Education Administration

Instructional leaders have a knowledge base of curriculum and how curriculum drives instruction. Effective principals understand how other facets of the school (i.e. discipline, special education, food service, transportation, etc.) impact curriculum and instruction. This introductory course provides an overview of several facets of school administration and their relationship to curriculum. These areas will be addressed through a review and assessment of current individual school improvement plans and artifact data. The preliminary planning of a new school improvement plan will be created as a component to a major assessment required in EDA605.

This course will examine the importance of hiring and retaining highly qualified staff. Examination of legal aspects of working with personnel including evaluations/supervision, professional development, site-based decision-making procedures and working with unions will be examined. Personnel decisions impact instructional best practices and how they are aligned with teacher standards and expectations with the development of school improvement and professional development plans to increase student achievement will also be addressed.

Candidates will learn the laws, regulations, and policies under which schools must function for legal and ethical implications regarding principal leadership and student achievement. Systems thinking related to student learning and achievement and the role of shared decision-making in school improvement planning will also be investigated.

Candidates will participate in field-based experiences related to content learned in EDA600, EDA602, and EDA604. A major anchor assessment is completed as a part of this class. Pre-requisite of a “B” or better in EDA600, EDA602, and EDA604 and approval of the Principal Program Director.

In this course, candidates will research, analyze, and evaluate the role of the principal as cultural manager, change agent, community builder and ethical leader. Field work to compare research findings with site data collection will be analyzed and presented. Case studies will be developed for legal and ethical implications regarding the impact of culture on principal leadership and student achievement.

This course is designed to immerse the candidate in building relationships with families, developing partnerships with community stakeholders, and working collaboratively with both while leveraging varied and multiple resources to support shared goals and objectives within the school community. Field practice will help the candidate learn how to work collaboratively to assess the concerns, needs, and issues of families and communities served by schools; how to identify, assess, and allocate resources to serve jointly identified goals and objectives; work within the district and school policy guidelines, and monitor resource allocation and program implementation in order to advance student achievement within the school.

Candidates will address issues in technology leadership at the school leadership level, including setting a vision, integrating technology into instruction and administration, technology professional development and practice, managing technology support, assessment and evaluation, and ensuring social, legal, and ethical use.

Candidates will participate in field-based experiences related to content learned in EDA606 and EDA608. A major assessment will be completed as a part of this class. Pre-requisite is a grade of a “B” or better in EDA606 and EDA608 and approval of the Principal Program Director.

This course is designed for candidates to examine demographic and achievement data in their school against a backdrop of current educational issues. Candidates will analyze data and develop a proposal for a School Improvement Plan/Capstone Research project. This plan will include the description of the problem, a literature review, a description of the plan, the data analysis, and the research methodology relevant to the Capstone proposal. The SIP (Capstone project) will be implemented in EDA614. Frameworks, theories, practices, and techniques used for conducting research related to school/teacher leadership will also be examined.

Candidates implement their Capstone Project that was designed in EDA612 and present results to school staff and the school’s site-based council following implementation. A final oral defense of the work before a panel of faculty and practicing school administrators is required.

Candidates that have completed Level 1 of the Principal Program will focus on research-based practices in visionary leadership and school management strategies that lead to growth in the academic performance for all students. Current practices and trends in leadership will be reviewed and evaluated through readings and class activities, then applied and evaluated through field-based experiences in schools.

Candidates that have completed Level 1 of the Principal Program will focus on research-based practices in instructional leadership, assessment, collaboration, and school climate that lead to growth in academic performance for all students. Current practices and trends in each area will be reviewed and evaluated through readings and class activities, then applied and evaluated through field-based experiences in schools.

This course will focus on the roles and responsibilities of the school district superintendent, including, but not limited to, leadership theory, student learning, community engagement, management, ethics, professional development and building capacity with stakeholders.

This course will focus on school management, including, but not limited to, operations of federal, state and local laws governing school system administration, school finance, personnel, food service, facilities, transportation, school safety and school-based councils.

This course will focus on student learning and best practices in executive school leader-ship, including, but not limited to, developing skills that facilitate rigorous curriculum and engaging instruction, creating comprehensive assessment systems and developing academic support systems that ensure student success.

This course will focus on the roles and responsibilities of the school district super-intendent, including, but not limited to, understanding leadership theory, analyzing data to make school district decisions and how to lead the change process through scaling innovation and advanced leadership development.

Instructional leaders have a knowledge base of curriculum and how curriculum drives instruction. Effective principals understand how other facets of the school (i.e. discipline, special education, food service, transportation, etc.) impact curriculum and instruction. This introductory course provides an overview of several facets of school administration and their relationship to curriculum. These areas will be addressed through a review and assessment of current individual school improvement plans and artifact data. This course may be cross-listed with, or substituted for EDA 600.

This course will examine the importance of hiring and retaining highly qualified staff. Examination of legal aspects of working with personnel including evaluations/supervision, professional development, site-based decision-making procedures and working with unions will be examined. Personnel decisions impact instructional best practices and how they are aligned with teacher standards and expectations with the development of school improvement and professional development plans to increase student achievement will also be addressed. This course may be cross-listed with, or substituted for, EDA 602.

Students will learn the laws, regulations, and policies under which schools must function for legal and ethical implications regarding instructional leadership and student achievement. Systems thinking related to student learning and achievement and the role of shared decision-making in school improvement planning will also be investigated, and finance issues related to instructional supervisors will be investigated.

This course goes beyond basic classroom assessments to provide an in-depth view of school and district-wide assessments from a school leadership perspective. Candidates will investigate school and district-wide assessment procedures, including reviewing types of assessments, data analysis, establishing reliability and validity, and using results in data-based decision making and school improvement.

This course is designed to provide opportunities for candidates to explore what it means to be an effective instructional coach, gain field experience in various coaching methods, including co-teaching experiences, in a supportive and critically reflective environment, and help candidates develop a toolbox to support a range of coaching interactions. The course will focus on the following five central questions:
1. What knowledge, skills and dispositions do instructional coaches need to be effective:
2. How can instructional coaches establish and maintain collaborative relationships with teachers?
3. How can instructional coaches use different forms of professional development to foster teacher learning and growth?
4. How can instructional coaches support student learning and achievement?
5. How can instructional coaches establish and maintain collaborative relationships with principals and/or other instructional leaders?

Candidates will participate in field-based experiences related to content learned throughout the Supervisor of Instruction program. Admission to level 2 and approval of the Ed Leadership Program Director.

Instructional leaders have a knowledge base of curriculum and how curriculum drives instruction. Effective principals understand how other facets of the school (i.e. discipline, special education, food service, transportation, etc.) impact curriculum and instruction. This introductory course provides an overview of several facets of school administration and their relationship to curriculum. These areas will be addressed through a review and assessment of current individual school improvement plans and artifact data. This course may be cross-listed with, or substituted for EDA 600.

Candidates will evaluate current school processes for selecting staff induction, supervising staff, and providing professional development for staff. Candidates will recommend ways to improve the development of adult human resources in schools. Candidates will demonstrate knowledge of required components and implementation of a comprehensive human resources program.

This course is designated as an introductory course covering school safety for educators at all levels including education administrators and risk managers. The course will approach safety from the aspect of managing loss potentials for educational service employees, students, and school visitors. The course progresses from defining school safety and exploring the concepts of safety as a leadership principle to a descriptive project of school safety by occupational classifications. The course will culminate by exploring foundational management techniques for school safety and their application to some common safety issues.

Candidates will participate in field-based experiences related to content learned throughout the Director of Pupil Personnel program. A major capstone assessment is completed as a part of this class.