S105 - 2021 Appropriations Act. (SL 2021-180)

Session Year 2021

Overview: OVERVIEW AND ANALYSIS: Section 7.11 of S.L. 2021-180 directs the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to contract with Schools That Lead, Inc., to provide professional development to teachers and principals in up to 75 schools, beginning with the 2021-2022 school year and ending in the 2025-2026 school year. The selected schools must be charter schools or schools under the authority of a local school administrative unit with professional development services offered to teachers and principals in kindergarten through grade 12. The Superintendent of Public Instruction, in consultation with Schools That Lead, Inc., must determine which schools are eligible to participate in the Schools That Lead Program (Program). The Program must offer services to three cohorts of schools, as follows:

  • High schools working to increase on-time graduation.
  • Middle schools working to prepare students to succeed in high school by reducing the likelihood of retention in the ninth grade for multiple school years.
  • Elementary schools working to reduce the number of students with early warning indicators of course failures, absences, and discipline.

DPI must use up to $100,000 to contract with an independent research organization to measure the impacts of the Program on student outcomes, including, but not limited to: (i) on time graduation in high school, (ii) ninth grade retention rates, and (iii) course failures, absences, and discipline in elementary school. The independent research organization must report its interim findings to DPI no later than June 30, starting in 2023, and submit a final report no later than June 30, 2027.

DPI, in consultation with Schools That Lead, Inc., must report on the impacts of the Program and must include an accounting of expenditures, school performance data, principal performance data, teacher performance data, and student outcome data. The report is due beginning October 1, 2023, and continues each year until October 1, 2027, to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and various other entities.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This section became effective July 1, 2021.

Additional Information: