H.B. 2167 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 2167 By: Griggs Public Education Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Currently, principals are required to serve their first year of employment with a school district under a probationary contract. Often, when school districts are seeking a new principal, it is because of ongoing circumstances that have previously caused distress within the school. During this volatile period, a prospective candidate for principal who has experience from working at another school would be required to place their career in jeopardy in order to take the new position. Often it takes more than one year to remedy conditions that have caused the distress. Understandably, most principals are reluctant to surrender a multi-year term contract for a one year probationary contract. PURPOSE House Bill 2167 permits school districts to offer a term contract to a principal, even if hired for the first time in that district, if the principal has experience in another school district. The bill would result in a significantly increased pool of applicants willing to take on the challenges of a new school. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 2167 amends the Education Code to permit a school district to employ an experienced principal, regardless of whether the person had been previously employed in the district, under a term contract. The bill exempts such a person from the provisions relating to the first time employment of a person in a school district under a probationary contract. This Act applies beginning in the 2003-2004 school year. EFFECTIVE DATE Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2003.