Members Present:

Sen. Ann Millner, Senate Chair

Rep. Bradley G. Last, House Chair

Sen. Lincoln Fillmore

Sen. Howard A. Stephenson

Rep. LaVar Christensen

Rep. Bruce R. Cutler

Rep. Eric K. Hutchings

Rep. David E. Lifferth

Rep. Daniel McCay

Rep. Carol Spackman Moss

Rep. Michael E. Noel

Rep. Marie H. Poulson

Rep. V. Lowry Snow

Members Absent:

Sen. Jim Dabakis

Sen. Don L. Ipson

Rep. Steve Eliason

Rep. Justin L. Fawson

Rep. Francis D. Gibson

Staff Present:

Ms. Allyson R. Goldstein, Policy Analyst

Mr. Nathan W. Brady, Policy Analyst

Ms. Amy L. West, Associate General Counsel

Ms. Rebekah M. Bradway, Associate General

Counsel

Ms. Debra Hale, Legislative Assistant

Note: A list of others present, a copy of related materials, and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.

1. Welcome

Chair Millner welcomed meeting participants and visitors at 8:21 a.m. She asked participants and staff to introduce themselves and discussed the objectives of the meeting.

2. School Principal Leadership Overview and Using State Policy

Ms. Kelly Latterman, Policy Specialist, National Conference of State Legislatures, addressed research that showed that investments in principals and other administrative school leadership make a positive difference in student outcomes.

She reviewed a presentation, "Developing Excellent School Principals to Advance Teaching and Learning – Considerations for State Policy," and gave a brief overview of the importance of school administrators and the policy levers legislators may use to prioritize effective school leadership.

3. How Does Utah Compare?

Ms. Latterman introduced the agenda item, discussed "A Policymaker's Guide – Research Based Policy for Principal Preparation Program Approval and Licensure," and distributed two pages from the document that describe principal preparation in Utah.

Dr. Sydnee Dickson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, presented "Utah School Leadership Policy Meeting" and distributed "What is required of today's school leaders?" She described principal preparation in Utah from a kindergarten through grade 12 education perspective.

Dr. Andrea K. Rorrer, Director, Utah Education Policy Center, presented "Educational Leadership." She described principal preparation in Utah from a higher education perspective.

4. What's Working in Principal Preparation?

Ms. Latterman introduced the agenda item.

Dr. Steven E. Tozer, Director, Center for Urban Education Leadership, and Professor, Education Policy Studies, University of Illinois at Chicago, presented "Utah School Leadership Policy" and described how changes to the preparation of school leaders had changed student achievement in Chicago public schools.

Ms. Jackie Wilson, Director, Center for Education Leadership, Teaching, and Learning, University of Delaware, described how Delaware had brought together a range of stakeholders to address issues related to school administrator preparation.

Mr. Jason Dougal, Chief Executive Officer, National Institute for School Leadership, described his organization's approach to strengthening school leadership.

Ms. Latterman facilitated questions for the presenters from the audience.

5. Working Lunch

Ms. Latterman introduced the panelists, who described their experiences as school leaders in Utah's schools. The panelists included:

1) Mr. Spencer Singer, Principal, Monument Valley High School;

2) Dr. Alexa Cunningham, Superintendent, Salt Lake City School District; and

3) Ms. Amber S. Clayton, Principal and Lead Learner, Granger Elementary School.

6. Breakout Activity: State Policy Solutions

Meeting participants discussed state policy solutions and best practices to promote school leadership, including:

1) Preparation (selection, internship);

2) Licensure (experience and assessment requirements, regulatory policies, alternative pathways); and

3) Professional Development (mentoring, induction, ongoing support).

For each school leadership policy topic, meeting participants discussed the following questions:

1) What are the challenges around this topic area?

2) What are our institutions already doing in Utah to address this topic? and

3) What ideas and next steps can and should be taken?

Following the discussion, meeting participants voted for the challenges and solutions that they thought should be prioritized in Utah.

7. Share Out and Walk Through

Agenda items 7 and 8 were addressed in combination with agenda item 6.

8. Thought Questions

Agenda items 7 and 8 were addressed in combination with agenda item 6.

9. Guided Group Decisions and Next Steps

Referring to a presentation, "School Leadership Policy Meeting Outcomes," Sen. Millner described the challenges and solutions that meeting participants prioritized.

10. Meeting Wrap Up and Announcements

Chair Millner shared closing thoughts and adjourned the meeting at 3:27 p.m.