(105 ILCS 5/34-8.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 34-8.1)
Sec. 34-8.1. Principals. Principals shall be employed to supervise the
operation of each attendance center. Their powers and duties shall include
but not be limited to the authority (i) to
direct, supervise, evaluate, and suspend with or without pay or otherwise
discipline all teachers, assistant principals, and other employees assigned to
the attendance center in accordance with board rules and policies and (ii) to
direct
all other persons assigned to the
attendance center pursuant to a contract with a third party to provide services
to the school system. The right to employ, discharge, and layoff shall be
vested solely with the board, provided that decisions to
discharge or suspend
nonlicensed employees, including disciplinary layoffs, and the
termination of licensed employees from employment pursuant to a layoff
or reassignment policy are subject to review under the grievance resolution
procedure adopted pursuant to subsection (c) of Section 10 of the Illinois
Educational Labor Relations Act. The grievance resolution procedure
adopted by the board shall provide for final and binding arbitration, and,
notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the
arbitrator's decision may include all make-whole relief, including without
limitation reinstatement. The principal shall fill positions by
appointment as provided in this Section and may make recommendations to the
board regarding the employment, discharge, or layoff of any individual. The
authority of the principal shall include the
authority to direct the hours during which the attendance center
shall be open and available for use provided the use complies with board rules
and policies, to determine when and what operations shall be conducted within
those hours, and to schedule staff within those hours. Under the direction of, and subject to the authority
of the principal, the Engineer In Charge shall
be accountable for the safe, economical operation of the plant and grounds
and shall also be responsible for orientation, training,
and supervising the work of Engineers,
Trainees, school maintenance assistants, custodial workers and other plant
operation employees under his or her direction.
There shall be established by the board a system of semi-annual
evaluations conducted by the principal as to performance of the engineer in charge. Nothing
in this Section shall prevent the principal from conducting additional
evaluations. An overall
numerical rating shall be given by the principal based on the evaluation
conducted by the principal. An unsatisfactory numerical rating shall result in
disciplinary
action, which may include, without limitation and in the judgment of the
principal, loss of
promotion
or bidding procedure, reprimand, suspension with or without pay, or
recommended dismissal. The board shall establish
procedures for conducting the
evaluation
and reporting the results to the engineer in charge.
Under the direction of, and subject to the authority of, the principal, the
Food Service Manager is responsible at
all times for the proper operation and maintenance of the lunch room to which
he is assigned and shall also be responsible for the orientation, training, and
supervising the work of cooks, bakers, porters,
and lunchroom attendants under his or
her direction.
There shall be established by the Board a system of semi-annual
evaluations conducted by the principal as to the performance of the food
service manager.
Nothing in this Section shall prevent the principal from conducting
additional evaluations. An overall numerical rating shall be given by the
principal based on the
evaluation conducted by the principal. An unsatisfactory numerical rating
shall
result in disciplinary action which may include, without limitation and in
the judgment of the principal, loss of promotion or bidding procedure,
reprimand, suspension with or without pay, or recommended dismissal. The board
shall establish rules for conducting the evaluation and
reporting the results to the food service manager.
Nothing in this Section shall be interpreted to require the employment or
assignment of an Engineer-In-Charge or a Food Service Manager for each
attendance center.
Principals shall be employed to supervise the educational operation of
each attendance center. If a principal is absent due to extended
illness or leave of absence, an assistant principal may be assigned as
acting principal for a period not to exceed 100 school days. Each principal
shall assume administrative responsibility and instructional leadership, in
accordance with reasonable rules and regulations of the board, for the
planning, operation and evaluation of the educational program of the
attendance center to which he is assigned. The principal shall submit
recommendations to the general superintendent concerning the appointment,
dismissal, retention, promotion, and assignment of all personnel assigned to
the attendance center; provided, that from and after September 1, 1989: (i) if
any vacancy occurs in a position at the
attendance center or if an additional or new position is created at the attendance center, that position shall be filled
by appointment made by the principal in accordance with procedures
established and provided by the Board
whenever the majority of the duties included in that position are to be
performed at the attendance center which is under the principal's supervision,
and each such appointment so made by the principal
shall be made and based upon merit and ability to perform in that position
without regard to seniority or length of service, provided, that such
appointments shall be subject to the Board's desegregation obligations,
including but not limited to the Consent Decree and Desegregation Plan in
U.S. v. Chicago Board of Education; (ii)
the principal shall submit recommendations based upon merit and ability to
perform in the particular position, without regard to
seniority or length of service, to the general
superintendent
concerning the appointment of any teacher, teacher aide, counselor, clerk,
hall guard, security guard and any other personnel which is
to be made by the general superintendent whenever less than
a majority
of the duties of that teacher, teacher aide, counselor, clerk, hall guard,
and security guard and any other personnel are to be performed
at the attendance center which is under the principal's supervision; and
(iii) subject to law and the applicable collective bargaining agreements,
the authority and responsibilities of a principal with respect to the
evaluation of all teachers and other personnel assigned to an attendance
center shall commence immediately upon his or her appointment as principal
of the attendance center, without regard to the length of time that he or
she has been the principal of that attendance center.
Notwithstanding the existence of any other law of this State, nothing in
this Act shall prevent the board from entering into a contract with a third
party for services currently performed by any employee or bargaining unit
member.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article, each principal may
approve contracts, binding on the board, in the amount of no more than $10,000,
if the contract is endorsed by the Local School Council.
Unless otherwise prohibited by law or by rule of the board, the principal
shall provide to local
school council members copies of all
internal audits and any other pertinent information generated by any audits or
reviews of the programs and operation of the attendance center.
Each principal shall hold a valid Professional Educator License issued in accordance with Article 21B and endorsed
as required by that Article for the position of principal. The board may
establish or impose clear, specific, explicit, and objective academic,
educational, examination, and experience requirements and
criteria that are in addition
to those established and required by Article 21B for issuance of a valid license
endorsed for the position of principal as a condition of the nomination, selection,
appointment,
employment, or continued employment of a person as principal of any
attendance center or as a condition of the renewal of any principal's
performance contract. If the additional requirements and criteria result or may result in the exclusion of an otherwise qualified and licensed candidate from being eligible for selection to serve as a principal of an attendance center, then the board shall maintain a public database that includes the names of all the candidates who are eligible to be selected as a principal and who do not choose to not have their name included in the database. The board shall give notice of no less than 30 days to all otherwise qualified and licensed candidates each quarter of their ability to be included in the database and shall make updates to the database within no more than 10 days after the end of the quarter for which notice is given.
The board must establish standards and procedures to ensure that no candidate is deemed ineligible to be selected as a principal for reasons that are not directly related to the candidate's anticipated performance as a principal. The standards and procedures established by the board must do all of the following: (1) Set forth all of the specific criteria used by |
The board, in cooperation with the organization that represents the district's principals and assistant principals, must establish a grievance and hearing procedure for those candidates the general superintendent or the general superintendent's designee has deemed ineligible to serve as principal of an attendance center or whose eligibility has been slated for revocation. The evaluator must be a State Board of Education-trained principal evaluator or must receive such training before rendering a decision. The hearing officer must receive sufficient training in principal evaluation processes and criteria to render an informed decision.
Within 10 days after the general superintendent or the general superintendent's designee determines that a candidate is ineligible or makes a decision to revoke the eligibility of an administrator, the general superintendent or the general superintendent's designee must notify the candidate or administrator, in writing, of the specific reasons for the general superintendent's or the general superintendent's designee's determination of the candidate's or administrator's ineligibility. Within 30 days after receiving this notification, the candidate or administrator may request that the general superintendent or the general superintendent's designee initiate a review of the decision through the grievance and hearing process established pursuant to this Section.
In the case of a principal who is deemed ineligible based on a performance evaluation, the evaluator conducting the review must consider as evidence of the principal's performance any local school council evaluation that covers the same evaluation period. If a decision to revoke eligibility is grieved, the administrator shall remain on the eligibility list until the administrator receives a decision in the grievance. However, prior to any hiring decision, the board may communicate to any local school council that the administrator has a grievance pending while the grievance is pending. The grievance decision shall be binding on the principal and the board.
If performance evaluations are included in the criteria used by the board in determining that a principal is no longer eligible to seek a principal position at an attendance center, the board's criteria must use the standard of either an unsatisfactory summative evaluation or 2 or more basic or lower summative performance evaluations within a period of 7 school years, except as provided below in the case of a principal who is in his or her first principal position. A principal with summative performance evaluations of basic in the principal's first 2 school years in that role shall not impact a principal's eligibility status if the principal earns an increased numerical rating in at least one competency domain while maintaining ratings on all other competency domains in the school year immediately following the basic rating. A principal who is deemed ineligible based on a performance evaluation may request that the general superintendent review that determination under the grievance procedure, in which case the general superintendent's designee must be a State Board of Education-trained principal evaluator, and, in conducting that review, the general superintendent's designee must consider any local school council evaluation that covers the same evaluation period. If an individual evaluator rates an individual principal as unsatisfactory for the first time, the board may not determine that a principal is no longer eligible to serve as a principal based on performance evaluations from that evaluator if, during the same school term of service, the local school council's evaluation of the principal's performance was distinguished. If a principal has been deemed ineligible based on a performance evaluation, the principal's status is restored to eligible when the principal receives a proficient or higher summative performance evaluation rating, provided the principal meets all other criteria for eligibility.
The board shall specify in its formal job description for principals,
and from and after July 1, 1990 shall specify in the 4 year
performance contracts for use with respect to all principals,
that his or her primary responsibility is in the improvement of
instruction. A majority of the time spent by a principal shall be spent on
curriculum and staff development through both formal and informal
activities, establishing clear lines of communication regarding school
goals, accomplishments, practices and policies with parents and teachers.
The principal, with the assistance of the local school council, shall
develop a school improvement plan as provided in Section 34-2.4 and, upon
approval of the plan by the local school council, shall
be responsible for directing implementation of the plan. The principal,
with the assistance of the professional personnel leadership committee, shall
develop the specific methods and contents of the school's curriculum within
the board's system-wide curriculum standards and objectives and the
requirements of the school improvement plan. The board shall ensure that all
principals are evaluated on their instructional leadership ability and their
ability to maintain a positive education and learning climate. It shall also
be the responsibility of the principal to utilize resources of proper law
enforcement agencies when the safety and welfare of students and teachers are
threatened by illegal use of drugs and alcohol, by illegal use or possession
of weapons, or by illegal gang activity.
Nothing in this Section shall prohibit the board and the exclusive representative of the district's teachers from entering into an agreement under Section 34-85c of this Code to establish alternative procedures for teacher evaluation, remediation, and removal for cause after remediation, including an alternative system for peer evaluation and recommendations, for teachers assigned to schools identified in that agreement.
On or before October 1, 1989, the Board of Education, in consultation
with any professional organization representing principals in the district,
shall promulgate rules and implement a lottery for the purpose of
determining whether a principal's existing performance contract (including
the performance contract applicable to any principal's position in which a
vacancy then exists) expires on June 30, 1990 or on June 30, 1991, and
whether the ensuing 4 year performance contract begins on July 1, 1990 or
July 1, 1991. The Board of Education shall establish and conduct the
lottery in such manner that of all the performance contracts of principals
(including the performance contracts applicable to all principal positions
in which a vacancy then exists), 50% of such contracts shall expire on June
30, 1990, and 50% shall expire on June 30, 1991. All persons serving as
principal on May 1, 1989, and all persons appointed as principal after May
1, 1989 and prior to July 1, 1990 or July 1, 1991, in a manner other than
as provided by Section 34-2.3, shall be deemed by operation of
law to be serving under a performance contract which expires on June 30,
1990 or June 30, 1991; and unless such performance contract of any such
principal is renewed (or such person is again appointed to serve as
principal) in the manner provided by Section 34-2.2 or 34-2.3, the
employment of such person as principal shall terminate on June 30, 1990
or June 30, 1991.
Commencing on July 1, 1990, or on July 1, 1991, and thereafter, the
principal of each attendance center shall be the person selected in the
manner provided by Section 34-2.3 to serve as principal of that attendance
center under a 4 year performance contract. All performance contracts of
principals expiring after July 1, 1990, or July 1, 1991, shall commence on
the date specified in the contract, and the renewal of their performance
contracts and the appointment of principals when their performance contracts
are not renewed shall be governed by Sections 34-2.2 and 34-2.3. Whenever a
vacancy in the office of a principal occurs for any reason, the vacancy shall
be filled by the selection of a new principal to serve under a 4 year
performance contract in the manner provided by Section 34-2.3.
The board of education shall develop and prepare, in consultation with
the organization representing principals, a performance contract for
use
at all attendance centers, and shall furnish the same to each local school
council. The term of the performance contract shall be 4 years, unless the
principal is retained by the decision of a hearing officer pursuant to
subdivision 1.5 of Section 34-2.3, in which case the contract shall be
extended for 2 years. The performance
contract of each principal shall consist of the
uniform performance contract, as developed or from time to time modified by the
board, and such additional criteria as are established by a local school
council pursuant to Section 34-2.3 for the performance contract of its
principal.
During the term of his or her performance contract, a principal may be
removed only as provided for in the performance contract except for cause.
He or she shall also be obliged to follow the rules of the board of
education concerning conduct and efficiency.
In the event the performance contract of a principal is not renewed or a
principal is not reappointed as principal under a new performance contract,
or in the event a principal is appointed to any position of
superintendent or higher position, or voluntarily
resigns his position of principal, his or her employment as a principal
shall terminate and such former principal shall not be
reinstated to the position from which he or she was promoted to principal,
except that he or she, if otherwise qualified and licensed in accordance
with Article 21B, shall be placed by the board on appropriate eligibility
lists which it prepares for use in the filling of vacant or additional or
newly created positions for teachers. The principal's total years of
service to the board as both a teacher and a principal, or in other
professional capacities, shall be used in calculating years of experience
for purposes of being selected as a teacher into new, additional or vacant
positions.
In the event the performance contract of a principal is not renewed or
a principal is not reappointed as principal under a new performance
contract, such principal shall be eligible to continue to receive his or
her previously provided level of health insurance benefits for a period of
90 days following the non-renewal of the contract at no expense to the
principal, provided that such principal has not retired.
(Source: P.A. 102-894, eff. 5-20-22; 102-1139, eff. 2-10-23.)
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