Section 35.10  Purpose and Applicability

a)         This Part establishes requirements for the selection and training of experienced principals to serve as mentors for new principals and for new principals' participation in the mentoring program designed for them, as required by Section 2-3.53a of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/2-3.53a].  The provisions of this Part shall apply to each Illinois school district, other than a school district organized under Article 34 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/Art. 34], and to each first-year principal in a school district subject to this Part, except as otherwise provided by Section 2-3.53a(f) of the School Code.  For purposes of this Part, a "first-year principal" is an individual who either:

1)         is in the first school year of employment as a principal in Illinois, if the employment began prior to January 1 of that school year; or

2)         is in the second school year of employment as a principal in Illinois, if the employment began on or after January 1 of a prior school year.

b)         Any individual may participate in a second year of mentoring if it is determined by the State Superintendent of Education as set forth in Section 35.20 of this Part that sufficient funding exists for such participation. [105 ILCS 5/2-3.53a(a)] For the purposes of this Part, "second-year principal" is an individual who has completed in the previous school year the first year of mentoring in a program approved under this Part. Participation of a second-year principal in a mentoring program is discretionary and subject to the approval of the principal's employing school district.

(Source:  Amended at 46 Ill. Reg. 13192, effective July 13, 2022)