Bill > SB1718

This bill directs the State Department of Education to establish the Oklahoma Principal Leadership Development Program, in collaboration with the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, to improve the effectiveness of school principals by providing a framework for best practices and a statewide system for ongoing, high-quality professional development and mentoring. The program will be implemented in three phases: starting in the 2026-2027 school year, a professional development plan with learning goals, including those for student achievement and school climate, will be published, requiring five days of targeted training for principals, with specific focus on early literacy and numeracy for elementary principals; beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, new principals, defined as those in their first or second year of service after meeting certification requirements, will be paired with experienced principals (those with at least five years of experience and certification) for a two-year mentorship; and by the 2028-2029 school year, a year-long principal leadership academy will be developed based on lessons learned from the earlier phases, with the aim of offering it to all certified principals. Furthermore, starting in the 2029-2030 school year, and contingent on available funding, new principals who complete the required professional development and mentorship will receive a $5,000 stipend, and once the leadership academy is implemented, certified principals who complete it will also receive a $5,000 stipend, also subject to funding availability. The State Board of Education is authorized to create rules to implement these provisions, and the act will take effect on July 1, 2026, with an emergency clause for immediate implementation.

Budget and Finance, Education

http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=sb1718&Session=2600