The General Assembly finds that:
(1) A statewide performance and results-based system of leadership development to ensure high levels of collaborative leadership and continuous improvement must have all educators work collaboratively with community stakeholders to apply effective, evidence-based strategies and practices that increase student and adult learning and close the achievement gap;
(2) High-quality classroom teaching and administrative leadership are strong predictors of student success, and all educators in the state must possess the skills and knowledge to increase student and adult learning and close the achievement gap;
(3) High-quality leadership capacity building and training is required to align the public education system from kindergarten through postsecondary and workforce readiness with an objective of universal proficiency for all students;
(4) High-quality learning experiences focus on both individual and organizational improvement and provide educational leaders with a variety of support systems as they progress on the career continuum from aspiring to retiring; and
(5) An effective statewide leadership development system will result in increased graduation rates, reduced remediation rates, the closing of achievement gaps, increased student and adult performance, increased recruitment of effective leaders, and increased capacity for instructional leaders, and thus will increase the number of Arkansas citizens with bachelor's degrees.