Bill > S840

This bill, titled the School Principal Recruitment and Training Act, aims to improve student academic achievement by establishing a grant program to recruit, support, and prepare principals for eligible schools, which are defined as high-need, persistently low-achieving, achievement gap, or certain rural schools. The program will provide grants to eligible entities, such as local or state educational agencies, or partnerships with non-profit organizations and institutions of higher education, to fund activities like recruiting and training aspiring or current principals, offering preservice residencies of at least one year with mentorship, providing ongoing support for at least two years after they begin working, and training mentors for principals. The grants will be awarded based on criteria such as the entity's capacity, track record of effectiveness, and plans for sustaining the program, with priority given to those who can demonstrate improved student outcomes and a commitment to serving rural or low-performing schools. Grant recipients will be required to contribute matching funds, and the grant funds must supplement, not replace, existing funding. The Secretary will establish performance metrics to evaluate the program's effectiveness, and a report on lessons learned will be submitted to Congress.