H377 - Teacher Step Act. (SL 2019-247)

Overview: Section 2.5 of S.L. 2019-247 directs the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to establish the Principal Recruitment Supplement Program (Program) to provide time-limited salary supplements to qualifying principals of qualifying schools. A qualifying principal who accepts a position as a principal in a qualifying school will receive an annual salary supplement of $30,000 as long as the principal stays with that school up to a maximum period of 36 months subject to the following requirements:

• A qualifying principal is not to be excluded in future years from contracting with the same eligible employer or a different eligible employer for another salary supplement.
• A qualifying principal who works at a qualifying school will continue to receive the salary supplement for up to 36 months even if one or more of the following occur: (i) the principal no longer meets the definition of a qualifying principal; or (ii) the school is no longer an eligible school that meets the definition of a qualifying school.
• The salary supplements are not considered compensation under the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System.

To the extent that funds are available for the Program, DPI must notify eligible employers with one or more eligible schools that they may be selected to participate in the program and the eligible employer must notify DPI that it wishes to be in the Program. DPI must select up to a statewide total of 40 schools and must prioritize eligible schools with the lowest overall school performance scores. Eligible employers must notify DPI of the principals, schools, and the length of time the qualifying principal will receive the salary supplement. The principals must begin employment by August 1, 2020.

The salary supplements are to supplement and not supplant State and non-State funds already provided for principal compensation. By March 15, 2021 and every year thereafter in which funds are expended under the Program, DPI must report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division of the General Assembly on the Program. The report must include:

• The impact of the Program on school performance, including the performance of schools receiving a principal in the Program and schools that lost a principal due to the Program.
• The number of principals participating in the Program.
• The identity of the schools participating in the Program.
• The length and rate of retention of principals with the Program and at specific schools within the Program.

This section became effective July 1, 2019.