Ala. Admin. Code r. 290-3-3-.54 - Teacher Leader (Grades P-12)
(1)
Rationale. To realize the
mission of enhancing school leadership among teacher leaders in Alabama
resulting in the improvement of academic achievement for all students,
prospective teacher leaders must have opportunities to work collaboratively
with school administrators, colleagues, students, parents and families, and the
larger community to achieve school-wide goals. Teacher leaders adhere to the
Alabama Educator Code of Ethics and model the use of the Alabama Professional
Development Standards when providing learning opportunities for their
colleagues. Standards for the preparation of teacher leaders reflect the
National Network of State Teachers of Year Model Teacher Leader Standards.
(a) Program content should be primarily
focused on supporting the development and improving the practice of shared
leadership.
(b) All candidates
should understand and be able to support leadership that is shared with all
stakeholders to increase student learning.
(c) All candidates must support the concept
and the practice of collective learning with faculties and schools.
(2)
Unconditional Admission
to a Teacher Leader Program. Initial certification for a teacher leader
shall be at the Class AA level.
(a) Criteria
for unconditional admission to teacher leader programs shall include:
1. A valid master's
level professional educator certificate in any teaching field or area of
instructional support.
2. A minimum
of three full years of full-time teaching experience in a P-12
setting.
3. A portfolio containing:
(i) Three letters of
recommendation.
(ii) Evidence of
ability to positively affect student achievement.
(iii) Evidence of collaborative leadership
potential.
(b) If an individual is unconditionally
admitted to an Alabama Class AA teacher leader program based on a
valid master's level professional educator certificate
in a teaching field or area of instructional support from another state,
completes the Class AA teacher leader program, and subsequently applies for
Class AA teacher leader certification, then the individual must hold at least a
valid Class A Professional Educator Certificate in a
teaching field or area of instructional support before applying for Class AA
certification.
(3)
Program Requirements. Each State-approved program must:
(a) Include at least 30 semester hours of
course work at the education specialist level or above and not used for
prior-level certification or degree in any teaching field or area of
instructional support.
(b) Include
periodic focus sessions for candidates to share problem-based concerns and
successes and to collaborate on issues and solutions.
(c) Include meaningful P-12 school-based
field experiences in any teacher leader course used to meet a teacher leader
standard.
(d) Include a minimum of
six semester hours reserved for a problem-based research project in a school or
school system.
(4)
Collaboration. The program should include:
(a) Joint curriculum design.
(b) Joint mentoring decisions.
(c) Joint planning for field
experiences.
(d) Joint planning for
the problem-based research project.
(5)
Curriculum of a Teacher Leader
Program. Teacher leaders are prepared to work with colleagues across all
teaching fields to improve instruction and to enhance learning opportunities
for P-12 students. In addition to meeting Rule 290-2-2 -.46(2)(a) -(e), the
program must ensure preparation in:
(a)
Fostering a Collaborative Culture to Support Educator Development and
Student Learning. The teacher leader understands the principles of adult
learning and knows how to develop a collaborative culture of collective
responsibility in the school. The teacher leader uses this knowledge to promote
an environment of collegiality, trust, and respect that focuses on continuous
improvement in instruction and student learning. The prospective teacher leader
demonstrates ability to:
1. Utilize group
processes to help colleagues work collaboratively to solve problems, make
decisions, manage conflict, and promote meaningful change.
2. Model effective skills in listening,
presenting ideas, leading discussions, clarifying, mediating, and identifying
the needs of self and others in order to advance shared goals and professional
learning.
3. Employ facilitation
skills to create trust among colleagues, develop collective wisdom, build
ownership and action that supports student learning.
4. Strive to create an inclusive culture
where diverse perspectives are welcomed in addressing challenges.
5. Use knowledge and understanding of
different backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and languages to promote
effective interactions among colleagues.
(b)
Accessing and Using Research to
Improve Practice and Student Learning. The teacher leader understands
how research creates new knowledge, informs policies and practices and improves
teaching and learning. The teacher leader models and facilitates the use of
systematic inquiry as a critical component of teachers' ongoing learning and
development. The prospective teacher leader demonstrates ability to:
1. Assist colleagues in accessing and using
research in order to select appropriate strategies to improve student
learning.
2. Facilitate the
analysis of student learning data, collaborative interpretation of results, and
application of findings to improve teaching and learning.
3. Support colleagues in collaborating with
the higher education institutions and other organizations engaged in
researching critical educational issues.
4. Teach and support colleagues to collect,
analyze, and communicate data from their classrooms to improve teaching and
learning.
(c)
Promoting Professional Learning for Continuous Improvement. The
teacher leader understands the evolving nature of teaching and learning,
established and emerging technologies, and the school community. The teacher
leader uses this knowledge to promote, design, and facilitate job-embedded
professional learning aligned with school improvement goals. The prospective
teacher leader demonstrates ability to:
1.
Collaborate with colleagues and school administrators to plan professional
learning that is team-based, job-embedded, sustained over time, aligned with
content standards, and linked to school/district improvement goals.
2. Use information about adult learning to
respond to the diverse learning needs of colleagues by identifying, promoting,
and facilitating varied and differentiated professional learning.
3. Facilitate professional learning among
colleagues.
4. Identify and use
appropriate technologies to promote collaborative and differentiated
professional learning.
5. Work with
colleagues to collect, analyze, and disseminate data related to the quality of
professional learning and its effect on teaching and student
learning.
6. Advocate for
sufficient preparation, time, and support for colleagues to work in teams to
engage in job-embedded professional learning.
7. Provide constructive feedback to
colleagues to strengthen teaching practice and improve student
learning.
8. Use information about
emerging education, economic, and social trends in planning and facilitating
professional learning.
(d)
Facilitating Improvements in
Instruction and Student Learning. The teacher leader demonstrates a deep
understanding of the teaching and learning processes and uses this knowledge to
advance the professional skills of colleagues by being a continuous learner and
modeling reflective practice based on student results. The teacher leader works
collaboratively with colleagues to ensure instructional practices are aligned
to a shared vision, mission, and goals. The prospective teacher leader
demonstrates ability to:
1. Facilitate the
collection, analysis, and use of classroom- and school-based data to identify
opportunities to improve curriculum, instruction, assessment, school
organization, and school culture.
2. Engage in reflective dialog with
colleagues based on observation of instruction, student work, and assessment
data and helps make connections to research-based effective
practices.
3. Support colleagues'
individual and collective reflection and professional growth by serving in
roles such as mentor, coach, and content facilitator.
4. Serve as a team leader to harness the
skills, expertise, and knowledge of colleagues to address curricular
expectations and student learning needs.
5. Use knowledge of existing and emerging
technologies to guide colleagues in helping students skillfully and
appropriately navigate the universe of knowledge available on the Internet, use
social media to promote collaborative learning, and connect with people and
resources around the globe.
6.
Promote instructional strategies that address issues of diversity and equity in
the classroom and ensures that individual student learning needs remain the
central focus of instruction.
(e)
Promoting the Use of Assessments
and Data for School and District Improvement. The teacher leader is
knowledgeable about current research on classroom- and school-based data and
the design and selection of appropriate formative and summative assessment
methods. The teacher leader shares this knowledge and collaborates with
colleagues to use assessment and other data to make informed decisions that
improve learning for all students and to inform school and district improvement
strategies. The prospective teacher leader demonstrates ability to:
1. Increase the capacity of colleagues to
identify and use multiple assessment tools aligned to state and local
standards.
2. Collaborate with
colleagues in the design, implementation, scoring, and interpretation of
student data to improve educational practice and student learning.
3. Create a climate of trust and critical
reflection in order to engage colleagues in challenging conversations about
student learning data that lead to solutions to identified issues.
4. Work with colleagues to use assessment and
data findings to promote changes in instructional practices or organizational
structures to improve student learning.
(f)
Improving Outreach and
Collaboration with Families and Community. The teacher leader
understands that families, cultures, and communities have a significant impact
on educational processes and student learning. The teacher leader works with
colleagues to promote ongoing systematic collaboration with families, community
members, business and community leaders, and other stakeholders to improve the
educational system and expand opportunities for student learning. The
prospective teacher leader demonstrates ability to:
1. Use knowledge and understanding of the
different backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and languages in the school
community to promote effective interactions among colleagues, families, and the
larger community.
2. Model and
teach effective communication and collaboration skills with families and other
stakeholders focused on attaining equitable achievement for students of all
backgrounds and circumstances.
3.
Facilitate colleagues' self-examination of their own understandings of
community culture and diversity and how they can develop culturally responsive
strategies to enrich the educational experiences of students and achieve high
levels of learning for all students.
4. Develop a shared understanding among
colleagues of the diverse educational needs of families and the
community.
5. Collaborate with
families, communities, and colleagues to develop comprehensive strategies to
address the diverse educational needs of families and the community.
(g)
Advocating for Student
Learning and the Profession. The teacher leader understands how
educational policy is made at the local, state, and national level as well as
the roles of school leaders, boards of education, legislators, and other
stakeholders in formulating those policies. The teacher leader uses this
knowledge to advocate for student needs and for practices that support
effective teaching and increase student learning and serves as an individual of
influence and respect within the school, community, and profession. The
prospective teacher leader demonstrates ability to:
1. Share information with colleagues within
and/or beyond the district regarding how local, state, and national trends and
policies can impact classroom practices and expectations for student
learning.
2. Work with colleagues
to identify and use research to advocate for teaching and learning processes
that meet the needs of all students.
3. Collaborate with colleagues to select
appropriate opportunities to advocate for the rights and/or needs of students,
to secure additional resources within the building or district that support
student learning, and to communicate effectively with targeted audiences such
as parents and community members.
4. Advocate for access to professional
resources, including financial support and human and other material resources,
that allow colleagues to spend significant time learning about effective
practices and developing a professional learning community focused on school
improvement goals.
5. Represent and
advocate for the profession in contexts outside of the classroom.
(6)
Requirements
for Class AA Certification in Teacher Leader. Readiness to serve as a
teacher leader shall include:
(a) At least a
valid Class A Professional Educator Certificate or a
valid Class A Professional Leadership Certificate. See
Rule 290-3-3-.54(2)(b).
(b) An
official transcript from a regionally accredited institution documenting an
earned education specialist degree.
(c) A survey of special education course is
required unless that course was taken for prior level certification. [See Rule
290-3-3-.01(51)] . An individual who completed a survey of special education course prior to
the semester when the individual met requirements for unconditional admission
to a Class AA program July 1, 2017, or thereafter, must take a course focused
primarily on one of the following categories: methods of accommodating
instruction to meet the needs of students with exceptionalities in inclusive
settings, multicultural education, teaching English language learners, rural
education, or urban education. A diversity course used to meet this requirement
for Class A certification may not be used to meet the requirement for Class AA
certification.
(d) Satisfactory
completion of a State-approved program with a minimum GPA of 3.25 for all
courses in the Alabama State Board of Education approved teacher leader program
as verified on an official transcript. Effective for candidates unconditionally
admitted to a Class AA teacher leader program July 1, 2017, and thereafter,
satisfactory completion of a State-approved program with a minimum GPA of 3.50
on all courses in the Alabama State Board of Education approved teacher leader
program.
(e) Satisfactory
completion of a problem-based research project.
(7)
Testing for Certification in
Teacher Leader. Applicants for initial certification in teacher leader
through the completion of a Class AA program must meet the Praxis requirements
of the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) as a
precondition of certification.
(8)
Faculty. An institution shall meet the criteria listed below.
(a) The program shall include at least two
faculty members who hold earned doctorates and are full-time to the EPP. One
faculty member shall hold an earned doctorate in educational administration or
instructional leadership and shall be actively involved in the preparation of
instructional leaders at the Class AA level. One faculty member shall hold an
earned doctorate and be actively involved in the preparation of teachers at the
Class AA level for grades P-3, K-6, 6-12, or P-12.
(b) Faculty members shall teach courses
required in the teacher leader preparation program, advise candidates seeking
certification through program completion, and demonstrate a thorough
understanding of current State initiatives.
Notes
Previous Rule.52.01 was renumbered.54 per certification published August 31, 2021; effective October 15, 2021.
Author: Dr. Eric G. Mackey
Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, ยงยง 16-3-16, 16-23-14.
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