Expand AllClick here for a more accessible versionResearch demonstrates that effective school leaders have an impact on student achievement. A focused program of continuing professional education can help leaders develop the knowledge and skills they need to become more effective in improving the learning environment for teachers and students. This legislation will make better use of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits by requiring certain school administrators to participate in professional education activities that are focused on practices that have the greatest impact on improving student achievement.
All active school and system leaders employed in the following positions in Commonwealth districts and schools:
- Principal
- Assistant or Vice Principal
- Superintendent
- Assistant Superintendent
- Intermediate Unit Executive Director
- Intermediate Unit Assistant Executive Director
- Director of an Area Career and Technical Education School
This legislation only affects professional educators with administrative certificates who are employed in any of these positions in a Commonwealth district or school on or after January 1, 2008.
The legislation requires the following:
Preparation programs for superintendents and principals must address the nine PA school leadership standards.
A Principals' Induction Program that addresses the three core leadership standards has been developed and is offered by the Department. Current certified principals, vice or assistant principals, who are employed for the first time on or after January 1, 2008, and all candidates who apply for a certificate on or after January 1, 2008 must complete the induction program within the first five years of employment as a principal, vice or assistant principal in the Commonwealth.
On or after January 1, 2008, all school and system leaders must complete their continuing professional education requirements in no less than the same proportion as the proportion of the Leadership (NISL), including the two Principal Induction courses; and compliance period during which the individual was employed as a school or system leader. School and system leaders will be required to fulfill their PIL proportional hours in programs that address one or more of the nine PA school leadership standards.
The Department of Education must provide the programs it offers at no cost to the individual or the school entity.
The Department of Education must approve other providers, using criteria developed by the Department, to provide induction and continuing professional education.
Core Standards:
The leader has the knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, creating an organizational vision around personalized student success.
The leader has an understanding of standards-based systems theory and design and the ability to transfer that knowledge to the leader's job as the architect of standards-based reform in the school.
The leader has the ability to access and use appropriate data to inform decision-making at all levels of the system.
Corollary Standards:
The leader knows how to create a culture of teaching and learning with an emphasis on learning.
The leader knows how to manage resources for effective results.
The leader knows how to collaborate, communicate, engage and empower others inside and outside of the organization to pursue excellence in learning.
The leader knows how to operate in a fair and equitable manner with personal and professional integrity.
The leader knows how to advocate for children and public education in the larger political, social, economic, legal and cultural context.
The leader knows how to support professional growth of self and others through practice and inquiry.
In 2004-2005, a stakeholder group of practitioners (superintendents and principals), association leaders, and university administrators and instructors were asked to review the research on how school leaders impact student achievement and to recommend a set of standards based on that research to guide preparation and continuing professional education for school leaders in Pennsylvania. The group recommended the standards to the Secretary of Education in the spring of 2005, and they have been the basis of the professional education offered through the Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership (PIL) program.
PIL is a standards-based professional education program offered by the Department of Education through eight regional sites. Each site supports several cohort groups with two curricular offerings: 1) a comprehensive curriculum developed by the National Institute for School Leadership (NISL); including the two Principal Induction courses; and 2) The Act 13 and Beyond Course as well as the PIL blended course offerings.
Individuals employed as a school or systems leaders will be required to complete their Act 48 continuing professional education requirements in no less than the same proportion as the proportion of the compliance period during which the individual was employed as a school or system leader (see also questions 12 and 13 below). PIL approved courses, as indicated by PERMS Subject Areas "PA Inspired Leadership (PIL)" and "PA Inspired Leadership (PIL) Induction" are the only CPE programs that will count towards completion of PIL requirements. "School Administrative (Non-PIL)" courses and/or activities will not count towards the completion of PIL requirements, but will count toward the total Act 48 continuing professional requirements and will satisfy the proportion of the compliance period in which the individual was not serving as a school or system leader.
PIL approved courses will consist of:
Leadership courses or programs offered by the Department that address one or more of the PA leadership standards.
Approved superintendent preparation programs.
Courses and programs offered by non-PDE entities. Organizations must submit course/program ITQ proposals to PDE for approval to provide PIL hours.
The law requires the Department to annually publish a list of approved providers for the Principals' Induction Program and the Continuing Professional Education Programs. The Department will seek proposals from providers through an Invitation to Qualify (ITQ) and will publish on its website a list of those that are approved in March 2008. This list will be updated quarterly during 2008 and at least once a year thereafter.
Yes. The legislation limits the number of required hours of professional education to 36 hours per school year and a total of 108 hours for the entire Induction Program.
Starting in January 2008, the PERMSV2 tracking system will be modified to track PIL hours and non-PIL hours for all school and systems leaders. Each educator's continuing education profile will show this information as it is reported by providers. Approved providers must enter their approved courses or programs under the subject area of PIL or PIL Induction to ensure that they are properly credited to an individual's account.
Those school and systems leaders are not required to participate in any PIL or PIL-approved programs until their next compliance period.
If a school or systems leader has served in one of the targeted positions for the entire compliance period, he or she must get all of their remaining CPE hours in a PIL or PIL-approved program. For example, if a school or systems leader has 120 Act 48 hours by January 1, 2008, he or she will need to complete 60 hours in a PIL or PIL-approved program.
In this case, the law requires that the Act 48 & Act 45/PIL requirements be proportional. For example, a school or system leader who has served in one of the targeted positions for only four of the five-year Act 48 compliance period would need to complete 80% of his or her remaining unmet hours as of January 1, 2008, in a PIL or PIL-approved program.
All school or systems leaders must meet the requirements of this law to remain active. For example, assuming an individual has been employed as a school and systems leader for the entire compliance period and has 150 PIL hours and 30 non-PIL hours, he or she will have administrative certificate(s) inactivated until the 30 hours in a PIL course or program have been completed. All other certificates will remain active, and the school or systems leader will begin a new Act 48 Five-Year Compliance Period. The specific administrative certificate types that would be affected are Administrative, Administrative I, Administrative II, and Letter of Eligibility.
They may continue to take professional education courses or programs appropriate to their position responsibilities.
Carla Wilson
Act 45/PIL Program Specialist
PA Department of Education
717-346-7112
c-cwilson@pa.gov
Contact the PIL Regional Program Leader in your region:
Region 1 (IU 22, 23, 24, 25, 26):
John Romanoski
484-300-5366
Email: johnr1216@gmail.com
Carol Domb
1919 Chestnut Street, #2808
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215-301-2185
carolangela1257@gmail.com
Region 2 (IU 14, 20, 21, 29)
Nancy Sinkus
Phone: 610-914-2078
Email: nansin@berksiu.org
Region 3 (IU 18, 19)
Hal Bloss
Phone: 570-876-9226
Email: hbloss@iu19.org
Region 4 (IU 9, 16, 17)
Douglas Ulkins
Phone: 570-376-2567
Email:dulkins@IU17.org
Region 5 (IU 12, 13, 15)
Cheryl Rudawski
Phone: (717) 571-5836
cgrudawski@gmail.com
Region 6 (IU 8, 10, 11)
Edward Curry
Phone: 814-542-2501, ext. 196
Email: ecurry1@live.com
Region 7 (IU 1, 2, 3, 7, 27)
Dean A. Casello, Ed.D
Phone: 412-394-5752
Email: dean.casello@aiu3.net
Region 8 (IU 4, 5, 6, 28)
Dean C. Maynard, Ed.D.
Phone: 814-440-8901
Email: PILRegion8@iu5.org