Gov. Bill Haslam unveils $3.5M plan to improve leadership skills for school principals
Tennessee wants to spend more than $3.5 million next year to improve the state’s principal pipeline.
Gov. Bill Haslam said the money, earmarked in his January budget proposal, will be used for three principal leadership initiatives — preparation, retention and development. The funds are boosted by $600,000 in donations from private groups.
Haslam said at a news conference that a leader is one of the most important factors in the success of a school.
The money will be spent on three initiatives:
$1.25 million in recurring funds to help colleges create best practices in training school leaders, including through mentoring, residency programs and partnerships with school districts. The state also will partner on the initiative with philanthropy groups through $600,000 in one-time money.
$1.92 million in one-time money to help struggling schools by providing incentives for effective principals to stay and lead Tennessee’s lowest-performing schools.
$500,000 in one-time money to create a program that would support the development of rural school leaders, including scholarships to participate in networking and training. [Read more at The Tennessean]
