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 |
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Field-Based Principal's Certification,
Spokane
Field-Based Principal's Certification,
Wenatchee
Program information
Mailing Address
Student Services |