Tier II Add-On in Performance-Based School/District Leadership (Certification Only) Program

Program Description and Goals

The University of North Georgia (UNG) offers a fully online, 18-semester-hour Tier II Add-On in Performance-Based School/District Leadership (Certification Only) for those who already hold an Educational Specialist (EDS) or higher degree. The Add-On Certification is a three-semester, fully online program designed for educators who are preparing for leadership positions in public schools who evaluate other leaders. This online program qualifies candidates for a Tier II credential in Educational Leadership at the Georgia PL-6 certification as a School Building Leader or School District Leader. Candidates entering this program must have Tier I certification at the Level 5, be in a current leadership role requiring the Tier I certification and have an Educational Specialist degree or higher in Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Leadership, or a related field. Cohorts begin in the summer semester.

The purpose of this add-on certification program is to develop school leaders who will have lasting, positive impact on teaching and student achievement. A review of research on leadership training summarized, “when learning becomes the preoccupation of the school, when all the school’s educators examine the efforts and initiatives of the school through the lens of their impact on learning, the structure and culture of the school begin to change in substantive ways” (Wallace Foundation & Southern Regional Educational Board). According to Richard DuFour, “principals foster this structural and cultural transformation when they shift their emphasis from helping individual teachers improve instruction to helping teams of teachers ensure that students achieve the intended outcomes of their schooling. More succinctly, teachers and students benefit when principals function as learning leaders rather than instructional leaders.”

The Tier II online add-on is an approved program by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. 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). The program of study aligns with the national leadership standards, Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSELS) formally the ISLC Standards, as well as the Georgia Educational Leaders Standards (GELS) and the Leadership Keys Educational Standards (LKES).

The goal of this online add-on is to prepare creative, flexible, visionary, and reflective leaders with the skills necessary to facilitate and improve the quality of learning for all students. Toward this end, students complete a sequence of online courses as a learning community and engage in field-based experiential learning projects designed to develop important leadership skills. In addition to online course work, leadership candidates complete three semesters of supervised residency tailored to individual career objectives.

The University of North Georgia (UNG) accepts applications for the Tier II add-on (certification only) program for Summer Semester only. As an initial step, applicants must meet requirements for admission to UNG as described below. The application packet is then forwarded to the College of Education for further review. For additional program information, review the Graduate Studies’ website at www.ung.edu/Graduate.

The Tier II Add-On (Certification Only) Program in Performance-Based School/District Leadership offers an innovative and research-based educational leadership program designed to build the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of candidates by expanding their capacities to lead continuous school improvement in both high and low-performing schools.

This is achieved through a process of:

• Acquired Knowledge (i.e. readings and assignments from online modules, observations, and interactions with principals/district office leaders at residency schools/districts; follow-up sessions with course instructors and cohort members; and online seminars with course instructors, site mentors, coaches and presenters);
• Application in the Field  (i.e. major key assignments and follow-up activities, module assignments, classroom walk-throughs, and other residency requirements); and
• Systematic Coaching and Feedback (i.e. module facilitators, cohort colleagues, site mentors/supervisors, and university clinical coaches).

Accreditation

The Tier II online add-on is an approved program by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. 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). The program of study aligns with the national leadership standards, Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSELS) formally the ISLC Standards, as well as the Georgia Educational Leaders Standards (GELS) and the Leadership Keys Educational Standards (LKES).

Program Requirements

Completion requirements for the online Tier II Add-On in Performance-Based School/District Leadership include:

• Completion of 9 designated semester hours of study with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher with no grade below a B.
• Completion of 9 designated performance-based residency hours completed over three semesters with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher with no grade below a B.
• Passing score on the Performance Assessment for School Leaders (PASL).
• Completion of all certification-related course requirements, within a six-year period.

The final checklist to be eligible for the Tier II Leadership Performance also includes demonstrated mastery of the leadership standards through course/module assignments, instructor and supervisor assessments, internship performances, and a passing score on the Georgia Leadership Examination (PASL) and Ethics Assessment Tests.

Method of Delivery

Online

Time to Completion

18 hours

Admission Procedures

The University of North Georgia (UNG) accepts applications for the Tier II add-on (certification only) program for Summer Semester only. As an initial step, applicants must meet requirements for admission to UNG as described below. The application packet is then forwarded to the College of Education for further review. For additional program information, review the Graduate Studies’ website at www.ung.edu/Graduate.

Regular Admission

Requirements

• Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) or higher 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
• Letter of recommendation from a supervisor or school/district administrator
• Professional Resume
• Tier 1 Georgia Leadership Certification OR hold a valid GaPSC-issued Standard Professional L or PL certificate in Educational Leadership
• Employment in a leadership position that requires Tier 1 certification or that the system designates as a leadership position.

Students who are admitted, but do not enroll within three semesters following acceptance must reapply through Graduate Studies. Students who were previously enrolled but have not been in attendance for three semesters must also reapply. All documents and materials submitted to fulfill the application requirements for entry to a program at UNG become the property of the university and will not be returned. Materials are kept for one year for incomplete application files and three years for complete application files.

Non-Degree Admission

The Tier II Add-On Program is not a degree-seeking program. Potential applicants interested in the degree-seeking program should review the requirements for the Educational Specialist: https://ung.edu/degrees/graduate/educational-leadership-eds.php.

Transient Student Admission

A student may not enroll in Tier II Add-On courses as a transient student.

Appeal of Graduate Admission

An applicant whose admission is denied may appeal the decision, regardless of the basis for denial. To submit an appeal, email a signed letter of appeal as a PDF attachment to the Office of Graduate Admissions at grads@ung.edu.

Your letter must present substantial evidence supporting the basis of your appeal. The information provided should go beyond what was previously submitted in your application and clearly demonstrate your potential for success in graduate-level study.

Graduate programs at the University of North Georgia grant appeals for provisional admission status only. If admitted under provisional status, your academic record will be reviewed post enrollment to determine eligibility for regular status. Timelines and requirements vary by program. While enrolled provisionally, you may register only for the maximum number of credit hours permitted for provisional students in your program and must maintain the GPA required by your program each term to continue enrollment. Students admitted under provisional status are not eligible for federal financial aid. Additional program-specific restrictions can be applied.

If your appeal is approved, the Graduate Admissions Office will notify you of your admission status. 

Academic and Professional Integrity

Code of Conduct

At the end of each semester, the program faculty in the department may intervene to establish a plan of action for any student in the program whose competency is in question, for reasons including unprofessional, disruptive, or unethical behavior in the classroom or applied setting. The student and the program advisor should sign the plan with copies forwarded to the Department Chair.

Academic Integrity

The University of North Georgia recognizes honesty and integrity as being necessary to the academic functioning of the university. The UNG graduate students are expected to uphold the university regulations addressed in the Student Code of Conduct, Article 3, Rule 2.

Professional Integrity

The Tier II Add-On in Performance-Based School/District Leadership Program adheres to the university’s definition of professional integrity as described in the Academic Information sections of the Graduate Catalog, as well as The Code of Ethics for Educators provided by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.

Academic Information and Policies

Academic Standing

A Tier II Add-On student whose academic performance is unsatisfactory will be subject to the following:

• Probation – Student will be placed on probation for any of the following reasons:
  • Student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0.
  • Student earns a grade of C or lower.

No student may be a candidate for the degree 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.

• Suspension – Student will be placed on suspension for any of the following reasons:
  • Student earns two grades of C or lower.
  • 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, the Department Head, and the program coordinator.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit will not be awarded.

Incomplete Grades

The Tier II Add-On in Performance-Based School/District Leadership program adheres to the uniform grading system in the Academic Information section of the Graduate Catalog. Non-academic Incompletes must be finished by the beginning of the second semester after which the Incomplete was awarded. No certificate will be granted to a student who has an unresolved incomplete grade remaining on their transcript.