116-209.70. Purpose and definitions.

(a) Purpose. - The purpose of this Part is to establish the Transforming Principal Preparation Grant Program as a competitive grant program for eligible entities to elevate educators in North Carolina public schools by transforming the preparation of principals across the State. The Authority shall administer this Program in collaboration with the North Carolina Principal Fellows Commission to provide funds for the preparation and support of highly effective future school principals in North Carolina.

(b) Definitions. - For the purposes of this Part, the following definitions apply:

(1) Commission. - The North Carolina Principal Fellows Commission established pursuant to G.S. 116-74.41.

(1a) Eligible entity. - A for-profit or nonprofit organization or an institution of higher education that has an evidence-based plan for preparing school leaders who implement school leadership practices linked to increased student achievement.

(2) High-need local school administrative unit. - A local school administrative unit with the majority of its schools deemed to be high-need schools as defined in subdivision (3) of this subsection.

(3) High-need school. - A public school, including a charter school, that meets one or more of the following criteria:

a. Is a school identified under Part A of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended.

b. Is a persistently low-achieving school, as identified by the Department of Public Instruction for purposes of federal accountability.

c. A middle school containing any of grades five through eight that feeds into a high school with less than a sixty percent (60%) four-year cohort graduation rate.

d. A high school with less than a sixty percent (60%) four-year cohort graduation rate.

(4) Principal. - The highest administrative official in a public school building with primary responsibility for the instructional leadership, talent management, and organizational development of the school.

(5) Program. - Transforming Principal Preparation Grant Program established pursuant to this Part.

(6) School leader. - An individual employed in a school leadership role, including principal or assistant principal roles.

(7) Student achievement. - At the whole school level, after three years of leading a school, consistent and methodologically sound measures of:

a. Student academic achievement.

b. Aggregated individual student academic growth.

c. Additional outcomes, such as high school graduation rates, the percentage of students taking advanced-level coursework, or the percentage of students who obtain a career-related credential through a national business certification exam.