16 KAR 6:030. Examination prerequisites for principal certification.
RELATES TO: KRS 161.020, 161.027, 161.030
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 161.027
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 161.020 requires a certificate of legal credentials for any public school position for which a certificate is issued. KRS 161.027 requires the Education Professional Standards Board to develop or select appropriate tests, establish minimum scores for successful completion, and establish a reasonable fee to be charged for actual cost of administration of the tests, for an applicant seeking certification as principal, and further requires that each applicant for certification as school principal with less than two (2) years of appropriate experience complete a one (1) year internship program developed by the Education Professional Standards Board. This administrative regulation establishes the examination requirements for certification as principal required under KRS 161.027.
Section 1. (1) The certificate for school principal shall be valid for serving in the position of principal or assistant principal. A new applicant for certification as a school principal, including vocational school principal, shall successfully complete the prerequisite tests specified in Section 2 of this administrative regulation prior to certification as a school principal. A score on a test completed more than five (5) years prior to application for certification shall not be acceptable.
(2) In addition to the examination requirement specified in Section 2 of this administrative regulation, an applicant for certification shall successfully complete a one (1) year internship program if the applicant has had less than two (2) years of successful experience as a principal in another state.
Section 2. An applicant for certification as principal shall complete the following tests and attain the minimum score specified for each test:
(1) School Leaders Licensure Assessment - 165; and
(2) Kentucky Specialty Test of Instructional and Administrative Practices - eighty-five (85) percent correct responses.
Section 3. The requirement to successfully complete the School Leaders Licensure Assessment shall not be required for an applicant who has:
(1) Two (2) years of experience as a certified principal in another state; and
(2) Successfully completed a nationally administered test in the area of educational leadership and administration.
Section 4. (1) An applicant for certification as principal shall take the required School Leaders Licensure Assessment on a date established by the ETS. An applicant shall authorize that test results be forwarded to the Education Professional Standards Board by the ETS.
(2) An applicant for certification as principal shall take the Kentucky Specialty Test of Instructional and Administrative Practices on a date established by the Education Professional Standards Board. Scoring and reporting of scores shall be the responsibility of the Education Professional Standards Board or its designated agent.
(3) Public announcement of a testing date and location shall be issued sufficiently in advance to permit registration as required by the ETS and the Education Professional Standards Board.
(4) An applicant shall seek information regarding the dates and location of the test and make application for the appropriate examination prior to the deadline established and sufficiently in advance of anticipated employment to permit test results to be received by the Education Professional Standards Board and processed in the normal certification cycle.
Section 5. (1) For the required School Leaders Licensure Assessment, the applicant shall pay all fees assessed by the ETS.
(2) For the Kentucky Specialty Test of Instructional and Administrative Practices, an applicant shall pay a fee of eighty (80) dollars.
Section 6. An applicant who fails to achieve a minimum score on a required test as specified in Section 2 of this administrative regulation shall be permitted to retake the test or tests during a regularly-scheduled test administration.
Section 7. A temporary certificate issued in accordance with KRS 161.027(6)(a) shall not be extended for an applicant who does not successfully complete the assessments within the year.
Section 8. (1) For an applicant applying for a certificate under KRS 161.027(6)(b), the school superintendent of the employing district shall submit a request that shall include an affirmation that the applicant pool consisted of three (3) or less applicants who met the requirements for selecting a principal.
(2) Upon successful completion of the assessments and the principal internship, a certificate shall be issued for an additional four (4) years.
(3) The temporary certificate issued in accordance with KRS 161.027(6)(b) shall not be extended beyond the one (1) year period.
Section 9. (1) To provide for confidentiality of information, the Education Professional Standards Board shall report individual scores on the Kentucky Specialty Test of Instructional and Administrative Practices to the individual applicant. The scores shall not be released to other individuals or agencies.
(2) A score shall not be used by the Education Professional Standards Board in an individually identifiable form other than for purposes of determining eligibility for certification as school principal.
Section 10. On an annual or biennial basis, the Education Professional Standards Board shall collect and analyze data provided by the Educational Testing Service through score and institution reports which permit evaluation of the examination prerequisites covered by this administrative regulation. (14 Ky.R. 1174; eff. 1-4-88; Am. 15 Ky.R. 565; 1093; eff. 11-4-88; 23 Ky.R. 2282; 2734; eff. 1-9-97; 25 Ky.R. 1144; 1601; eff. 1-19-99; Recodified from 704 KAR 20:460, 7-2-2002; 30 Ky.R. 1329; 1762; eff. 1-23-04; 32 Ky.R. 2055; 33 Ky.R. 26; eff. 8-7-06.)