Principal program overview
The WSU Spokane Principal and Program Administrator Professional Certificate programs provide course work in Spokane and Wenatchee.
Program faculty have a strong commitment to providing
an exemplary preparation program for beginning school
administrators in a high-stakes accountability
environment. There is a strong nexus between intended
student outcomes of the preparation program and the
expectations for administrators to lead highly
effective schools. The "Nine Characteristics of High
Performing Schools" as endorsed by the Washington State
Board of Education provides an overall framework for
the purposes of Washington State University's
administrative preparation program. The program is
committed to preparing school leaders who have a
passion about the importance of quality leadership and
a clear understanding of how to positively impact
student learning and achievement.
To prepare school leaders with the leadership and
management skills needed to improve student learning in
a variety of school environments the program includes
the following principles:
- Provide relevant and rigorous coursework that closely aligns with expectations for school building and district leaders.
- Provide a rigorous field-based internship organized around the six professional standards from Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC).
- Collaborate closely with school district mentors to plan and supervise internship experiences.
- Encourage and facilitate networking among administrative candidates through participation in seminars and workshops with interns from other institutions.
- Deliver instruction by faculty members who have experience, skills, and knowledge as school building and district leaders.
Academic expectations
Courses and seminars, while closely linked to the ISLLC standards and problems of practice, also reflect the academic standards of WSU graduate programs. Program participants are expected to successfully complete all academic course requirements and to demonstrate their ability to write and think clearly through the completion of course papers and other assignments.
Washington State-funded educational leadership intern program
It is very important that an intern has release time
from his or her other responsibilities to experience
and practice the role of the principal, to be involved
in the day-to-day operation of the school, and to
participate in leadership professional development
opportunities.
The Washington State-Funded Educational Leadership
Intern Program provides funds to school districts for
release time for individuals participating in an
administrative intern program. The program is managed
by the Washington School Principals Education
Foundation, an affiliate of the Association of
Washington School Principals (AWSP), in cooperation
with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
(OSPI).
Grants are awarded each year through a competitive
grant application process. Applications are distributed
to school districts, universities and educational
service districts in mid January from OSPI and due back
to AWSP in mid March. Successful grant recipients are
usually notified in May regarding release time funding
for the following academic year. Grant recipients
are also expected to respond to various surveys and
data collection processes conducted by AWSP.
Spokane and Wenatchee interns are expected to apply for
this grant in January of the first year of the two year
internship to support their second year internship
activities.
Funding for the Washington State-Funded Educational
Leadership Program is dependent on legislative
appropriations.
The objectives of the internship activities are: (1) to
assist the candidate to acquire the skills identified
for each of the standards, and (2) to provide
additional valuable learning experiences relative to
the administrative position as jointly determined by
the mentor, the candidate and the university
supervisor. During the course of the program,
candidates should be sure to complete at least one
major project related to each of the six program
standards as described in the “Washington State
Certification Performance Indicators."
Alignment with degree programs
Education courses taken in Spokane may be used as supporting course work for students admitted to a WSU degree program, such as the Ed.M or Ed.D.
Program admittance requirements
Prerequisite Experience: Applicants must
hold or have held a valid teaching certificate or an
ESA certificate with appropriate documentation of
successful school-based experience in an instructional
role with students.
Academic requirement: Applicants must have a
master’s degree from an accredited institution in
order to apply for the administrative certificate.
Students may work on the master's degree and the
certificate at the same time, and most of the course
work in the principal certificate program may be
applied to the
Ed.M. in Educational Leadership offered through WSU
Spokane.
Moral Character: Applicants who do not hold
a valid Washington certificate at the time of
application (See WAC 180-79A-155) must complete
Fingerprinting, Washington State Patrol and FBI
background check.
Contacts
Director and Associate Professor, Education
Programs
Joan Kingrey, Ph.D.
kingrey@wsu.edu
Phone: (509) 358-7939
Field-based Principal Certification, Program
Administrator Certificate, Spokane
James Howard, Ph.D.
jamesh@mail.wsu.edu
Phone: (509) 358-7948
Program information
Kelly LaGrutta
Academic Coordinator
lagrutta@wsu.edu
Phone: (509) 358-7942
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Mailing Address
College of
Education
PO Box 1495
Spokane, WA 99210-1495
FAX (509) 358-7933
Student Services
(509) 358-7537
enroll@wsu.edu
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