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LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH LEGISLATURE
SECOND SESSION
LEGISLATIVE BILL 841
Introduced by McKinney, 11.
Read first time January 03, 2024
Committee: Education
1 A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to schools; to adopt the School Leadership
2 Engagement Act; to provide an operative date; and to provide
3 severability.
4 Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,
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1 Section 1. Sections 1 to 8 of this act shall be known and may be
2 cited as the School Leadership Engagement Act.
3 Sec. 2. The purpose of the School Leadership Engagement Act is to
4 promote a deeper understanding and connection between individuals in
5 school leadership positions and the schools and educational process such
6 individuals oversee.
7 Sec. 3. For purposes of the School Leadership Engagement Act:
8 (1) Administrator means any certified employee such as
9 superintendent, principal, assistant principal, or other supervisory or
10 administrative personnel who do not have as a primary duty the
11 instruction of pupils in school; and
12 (2) School engagement activity includes, but is not limited to,
13 teaching activities, interacting directly with students and
14 nonadministrative staff, observing teachers and students during class
15 time, overseeing school extracurricular activities and events, and
16 discussions and meetings related to the School Leadership Engagement Act,
17 including time spent drafting the report required pursuant to section 5
18 of this act.
19 Sec. 4. Beginning in school year 2025-26, an administrator in an
20 approved or accredited public, private, denominational, or parochial
21 elementary school, middle school, high school, or alternative school
22 shall spend a minimum of fifteen percent of such administrator's work
23 time during the school year participating directly in school engagement
24 activities. Such requirement shall be satisfied in a manner that does not
25 interfere with the normal function of school offices or negatively
26 disrupt the daily operations of the school. Each administrator shall
27 detail and record such time spent engaged in such activities and draft a
28 report pursuant to section 5 of this act.
29 Sec. 5. (1) Beginning August 1, 2026, and each August 1 thereafter,
30 the superintendent of each school district or the head administrator of a
31 private, denominational, or parochial school, in collaboration with each
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1 other administrator at an approved or accredited public elementary
2 school, middle school, high school, or alternative school in such
3 superintendent's district or with each other administrator within the
4 head administrator's private, denominational, or parochial school, shall
5 submit a report to the State Department of Education and the Education
6 Committee of the Legislature relating to the immediately preceding school
7 year on forms and in a manner prescribed by the department. The report to
8 the Education Committee of the Legislature shall be delivered
9 electronically. Such report shall also be made available to the public on
10 the school district's or school's website and shall not contain the
11 personally identifiable information of any student.
12 (2) The report shall include:
13 (a) An overview of the job purpose and objectives of the
14 superintendent or head administrator and any other administrator in the
15 school district or in the approved or accredited private, denominational,
16 or parochial school;
17 (b) Details relating to the specific activities undertaken by each
18 administrator that satisfy the required time spent participating in
19 school engagement activities pursuant to section 4 of this act;
20 (c) A description of any challenges or issues observed during the
21 time spent participating in school engagement activities and
22 recommendations for addressing such challenges;
23 (d) A summary of positive experiences or accomplishments witnessed
24 during the time spent participating in school engagement activities;
25 (e) A description of any efforts made to engage with teachers,
26 parents, guardians, and other community stakeholders relating to the time
27 spent participating in school engagement activities and a general
28 description of any feedback received;
29 (f) A description of how the requirements of the School Leadership
30 Engagement Act have influenced the administrator's perspective as a
31 leader and how it may inform such individual's decisionmaking in the
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1 future;
2 (g) How the time spent participating in school engagement activities
3 aligns with the school district's or approved or accredited private,
4 denominational, or parochial school's strategic goals and priorities and
5 ideas on how the school district or school should measure progress and
6 hold school leadership accountable;
7 (h) How any findings from the experience of participating in school
8 engagement activities may be integrated into the school district's or
9 approved or accredited private, denominational, or parochial school's
10 long-term planning and improvement strategies;
11 (i) Any policy recommendations or necessary legislative changes
12 recommended relating to the School Leadership Engagement Act or other
13 education-related recommendations identified as a result of the time
14 spent participating in school engagement activities. Such recommendations
15 shall include any relevant data and metrics to support the
16 recommendations if possible; and
17 (j) Any financial implications of or additional resources necessary
18 to comply with the requirements of the School Leadership Engagement Act
19 or any policy recommendation arising out of such report.
20 Sec. 6. If the Commissioner of Education determines that any school
21 district or any approved or accredited private, denominational, or
22 parochial school has intentionally refused, in a material manner, to
23 comply with the School Leadership Engagement Act, including a failure to
24 file the report required pursuant to section 5 of this act, the
25 commissioner shall notify the school district or school of the
26 noncompliance and allow the school district or school a reasonable time
27 to comply. If the commissioner determines, after such time has elapsed,
28 that the school district or school is not in compliance and has not made
29 a good faith attempt to comply, the commissioner shall take appropriate
30 remedial action within the commissioner's authority, up to and including
31 considering such noncompliance as a violation of the rules and
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1 regulations for the accreditation of schools.
2 Sec. 7. (1) Each school district and each approved or accredited
3 private, denominational, or parochial school shall adopt a policy
4 implementing the School Leadership Engagement Act.
5 (2) The State Board of Education may adopt and promulgate rules and
6 regulations to carry out the School Leadership Engagement Act.
7 Sec. 8. The School Leadership Engagement Act terminates on August
8 1, 2029.
9 Sec. 9. This act becomes operative on August 1, 2024.
10 Sec. 10. If any section in this act or any part of any section is
11 declared invalid or unconstitutional, the declaration shall not affect
12 the validity or constitutionality of the remaining portions.
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