Alabama Administrative Code
Title 290 - ALABAMA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Chapter 290-040-030 - LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Section 290-040-030-.01 - Inservice Education And Professional Development For Instructional Leaders

Universal Citation: AL Admin Code R 290-040-030-.01

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 11, August 30, 2024

(1) Office of Leadership Development.

(a) The Office of Leadership Development shall establish the Alabama Council for Leadership Development. The Alabama Council for Leadership Development will, with entities both inside and outside of the State Department of Education (SDE), provide advisement for a seamless system of professional development for Alabama instructional leaders.

(b) Members of the Alabama Council for Leadership Development will be appointed by the State Superintendent of Education, using nominations received from State Board of Education members, education organizations, and other entities, and will serve a three-year staggered term.

(c) Members of the Alabama Council for Leadership Development will include, but not be limited to, the following active practitioners: local superintendents, local education agency director of instruction or equivalent position, elementary principal, middle school principal, high school principal, assistant principal, teacher leader, and aspiring principal who have distinguished themselves by leading sustained student achievement in their schools or local education agencies (LEAs). Membership of the Alabama Council for Leadership Development shall not exceed 15 members.

(2) Responsibilities of the Office of Leadership Development and the Alabama Council for Leadership Development.

(a) The Office of Leadership Development and the Alabama Council for Leadership Development shall define the criteria for the approval of all professional development activities and programs used to meet requirements of instructional leader certification renewal which shall be called Professional Learning Units (PLUs). Criteria will align with the Alabama Standards for Instructional Leaders and the Alabama Standards for Professional Development. (Refer to Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 16-23-7, 16-23-8, and 16-23-12 through 13.1, and AAC Rule 290-3-3-.48).

(b) Unless otherwise specifically provided by law, the rules referenced above shall be the sole authority by which the criteria for effective professional development is determined for the activities and programs used to meet any of the requirements referenced above. The State Superintendent of Education shall be the only authority who can make exceptions to these rules. A request for an exception, accepted only from a local superintendent, must reflect possible improvements in student achievement in the public school(s) of Alabama. (Refer to AAC Rule 290-010-010-.10.1 )

(c) The Office of Leadership Development and the Alabama Council for Leadership Development shall also provide assistance to local city and county school systems in designing and evaluating professional development activities and programs that meet the needs of local educators and are aligned with the Alabama Standards for Instructional Leaders and the Alabama Standards for Professional Development.

(d) The Office of Leadership Development and the Alabama Council for Leadership Development shall also facilitate the development of professional development activities and programs for needs identified by practitioners or LEAs.

(3) Alabama Standards for Professional Development.

Approved Professional Development shall:

(a) Organize adults into learning communities whose goals are aligned with those of the school, the district, and the state.

(b) Require knowledgeable and skillful school and district leaders who actively participate in and guide continuous instructional improvement.

(c) Provide resources to support adult learning and collaboration.

(d) Use disaggregated student data to determine adult learning priorities, monitor progress, and help sustain continuous improvement.

(e) Use multiple sources of information to guide improvement and demonstrate its impact.

(f) Prepare educators to apply research to decision making.

(g) Use learning strategies appropriate to the intended goal.

(h) Apply knowledge about human learning and change.

(i) Provide educators with the knowledge and skills to collaborate.

(j) Prepare educators to understand and appreciate all students; create safe, orderly, and supportive learning environments; and hold high expectations for their academic achievement.

(k) Deepen educators' content knowledge, provide them with research-based instructional strategies to assist students in meeting rigorous academic standards, and prepare them to use various types of classroom assessments appropriately.

(l) Provide educators with knowledge and skills to involve families and other stakeholders appropriately.

(4) Approved Professional Development Activities and Programs for Instructional Leaders.

(a) Instructional Leader shall be defined as:
1. Superintendent

2. Local Education Agency Central Office Instructional Administrators

3. Principal

4. Assistant Principal

5. Aspiring Principal

6. Teacher Leader

(b) Approved professional development shall be defined as educational experiences meeting the requirements of the Alabama Professional Development Standards and aligning the practice of instructional leaders with the Alabama Standards for Instructional Leaders.

(c) Only the proposed activities and/or programs which meet the criteria prescribed in subsequent sections of this document shall be approved for meeting the:
1. Renewal requirements for instructional leader certification which relate to professional development. (Refer to AAC Rule 290-3-2-.04)

2. Professional development requirements which are a result of the administrative component of the Professional Education Personnel Evaluation Program of Alabama.

(5) Approval Process for Professional Development Used for Instructional Leaders Certification Renewal.

(a) The Office of Leadership Development and the Alabama Council for Leadership Development with assistance from appropriate sections of the State Department of Education will design the Alabama Continuum of Leadership Development in support of the Alabama Standards for Instructional Leaders. The Alabama Continuum of Leadership Development will reflect the needs of each leader constituent group at all career phases and shall have improved student achievement through improved leadership as its primary goal.

(b) The Office of Leadership Development and the Alabama Council for Leadership Development shall design, and modify as needed, an evaluation matrix for assigning the value of professional development activities and programs that would meet approval for Professional Learning Units (PLUs) required for LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT certification renewal.

(c) The professional development content sanctioned by the Alabama Council for Leadership Development will constitute the Professional Learning Units required for LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT certification renewal.

(d) Approval for up to one-half of the PLUs required for certification renewal shall be granted by the employing superintendent or headmaster. All PLUs must meet the Alabama Professional Development Standards and the Alabama Standards for Instructional Leaders.

(e) Approval for at least one-half of the PLUs required for certification renewal shall be granted by the Office of Leadership Development. All PLUs must meet the Alabama Professional Development Standards and the Alabama Standards for Instructional Leaders.

(f) The Alabama Council for Leadership Development will meet a minimum of 4 times per year to ensure the approval of professional development content aligned with the Alabama Standards for Professional Development and the Alabama Continuum of Professional Development and that when implemented, create a seamless system of support for instructional leaders.

(g) Professional development content granted Professional Learning Unit status shall have an evaluation component outlined in a request for proposals that indicates how the effectiveness of the professional development will be evaluated. The focus of the evaluation must be the professional development content's impact on leadership that will improve student achievement.

(h) The Alabama Council for Leadership Development will sanction professional development content to support the Alabama Continuum of Leadership Development and to be used for certification renewal. Professional development content sanctioned by the Alabama Council of Leadership Development will reflect the Alabama Professional Development Standards and will support the alignment of instructional leaders' practice with the Alabama Standards for Instructional Leaders.

(i) The Alabama Council for Leadership Development will review the Continuum annually.

(j) The Alabama Council for Leadership Development will seek to minimize the time school leaders are away from their schools or offices, while maximizing the effect of research-based quality professional development to ensure improved student achievement.

(6) Coordination and Communication of Professional Development Opportunities.

(a) The Leadership Development Office shall prepare, and the Alabama Council for Leadership Development approve, a menu of professional development granted Professional Learning Units using a timetable that allows for development and announcement of approved professional development.

(b) A calendar shall be prepared that indicates windows of opportunity for professional development content to be developed and offered, but which also indicates times when certain audiences are not available to attend, i.e. during state testing, traditional dates for state meetings, etc.

(c) The Office of Leadership Development shall work with LEAs to ensure that opportunities for professional development are equally available throughout the state.

(d) The Office of Leadership Development and Alabama Council of Leadership Development shall collaborate with university schools of education to ensure that the Alabama Continuum of Leadership Development begins with content for pre-service education and is comprehensive enough to create the seamless system of professional development for instructional leaders supporting them throughout their career.

(7) Facilitating the development of Professional Development Activities and Programs.

(a) The Office of Leadership Development, with assistance from appropriate sections of the State Department of Education, will develop, issue, and review requests for proposals (RFPs) to solicit professional development content that addresses the needs on the Alabama Continuum of Leadership Development and may be approved for Professional Learning Units (PLUs) required for LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT certification renewal.

(8) Technology Professional Development Topics for Teachers and Administrators. Technology training shall be offered to professional personnel in the area of technology integration, use, and technology instructional leadership. The purpose of these professional development experiences will be to improve teaching, learning, leading, and enhancing Alabama's workforce skills.

(a) The Teacher shall learn to effectively:
1. Identify and evaluate technology resources and technical assistance, i.e., those available on-line and on-site within a school and district setting.

2. Assess advantages and limitations of current and emerging technologies, and on-line software content to facilitate teaching and student learning.

3. Develop and implement a classroom management plan to ensure equitable and effective student access to available technology resources.

4. Model safe, responsible, legal, and ethical use of technology and implement school and district acceptable use policies including fair-use and copyright guidelines and Internet user protection policies.

5. Design, implement, and assess learner-centered lessons and units that use appropriate and effective practices in teaching and learning with technology.

6. Use technology tools (including, but not limited to, spreadsheets, web page development, digital video, the Internet, and e-mail) for instruction, student assessment, management, reporting purposes and communication with parents/guardians of students.

7. Facilitate students' individual and collaborative use of technologies (including, but not limited to spreadsheets, web page development, digital video, the Internet, and e-mail) to locate, collect, create, produce, communicate, and present information.

8. Design, manage, and facilitate learning experiences incorporating technologies that are responsive to diversity of learners, learning styles and special needs of all students (e.g., assistive technologies for students with special needs).

9. Evaluate students' technology proficiency and students' technology-based products within curricular areas.

10. Use technology to enhance professional growth (e.g., through accessing web-based information, on-line collaboration with other educators and experts, and on-line professional courses).

(b) The Administrator shall learn to effectively:
1. Describe mechanisms for creating a shared vision for the comprehensive integration of technology, communicating that vision, and facilitating a process that fosters and nurtures a culture to achieve the vision.

2. Develop a technology plan including resource alignment (e.g., funding, staff and time, hardware/software, total cost of ownership), and demonstrate leadership skills necessary to integrate technology to support effective learning and administration.

3. Facilitate the selection and use of technologies appropriate for curriculum areas, instructional strategies, and student-centered learning environments to maximize learning and teaching to meet the individual needs of all learners.

4. Apply and model technology applications and professional practices that demonstrate knowledge of available technologies; existing Alabama and national technology standards for students, teachers, and administrators; related trends and issues; current research; and professional development resources in order to enhance professional practices of educational leaders, increase job-related technology use, and improve the productivity of self and other school personnel.

5. Use prevalent technology-based managerial, financial, and operational systems used in Alabama schools.

6. Use technology to facilitate effective assessment and evaluation, including the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and communication of findings to improve instructional practice and student learning; the use of assessment of staff knowledge, skills, and performance in using technology to facilitate quality professional development and guide personnel decisions; the use of technology to assess and evaluate managerial and operational systems; the use of multiple methods to evaluate the efficacy of technology resources for the purposes of improving learning, communication, and productivity.

7. Demonstrate responsible decision making that reflects understanding of social, legal, and ethical issues related to technology.

Author: Dr. Joseph B. Morton

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 16-3-16, 16-23-2, 16-23-7, 16-23-8, 16-23-12 through 13.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Alabama may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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