educator is not available, the Education Professional Standards Board staff shall identify a person who has had principal experience. Preference in selection shall be given in the following order:

(a) A district level administrator with previous principal experience in the employing district;

(b) A district level administrator with previous principal experience in a nearby school district; or

(c) A recently retired principal with a minimum of three (3) years of experience as a principal within a period of five (5) years prior to appointment to the principal internship committee.

Section 6.

(1) Each member of the principal intern committee shall successfully complete a training program approved by the Education Professional Standards Board in the supervision, assistance, and assessment of principal interns.

(2) Updated training shall be required for an intern committee member if the member has not assessed an intern within the previous two (2) years.

(3) The cost of travel expenses incurred by trainers during the training shall be reimbursed to the universities by the Education Professional Standards Board in accordance with 200 KAR 2:006.

(4) Training sessions shall be scheduled during the summer months if possible.

(5) Training for all individuals assigned to principal internship committees shall be scheduled through an institution of higher education.

Section 7.

(1) The period of internship shall include no less than 140 contract days during the term of employment covered by the contract with the school district.

(2) If a principal intern is employed after the school year has commenced, the period of internship shall not be less than 140 contract days. If less than 140 contract days remain in the school year when the principal intern is hired, the period of internship shall continue into the following school year until a minimum of 140 contract days has been completed.

Section 8.

(1) The school district employing a principal intern shall submit a Confirmation of Employment in hard copy or its electronic equivalent, if available, to the Education Professional Standards Board on or before July 15 of the employment year.

(2) If a principal intern is employed after July 15, the Confirmation Of Employment shall be submitted not later than twenty (20) calendar days following the principal intern's hire date.

(3) Upon receipt of the Confirmation of Employment, the Education Professional Standards Board shall appoint the administrator educator member to the principal internship committee.

Section 9. The superintendent of the employing school district shall provide an orientation meeting for each principal intern to clearly inform the intern of the requirements of the program. At that time, or as soon as possible thereafter, the principal intern shall be provided the names of the members of the principal internship committee.

Section 10. The employing school district shall provide the Education Professional Standards Board with the name, Social Security number, address, and telephone number for each principal mentor and superintendent or designee for each principal intern assigned within the district.

Section 11.

(1) The superintendent of the local school district employing the principal intern shall schedule a meeting of the members of the principal internship committee to be held not later than fifteen (15) days following appointment of all committee members. At that time, the committee shall meet with the principal intern to clarify roles, procedures and expectations. The committee shall also select a chairperson who shall be responsible for scheduling all future visits and conferences and for the completion of required reports.

(2) The principal mentor shall spend a minimum of fifty (50) hours outside of scheduled school hours with the principal intern. The number of hours spent with the intern and the administrator standards and performance indicators addressed shall be reported to the principal internship committee at each committee meeting, and a final report of the total number of hours shall be made in writing by the committee to the superintendent of the local school district employing the principal intern. A copy of the committee's report confirming the number of hours spent by the principal mentor shall be submitted to the Education Professional Standards Board by the local school district in applying for reimbursement of funds as specified in Section 13(1) of this administrative regulation.

(3) Each committee member shall make a minimum of three (3) performance observations of the principal intern and conduct a review as described in subsection (4) of this section of the principal intern portfolio. Each observation shall be a minimum of three (3) hours in duration. Following each sequence of performance observations and portfolio review, all committee members shall meet to discuss observed performance and the portfolio. A conference shall then be held with the principal intern by committee members to provide information on the skill level on each administrator standard demonstrated and suggestions for professional growth.

(4) The committee shall follow these guidelines for scheduling a sequence of observations, portfolio review, meetings, and conferences:

(a) There shall be a minimum of thirty (30) work days between each formal sequence.

(b) Except for an internship provided pursuant to Section 7(2) of this administrative regulation, the three (3) sequences shall be completed by May 15.

(5) The final meeting of the principal internship committee shall include a decision reached by a majority vote regarding completion of the internship.

Section 12.

(1) In arriving at a professional judgment of the completion of the internship, the committee shall consider the progress of the principal intern throughout the entire internship, with particular emphasis on the progress demonstrated during the final months of the internship.

(2) At the completion of the internship experience, the chairperson shall report to the Education Professional Standards Board and to the superintendent of the employing local school district, if the superintendent is not a member of the committee, the committee's decision regarding the principal intern's completion of the internship.

(3) If a principal intern's performance is judged by the internship committee to be unsatisfactory, the principal intern shall have the opportunity to repeat the internship during one (1) additional year contingent upon employment within the period of validity of the statement of eligibility for internship. If the principal intern does not successfully complete the internship during the period of validity of the statement of eligibility, the principal intern shall requalify for admission to the remaining one (1) year of internship by meeting the requirements in effect at the time of reapplication for certification.

Section 13.

(1) The Education Professional Standards Board shall reimburse the school district employing the principal intern for the payment to each principal mentor of mileage expenses in accordance with 200 KAR 2:006. Contingent upon funding, the Education Professional Standards Board shall provide an amount not to exceed $1,400 to each principal mentor as compensation for out-of-school time spent with the principal intern.

(2) The Education Professional Standards Board shall contract with institutions of higher education to pay an amount of $300 for each administrator educator contingent upon funding, and for mileage expenses in accordance with 200 KAR 2:006. Each institution shall make its own determination as to the frequency of disbursement of funds received from this program.

(3) If the administrator educator member of the committee does not represent an institution of higher education, the Education Professional Standards Board shall reimburse the appropriate agency or individual for mileage expenses in accordance with 200 KAR 2:006. Contingent upon funding, the Education Professional Standards Board shall provide for an amount not to exceed $300.

(4) All costs for the superintendent or designee, except travel reimbursement to attend required training, shall be the responsibility of the local school district.

(5) A payment to a member of a principal internship committee for a secondary vocational principal intern shall be administered by the Education Professional Standards Board with reimbursement through the Department of Workforce Investment, Education Cabinet.

Section 14. Appeals.

(1) If an intern is determined by the principal internship committee to have been unsuccessful, the intern may appeal to the Education Professional Standards Board within thirty (30) calendar days of the date of receipt of the notice of a finding of unsuccessful.

(2) The appeals committee shall include one (1) principal, one (1) superintendent or designee, one (1) administrator educator, and one (1) employee of the Education Professional Standards Board who shall serve as designee of the executive director.

(3) The committee members shall be chosen from a pool of committee candidates appointed annually by the Education Professional Standards Board.

(4) An appeals committee member shall not take part in a decision in which the member has an interest or is biased.

(5)

(a) The principal intern shall file the appeal within thirty (30) calendar days of the date written notice of failure of the internship is received by the principal intern by certified mail return receipt requested. If the principal intern failed to maintain a current address with the Education Professional Standards Board or refuses to claim the certified mail, the principal intern shall file the appeal within thirty-five (35) days of the date the notice is mailed to the principal intern's last known residence.

(b) Upon receipt of the appeal, the Education Professional Standards Board shall send a copy to the members of the principal internship committee. Each member may file a written response within fifteen (15) days of receipt.

(6)

(a) The appeals committee shall review the written appeal by the principal intern, all committee reports, any additional documentation that accompanied the final report, and any written responses from the members of the principal internship committee.

(b) The appeals committee shall base its recommendation upon the following requirements:

1. Evidence of the principal intern's ability to meet the requirements of the administrator standards;

2. Appropriate documentation of fifty (50) hours outside normal working hours spent by the principal mentor in assisting the principal intern;

3. Assignment of internship committee members in accordance with legal requirements;

4. Compliance with the requirements for the timing, content, reporting, and signing of principal performance records, meeting and observation forms, and principal mentor time sheets; and

5. Agreement between principal intern performance records, professional growth plans, principal mentor committee meeting reports, and the final decision of the committee.

(7) The appeals committee shall make a recommendation to the Education Professional Standards Board on the appeal within sixty (60) days following the receipt of the appeal, unless good cause exists for additional time. The Education Professional Standards Board shall issue a final decision in each appeal reviewed by the appeals committee. The Education Professional Standards Board may consider the appeals committee recommendation and the records reviewed by the appeals committee in issuing its decision.

(8) If the decision of the principal internship committee is not upheld, the Education Professional Standards Board shall issue the appropriate certificate to the principal intern.

(9) If the decision of the principal internship committee is upheld, the Education Professional Standards Board shall issue another Statement of Eligibility for Principal Internship, unless:

(a) The principal intern has exhausted the two (2) year provision for participation in the Kentucky Principal Internship Program; or

(b) The period of validity of the statement of eligibility has expired.

(10) If, during the appeal process, it becomes evident that the principal internship committee has committed a procedural violation during the internship which makes it impossible to determine if the principal intern has been unsuccessful, the Education Professional Standards Board shall nullify the internship and allow the principal intern to repeat the internship without penalty.

(11) If the principal intern is not satisfied with the decision of the board based on the recommendation of the appeals committee, the principal intern may request a formal hearing under the provisions of KRS Chapter 13B. The principal intern shall file the request in writing with the Executive Director of the Education Professional Standards Board within fifteen (15) calendar days of the date the board's decision is received by the principal intern.

(12) In notifying the principal intern of the board's decision, the Education Professional Standards Board shall send the decision of the board to the last known address of the principal intern. If the principal intern fails to notify the Education Professional Standards Board of an updated or correct address, or refuses to claim the certified mail, the principal intern shall file the request for a hearing in writing with the Executive Director of the Education Professional Standards Board within (20) calendar days of the date the board's decision is mailed to the principal intern by certified mail.

Section 15. A principal intern who has not successfully completed the internship and has exhausted the two (2) year provision for participation in the Kentucky Principal Internship Program shall not be eligible for a Kentucky principal certificate under this administrative regulation.

Section 16. The Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board shall collect and analyze data, on an annual or biennial basis, which permit evaluation of the Principal Internship Program covered by this administrative regulation.

Section 17. Incorporation by Reference:

(1) The following material is incorporated by reference:

(a) "Statement of Eligibility/Confirmation of Employment" form, revised January 2006;

(b) "Assurance Agreement for an Assistant Principal Intern" form, revised April 2006;

(c) "Kentucky Principal Internship Program Observation" forms, revised April 2006;

(d) "KPIP Observation Summary" form, revised April 2006;

(e) "Professional Growth Targets", revised April 2006;

(f) "Formative Portfolio Contents Checklist Sequences I and II", revised April 2006;

(g) "Summative Portfolio Contents Checklist Sequence III", revised April 2006;

(h) "Principal Mentor Time Sheet and Travel" form, revised April 2006;

(i) "Progress Report on Principal Intern", revised April 2006;

(j) "Summative Report on Principal Intern", revised April 2006;

(k) "Committee Meeting Checklist", revised April 2006; and

(l) "Interstate School Leaders Licensure Standards Growth Assessment", revised April 2006.

(2) This material may be inspected, copied, or obtained, subject to applicable copyright law, at the Education Professional Standards Board, 100 Airport Road, 3rd Floor, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

16 KAR 7:020

14 Ky.R. 1996; eff. 5-9-88; Am. 23 Ky.R. 3420; 3765; eff. 5-12-97; 25 Ky.R. 2953; 26 Ky.R. 383; eff. 8-2-99; Recodified from 704 KAR 20:470, 7-2-2002; 33 Ky.R. 1104; 1513; eff. 1-5-07; Crt eff. 2-27-2020.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 161.027, 161.028