(105 ILCS 5/10-21.4a) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-21.4a)
Sec. 10-21.4a. Principals and assistant principals - Duties. To employ principals and assistant principals who hold
valid supervisory or administrative certificates. The principal, with the assistance of any assistant principals, shall supervise the
operation of attendance centers as the board shall determine necessary.
In an attendance center having fewer than 4 teachers, a head teacher who
does not qualify as a principal may be assigned in the place of a principal.
The principal, with the assistance of any assistant principals, shall assume administrative responsibilities and
instructional leadership, under the supervision of the superintendent,
and in accordance with reasonable rules and regulations of the board,
for the planning, operation and evaluation of the educational program of
the attendance area to which he or she is assigned.
However, in districts under a Financial Oversight Panel pursuant to
Section 1A-8 for violating a financial plan, the duties and responsibilities of
principals and assistant principals in relation to the financial and business operations of the
district shall be approved by the Panel. In the event the Board refuses or
fails to follow a directive or comply with an information request of the Panel,
the performance of those duties shall be subject to the direction of the
Panel.
School boards shall specify in their formal job description for
principals that his or her primary responsibility is in the improvement of
instruction. A majority of the time spent by a principal shall be spent on
curriculum and staff development through both formal and informal
activities, establishing clear lines of communication regarding school
goals, accomplishments, practices and policies with parents and teachers.
Unless residency within a school district is made an express condition of a
person's employment or continued employment as a principal or assistant principal of that school
district at the time of the person's initial employment as a principal or assistant principal of that
district, residency within that school district may not at any time thereafter
be made a condition of that person's employment or continued employment as a
principal or assistant principal of the district, without regard to whether the person's initial
employment as a principal or assistant principal of the district began before or begins on or after
the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1996 and without regard to whether
that person's residency within or outside of the district began or was changed
before or begins or changes on or after that effective date. In no event shall
residency within a school district be considered in determining the
compensation of a principal or assistant principal or the assignment or transfer of a principal or assistant principal to an
attendance center of the district.
School boards shall ensure that their principals and assistant principals are evaluated on their
instructional leadership ability and their ability to maintain a positive
education and learning climate.
It shall also be the responsibility of the principal to utilize resources
of proper law enforcement agencies when the safety and welfare of students
and teachers are threatened by illegal use of drugs and alcohol, by illegal use or possession of weapons, or by illegal gang activity.
The principal shall submit recommendations to the superintendent
concerning the appointment, retention, promotion and assignment of all
personnel assigned to the attendance center.
(Source: P.A. 97-217, eff. 7-28-11; 98-59, eff. 1-1-14.)
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