MS SB2217

Establishes the Mississippi School Leaders Executive Development Program (SLED), a no-cost professional development program for K-12 school leaders that must have at least two rigorous third-party evaluations demonstrating statistically significant results on state accountability exams at multiple school levels.

Requires novice school leaders with zero to four years of experience to complete the program within three years of appointment; veteran leaders with five or more years of experience may voluntarily participate.

Creates an 11-member SLED Board appointed by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House, State Superintendent, Mississippi Association of School Administrators, and Mississippi Association of School Superintendents to select the program provider, issue certificates of completion, and report annually to the legislature.

Program curriculum must address Mississippi School Leadership Standards aligned with Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium Standards, including strategic planning, data-driven decision-making, instructional coaching, and culture building, delivered through cohorts, job-embedded learning, and extended study periods.

Successful program completion renews Standard Career Level Administrator licenses for veteran administrators and converts Entry-Level licenses to Career-Level Standard licenses; funding is contingent on legislative appropriations with program implementation beginning no later than September 1, 2016.