(1) Existing law authorizes a school district to evaluate a principal annually for the principal’s first and 2nd year of employment as a new principal and authorizes additional evaluations, as specified. Existing law authorizes the criteria for school principal evaluations to be based upon the California Professional Standards for Educational Leaders and to include evidence of, among other things, pupil academic growth. Existing law authorizes pupil academic growth to be evaluated pursuant to local and state academic assessments, including, among others, state standardized assessments and performance assessments.

This bill would explicitly add the Cambridge International Level examinations to the list of authorized assessments that may be used to measure pupil academic growth for a principal evaluation.

(2) Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district to provide access to a comprehensive educational counseling program for all pupils enrolled in the school district. For schools that enroll pupils in grades 6 to 12, inclusive, existing law defines educational counseling to include, among other things, counseling to encourage participation in advanced placement and international baccalaureate programs.

This bill would expand the definition of an educational counseling program to explicitly include encouraging participation in Cambridge International programs.