Certificate in Tier I School Leadership and Administration

The UNG Tier I Program in School Leadership and Administration is approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC), incorporates a core of professional knowledge, includes an experiential component, and facilitates mastery of the Georgia Leadership Standards in educational leadership. Program emphases include strong content training in school administration, practical application of content, and mentoring with field experts in today’s changing context of public school administration.

This certification-only program is a non-degree-granting program for experienced education professionals who have a master’s degree and seek to develop their leadership potential and gain the credential to be an entry-level school or district leader. These individuals are committed to the improvement of Pre-K-12 education and aspire to be organizational leaders at the Tier I level (not evaluating principals or central office leaders). Tier I is one prerequisite for the Tier II Program and certification, which allows candidates to become Principals, Directors, or Superintendents in a P-12 district.

Program objectives are drawn from the core content identified by the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC, 2015), Georgia Educational Leadership Standards (GELS), and guided by the Georgia Leader Keys Effective System (LKES), which define the expectations for leadership performance in Georgia schools.

The final demonstration of competence is the ePortfolio, which is comprised of the Leadership Development Plan with evidence and artifacts, internship time log with reflections on field experiences, and key assessments across the coursework. Candidates who complete the requirements of the Tier I program must also pass (1) the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) Ethics for Educational Leadership Exam and (2) the GACE Educational Leadership Exam to qualify for certification through the GaPSC.

The certification program is accredited by the former National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), now the Council for the Accreditation of Educators Preparation (CAEP).

Hybrid with a balance between class sessions and online assignments.

4 semesters: Summer-Fall-Spring-Summer.

The program is designed to prepare professionals for entry-level administrative positions in schools, school districts, and educational agencies.

A minimum of three (3) years full-time teaching experience in the classroom, a master’s degree with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.25 (on a 4.0 scale), and a passing score on the required writing sample.

Applicants should submit the online application, a letter of recommendation from a supervisor or school/district administrator, a current resume/curriculum vitae, a writing sample, and transcripts showing the awarded master’s degree.

The final demonstration of competence is the ePortfolio, which is comprised of the Leadership Development Plan, including site-based feedback on the leadership standards, internship time log and reflection on field experiences, and key assessments  across coursework. The final checklist to be eligible for Tier I Leadership Performance Certification also includes mastery of all leadership standards, competencies, and skills demonstrated through the assigned Tier 1 performances and assessments and passing scores on both the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) Georgia Ethics for Educational Leaders and the GACE Educational Leadership Examination.

The cost of this program is equal to tuition and fees for the academic year of enrollment as stated by the UNG Registrar’s Office.