Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) PIL

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
*Act 45 of 2007 amended several sections (1003, 1109, 1205.5, and 1217) of the Pennsylvania Public School Code
to focus the preparation and continuing professional education of school and system leaders on the nine
Pennsylvania Leadership Standards. This is commonly referred to as the “PIL legislation.”
1/10/2008 1
1. Why was this legislation introduced?
Research 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 Act 48 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.
2. What professional educators are affected by the legislation?
All active school and system leaders employed in the following positions:
• Principal
• Assistant or Vice Principal
• Superintendent
• Assistant Superintendent
• Intermediate Unit Executive Director
• Intermediate Unit Assistant Executive Director
• Director of an Area Vocational-Technical School
This legislation only affects professional educators with administrative certificates
who are employed in any of these positions on or after January 1, 2008.
3. What is required by the legislation?
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.
PA Inspired Leadership (PIL) Legislation*
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
*Act 45 of 2007 amended several sections (1003, 1109, 1205.5, and 1217) of the Pennsylvania Public School Code
to focus the preparation and continuing professional education of school and system leaders on the nine
Pennsylvania Leadership Standards. This is commonly referred to as the “PIL legislation.”
1/10/2008 2
• On or after January 1, 2008, all school and system leaders must 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. 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.
4. What are the Pennsylvania School Leadership Standards?
• Core Standards:
o The leader has the knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically,
creating an organizational vision around personalized student success.
o 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.
o The leader has the ability to access and use appropriate data to inform
decision-making at all levels of the system.
• Corollary Standards:
o The leader knows how to create a culture of teaching and learning with an
emphasis on learning.
o The leader knows how to manage resources for effective results.
o The leader knows how to collaborate, communicate, engage and
empower others inside and outside of the organization to pursue
excellence in learning.
o The leader knows how to operate in a fair and equitable manner with
personal and professional integrity.
PA Inspired Leadership (PIL) Legislation*
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
*Act 45 of 2007 amended several sections (1003, 1109, 1205.5, and 1217) of the Pennsylvania Public School Code
to focus the preparation and continuing professional education of school and system leaders on the nine
Pennsylvania Leadership Standards. This is commonly referred to as the “PIL legislation.”
1/10/2008 3
o The leader knows how to advocate for children and public education in the
larger political, social, economic, legal and cultural context.
o The leader knows how to support professional growth of self and others
through practice and inquiry.
5. How were these standards determined?
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.
6. What is 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); and 2) a PAadapted
version of the Total Leaders curriculum developed by the Pennsylvania
School Leadership Council (PLDC).
7. Is the PIL program the only way that school and system leaders can receive
Act 48 credit?
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 Act 48 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.
PA Inspired Leadership (PIL) Legislation*
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
*Act 45 of 2007 amended several sections (1003, 1109, 1205.5, and 1217) of the Pennsylvania Public School Code
to focus the preparation and continuing professional education of school and system leaders on the nine
Pennsylvania Leadership Standards. This is commonly referred to as the “PIL legislation.”
1/10/2008 4
PIL approved courses will consist of:
a. Leadership courses or programs offered by the Department that address
one or more of the PA leadership standards.
b. Approved principal and superintendent preparation programs.
c. Approved courses or programs offered by approved providers.
8. How will I know which courses or programs have been approved?
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.
9. Is there a limit on the number of required hours for the Principals’
Induction Program?
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.
10. How will the Department track Act 48 hours for school and system leaders?
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
individual’s continuing education profile will show this information as it is reported
by providers. Approved providers will need to enter their approved courses or
programs under the subject area of PIL or PIL Induction in order for it to be
properly credited to an individual’s account.
11. What if a school and system leader has met the Act 48 requirements for
their current compliance period when the PIL legislation takes effect on
January 1, 2008?
Those school and systems leaders are not required to participate in any PIL or
PIL-approved programs until their next compliance period.
PA Inspired Leadership (PIL) Legislation*
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
*Act 45 of 2007 amended several sections (1003, 1109, 1205.5, and 1217) of the Pennsylvania Public School Code
to focus the preparation and continuing professional education of school and system leaders on the nine
Pennsylvania Leadership Standards. This is commonly referred to as the “PIL legislation.”
1/10/2008 5
12. What about those school or system leaders who have not met their 180-
hour requirement for the current compliance period by January 1, 2008?
If a school or systems leader has served in one of the targeted positions for the
entire compliance period, he or she will have to get all of their remaining Act 48
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.
13. What about school or system leaders who have served in both
administrative and non-administrative positions during a compliance
period?
In this case, the law requires that the Act 48 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.
14. What happens if a school or systems leader meets the Act 48 180 hour
requirement, but has not met the requirements of this law?
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
such time as 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.
15. How does this law affect individuals who hold administrative certificates
that are not currently serving in one of the positions defined as school and
system leaders?
They may continue to take professional education courses or programs
appropriate to their position responsibilities.
PA Inspired Leadership (PIL) Legislation*
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
*Act 45 of 2007 amended several sections (1003, 1109, 1205.5, and 1217) of the Pennsylvania Public School Code
to focus the preparation and continuing professional education of school and system leaders on the nine
Pennsylvania Leadership Standards. This is commonly referred to as the “PIL legislation.”
1/10/2008 6