SEMI Structure & Guidelines for School Administrators 2003-2004

Title 7 Education K-12 Part 104

SEMI

Structure & Guidelines for

School Administrators 2003 – 2004 MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OFFICE OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT & ENHANCEMENT 1

ENTRY-LEVEL STRUCTURE Every practicing administrator who holds an Entry-Level Administrator License must complete Orientation for School Leaders (OSL) training within five years of issuance of the license.* To register for this training, an educator must 1) be a practicing administrator in a Mississippi school system (as determined by his/her status on the district or school Personnel/Accreditation Data Report), and 2) hold an Entry-Level Administrator License. Upon completion of the OSL training, an administrator is eligible for a Standard Career-Level Administrator License. SEMI Entry-Level Training Orientation for School Leaders (OSL)

This training program is designed for first-time administrators of Mississippi schools. The goal of the training is the preparation of administrators for practical, effective leadership, which positively impacts school improvement and, subsequently, student learning. This training provides orientation on state mandates including accreditation standards, local board policy, school administrator licensure procedures, instructional management, and interpretation/use of student assessment data. The training employs activities dealing with personality/leadership styles and teamwork, and provides the administrator with opportunities to practice skills needed as a change agent, a human resource manager, and an instructional leader. An integral component of entry-level training is the successful completion of several projects that each participant carries out in his/her district or school. Mastery of the training requires each participant to demonstrate specific, practical application of concepts and practices introduced throughout the training module. Although an Entry-Level Administrator License is valid for five years, this training module is designed for maximum effectiveness when the administrator completes the training within the first two years of administrative experience. The OSL module consists of ten training days (five days per school year) delivered in two, 2-day sessions and one, 1day session. Training is delivered over a period of several months. Intervals between training sessions allow for onthe job application of administrative skills. To register for OSL I, see page 12. No SEMI credits are given for entry-level training. An administrator cannot register for training to earn SEMI credits until he/she has completed entry-level training and holds a Standard Career-Level Administrator License. * Superintendents who hold an Entry-Level Administrator License may elect to complete the Superintendents Network training in lieu of Orientation for School Leaders.

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CAREER-LEVEL STRUCTURE Every practicing school administrator who holds standard Career-Level Administrator License must complete a minimum of seventy (70) SEMI credits prior to his/her license renewal date. Only credits earned from one license expiration date to the next may be used for renewal. Credit is earned via training programs offered through or approved by the School Executive Management Institute.* 1. Training offered by subcontractors

The School Executive Management Institute sponsors a wide variety of training programs for administrators. Module descriptions are available on pages 7-9. Training is offered in regional locations. 2. Training sponsored by local school districts

Local school districts may sponsor SEMI modules in one of the following ways: A.

Offering a module open to administrators from other districts.

The district provides facilities, equipment, refreshments, and training supplies. The Office of Leadership Development and Enhancement provides training manuals and supplemental materials. The district pays trainers' fees and travel expenses through a grant from SEMI. B.

Offering a module limited to administrators from the requesting district. The district

provides facilities, equipment, refreshments, and training supplies. The district may be eligible to receive a grant from SEMI to pay trainers' fees and travel expenses if the required number of participants can be met with career-level administrators within the district. The Office of Leadership Development and Enhancement provides training manuals and supplemental materials.

All district-sponsored modules must be approved by the Office of Leadership Development and Enhancement at least eight (8) weeks prior to scheduled training, The application form is found in the companion document Applications for SEMI Modules/SEMI Credit. 3. Training provided through other agencies Administrators may earn SEMI credit through approved training programs offered by colleges, universities, professional organizations, or other agencies. Local school districts, consortia, or other agencies may apply to have leadership/management programs approved for SEMI credit by submitting an application for SEMI credit before the class is taken. The application form is found in the companion document Applications for SEMI Modules/SEMI Credit. Application deadlines are eight (8) weeks prior to the date of training, *Administrators may elect to complete a specialist or doctoral degree in educational administration/leadership in lieu of SEMI credits for license renewal. Only one renewal. method may be used during a five-year period.

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OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES 1. Only administrators who hold a Standard Career-Level Administrator License are eligible to earn SEMI credit. 2. Mastery requires 100% attendance and active participation leading to successful completion of all performance standards. Absences will result in failure to earn SEMI credit. 3. Participants may be scheduled to attend another session only for absences that result from emergencies. An emergency is defined as a personal illness or accident, illness/death of an immediate family member, or crisis situations at the school or in the district. The participant must request rescheduling in writing. This request should be addressed to the director of the Office of Leadership Development and Enhancement. Notification of rescheduling or denial of the request is provided in writing. 4. If a participant decides not to attend a scheduled session, he or she should notify the contact person from the sponsoring agency at least 48 hours prior to the beginning of the module. A participant who fails to attend a module without notifying the sponsoring agency is subject to the following penalties: a) a letter with copies forwarded to the superintendent and the school board president; and b) denial of access to SEMI training/credit for one calendar year. 5. SEMI modules are not offered for graduate credit. Universities and colleges may have training sessions approved for SEMI credit; however, participants cannot receive both graduate credit and SEMI credit. Dual credit violates accepted continuing education processes. 6. All requests for SEMI credit status must be made in writing to the Office of Leadership Development and Enhancement and must include the social security number. All responses are also made in writing. No information regarding an individual's training status is given via the telephone.

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