House Bill 295 — Admin leadership apprenticeship (0)
Bill Description: House Bill 295 would create the Administrator Leadership Apprenticeship Program to provide individuals with leadership experience in other fields but without certification an alternative pathway into the field.
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Does it increase barriers to entry into the market? Examples include occupational licensure, the minimum wage, and restrictions on home businesses. Conversely, does it remove barriers to entry into the market?
House Bill 295 would allow an individual “who does not otherwise hold an administrator certificate” to become a school principal or superintendent “by participating in and successfully completing the administrator leadership apprenticeship program as an apprentice in such positions.” Conceptually, such an apprenticeship program could be useful for giving individuals interested in school administration an alternative pathway into the field, which would be especially helpful to rural districts with limited talent pools.
However, the program is limited by the requirement that a candidate must either be enrolled in or have successfully completed a relevant leadership program at a regionally accredited college or university in Idaho. The failure of our nation’s education system to produce enough quality teachers and administrators is largely attributable to the education establishment's control over the education departments of colleges and universities. Meaningful certification reform requires creating a pathway that removes the education establishment entirely from the process. It is also worth noting that the apprenticeship program does not allow uncertified administrators with experience managing private schools to bypass the certification requirements. Though House Bill 295 provides an alternative pathway for individuals interested in school administration, the program is still subject to the same gatekeepers in the education establishment and thus does not meaningfully remove barriers to entry into the field. Nevertheless, this reform is a step in the right direction.
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