R277-505-5. Standards for the Approval of Programs for Education Leadership Licensure

  (1) The Board may approve the education leadership licensure preparation program of an institution of higher education if the program:

  (a) prepares candidates to meet the Utah educational leadership Standards described in R277-530;

  (b) subject to Subsection (2), establishes entry requirements designed to ensure that only high quality individuals enter the licensure program;

  (c) includes coursework specifically designed to prepare candidates to:

  (i) properly utilize data, including student performance data, to evaluate educator and school performance and provide actionable information to educators to improve instruction;

  (ii) facilitate educator use of technology to support and meaningfully supplement the learning of students in traditional, online-only, and blended classrooms

  (iii) collaborate with all stakeholder groups to create a shared vision, mission, and goals for a school;

  (iv) communicate effectively with parents, community groups, staff, and students;

  (v) recognize effective and ineffective instructional practice in order to ensure authentic learning and assessment experiences for all students;

  (vi) counsel educators in relation to the educator's evaluation, professional learning, and student performance to improve the educator's practice;

  (vii) ensure a safe, secure, emotionally protective and healthy school environment, including the prevention of bullying and youth suicide; and

  (viii) connect management operations, policies, and resources to the vision and values of the school; and

  (d) includes a minimum of 50 hours of clinical experience in elementary and secondary schools throughout program coursework.

  (2) Beginning on January 1, 2017, the entry requirements described in Subsection (1)(b) shall require an individual entering a Board-approved education leadership licensure program to:

  (a) clear a USOE fingerprint background check;

  (b) hold a Level 2 or 3 Utah educator license;

  (c) have been deemed effective or higher by:

  (i) an evaluation system meeting the standards of R277-531; or

  (ii) the LEA's equivalent on the applicant's most recent evaluation;

  (d) have a recommendation from:

  (i) the individual's immediate administrative supervisor; or

  (ii) an LEA-level administrator with knowledge regarding the individual's potential as an education leader; and

  (e) pass an interview conducted by the program to measure the potential of the individual as an education leader.

  (3) A Board-approved education leadership licensure program may waive the entrance requirements described in Subsections (2)(b) through (e) based on program established guidelines for no more than ten percent of an incoming cohort.

  (4) A Board-approved education leadership licensure program shall ensure that each incoming cohort after January 1, 2017 has a mean post-secondary G.P.A. of 3.0 or higher.

  (5) A Board-approved education leadership licensure program is exempt from the entrance requirements in R277-502-3(C)(6).

  (6) For a program applicant accepted on or after January 1, 2017, a Board-approved education leadership licensure program shall require the following opportunities for a program applicant to demonstrate application of knowledge and skills gained through the program in a culminating experience:

  (a) analyzing school assessment data from common formative assessments, summative assessments, standardized assessments, and interim or benchmark assessments with school staff and with individual teachers;

  (b) participating in all aspects of at least two teacher evaluations using an evaluation system that meets the requirements of:

  (i) R277-531; or

  (ii) the LEAs equivalent;

  (c) participating in all aspects of at least one evaluation of a classified employee;

  (d) planning, or participating in the planning of, organizing, conducting, and evaluating the effectiveness of a professional development activity for school staff;

  (e) participating in multiple meetings of more than one school-based learning team;

  (f) participating in School Community Council meetings including the annual development and evaluation of the School Improvement Plan or the School LAND Trust plan;

  (g) participating in multiple classroom observations and walk-throughs;

  (h) participating in multiple IEP and 504 accommodation plan meetings in support of or as the LEA representative;

  (i) handling multiple cases of student discipline referred to the school office for more than one type of misconduct;

  (j) supervising a variety of after school activities and monitoring the process for collecting and handling fees and gate receipts;

  (k) participating in the school's screening process, including interviews and the notification of successful and unsuccessful applicants; and

  (l) any additional specific experiences as defined by the program.

  (7) A program applicant shall complete the competencies described in Subsection (6) by participating in one of the following culminating experiences:

  (a) employment in an education leadership position where the educator:

  (i) supervises other educators and that meets the following requirements:

  (ii) is employed half-time or more in the position for a full school year;

  (iii) is mentored by a licensed education leader that has been deemed effective or higher by:

  (A) an evaluation meeting the standards of R277-531; or

  (B) the LEA's equivalent on the educator's most recent evaluation;

  (iv) works a minimum of 100 hours in a minimum of two hour blocks during the regular school day and the regular school year in an elementary school where the educator is not employed if the educator is not employed as an elementary principal or vice-principal; and

  (v) works a minimum of 100 hours in a minimum of two hour blocks during the regular school day and the regular school year in a secondary school where the educator is not employed if the educator is not employed as a secondary principal or vice-principal; or

  (b) an internship where the educator:

  (i) works a minimum of 400 hours of supervised clinical experiences, excluding additional hours required by a university for seminars or discussion sessions within the required hours;

  (ii) works a minimum of 300 of the required hours in a school setting which offers the opportunity of working with:

  (A) students, faculty, classified employees, parents, and patrons; and

  (B) a licensed principal that has been deemed effective or higher by:

  (I) an evaluation system meeting the standards of R277-531; or

  (II) the LEA's equivalent on the principal's most recent evaluation;

  (iii) works the remainder of the required internship hours in a school district office; at the USOE; with a Board-approved agency; or in another Board-approved program or school setting;

  (iv) works the majority of the school-level supervised experience completed during the regular school day and in concentrated blocks of a minimum of two hours each when students are present;

  (v) works a minimum of 150 hours in an elementary school;

  (vi) works a minimum of 150 hours in a secondary school; and

  (vii) works a minimum of 32 hours in concentrated blocks of a minimum of eight hours each during the regular school day and the regular school year in a school in which the intern is not employed as a teacher.

  (8) The Superintendent may approve a culminating experience proposal that does not meet the requirements of Subsection (6) to pilot innovative or alternative practice if:

  (a) a Board-approved education leadership licensure program and a partner LEA submit a joint proposal to the Superintendent; and

  (b) the proposal is for a maximum of two years.

  (9) The Superintendent shall report the results of a pilot described in Subsection (8)(a) to the Board after completion.