The state of Alabama and the nonprofit Southern Regional Education Board announced today they are completing nearly two years of work to improve training for aspiring school leaders across the state.
Alabama officials, including State Superintendent of Education Joseph Morton, have worked closely with Kathy O’Neill, the director of the SREB Learning-Centered Leadership Program, to set higher standards for university-level graduate programs that train aspiring school principals.
The work has resulted in progress toward improving Alabama’s system for training school principals, including:
--State Board of Education approval of the Alabama Council for Leadership Development and a new professional development process to support Instructional Leadership Certification, in September 2006.
--State notification in February 2006 that all 13 university educational leadership programs in the state must complete redesign by 2008.
--The selection and funding of four lead redesign university programs in November 2005: Auburn University, Samford University in Birmingham, the University of Montevallo and the University of South Alabama in Mobile.
--State Board of Education approval in 2005 of new Alabama Leadership Standards, University Educational Leadership Preparation Redesign Standards and a new Alabama Educator Code of Ethics.
--Looking ahead, possible approval of a three-tiered school leadership certification system, which may include mentoring and exemplary leader status that would allow leaders to qualify for additional pay. Another proposal may include incentive pay for principals to work in tough-to-staff areas of the state. Work continues on redesign of leadership training programs at universities.
The SREB Challenge to Lead Goals for Education call for every school to have leadership that improves student performance, beginning with an effective school principal. Without proper training that focuses on improving student achievement, teaching, curricula and the learning environment, school leaders are unequipped to meet the challenges many schools in SREB states face. The goal is for every school to improve, for every student to succeed at high levels, and for SREB states to lead the nation in educational progress.
For more information about Alabama’s work to improve school leadership and other areas of progress, including a list of suggested sources in your area, please contact SREB Communications.
SREB, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, advises state education leaders on ways to improve education. SREB was created in 1948 by Southern governors and legislatures to help leaders in education and government work cooperatively to advance education and improve the social and economic life of the region. SREB has 16 member states: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. Each is represented by its governor and four gubernatorial appointees.
