18 hours
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. The Tier I program is a 3-semester program with each cohort beginning in the summer. The program includes 18 hours of study with emphasis on in-depth content training in school administration, practical application of content, and mentoring with field experts in today’s changing context of public school administration.
The Tier I program is offered as an online program with some required synchronous meetings. 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). Having Tier I certification 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 Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (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 UNG Tier I program delivers authentic and relevant leadership experiences to the candidate.
Candidates who successfully complete all 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.
Accreditation
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).
Method of Delivery
Fully online with synchronous meeting requirements.
Time to Completion
3 semesters: Summer-Fall-Spring.
Position Targets
The program is designed to prepare professionals for entry-level administrative positions in schools, school districts, and educational agencies.
Prerequisites
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.
Admission Requirements
- Master’s degree from an accredited institution (as defined under Accredited Institutions in the Academic Information section of the Graduate Catalog) with at least a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 (4.0 scale) at the master’s level calculated in accordance with Graduate Admissions procedures. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted for the purposes of applicant review and admission decisions. Official transcripts must be on file with Graduate Admissions prior to the student being able to register for courses.
- Three years of K-12 teaching experience.
- Required Supplemental Documents:
- Letter of recommendation from a supervisor or school/district administrator.
- Professional Resume.
- Personal statement addressing the following: Describe your leadership roles in your current position; Please list initiatives that you developed and led at your school or in your community; Describe the impacts of the initiatives listed above.
Academic Standing Policy
A Tier I student whose academic performance is unsatisfactory will be subject to the following:
1. Probation – Student will be placed on probation for any of the following reasons:
a. Student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0.
b. Student receives any grade of U or C or lower.
No student may be a candidate for the certificate while on probation due to a grade point average below 3.0. Probation will be removed when the student’s grade point average reaches 3.0 or higher. In cases where the student is placed on probation due to grade(s), probation will be removed when the course(s) is/are repeated and the grade is B or higher, and the overall grade point average is 3.0 or greater. Students who are on probation may not register until advised.
2. Suspension – Student will be placed on suspension for any of the following reasons:
a. Student earns two grades of U or C or lower.
b. Student has already served three consecutive semesters on academic probation.
No student may enroll in graduate courses at UNG while on suspension. Courses taken at another institution during the period of suspension will not be recognized for transfer credit. After serving a suspension period of three semesters, a student seeking to reapply must submit a new application to Graduate Studies and a letter written to the Dean of the College of Education presenting a rationale for readmission. A student will be readmitted only upon approval of the Dean of the College of Education and the Department Head.
Program Requirements
Completion requirements for the Tier I Leadership Performance Certification also include:
- Completion of 18 designated semester hours of study with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher with no grade below a B.
- Completion of a minimum of 3 hours of EDL 6100 School Leadership Internship with a Pass grade.
- Completion of the Internship portfolio requirements and 250 hours of leadership experiential learning hours must must be documented and approved.
- Passing scores on the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) Ethics for Educational Leadership Exam and the GACE Educational Leadership Exam to qualify for certification through the GaPSC.
Fees
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.
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