Education Specialist (Certification) Instructional Leadership

All educator candidates seeking certification in any field shall be required to complete a general survey course in Special Education (3 semester hours) if such a course was not a part of their undergraduate program or another graduate program. A research component including research and/or field work will be an integral part of all specialist programs in education.

An educator candidate who took a course for credit in a master's level program cannot take the same course for credit in the education specialist program. Completion of sixth-year programs requires at least 30 semester hours of credit not used for prior level certification in the same teaching field.

Program Admission Requirements

The applicant shall:
	Meet all requirements for admission to the UWA School of Graduate Studies
		AND
	All applicants must undergo a criminal history background check. All applicants must hold a valid Class A Professional Leadership Certificate or a valid Class A Professional Educator Certificate in Instructional Leadership or one of the other Class A leadership certificate designations [Instructional Leader, Principal, Superintendent, Superintendent-Principal, Educational Administrator, Supervisor (any subject and/or grade level), Administrator of Career and Technical Education]. Applicants must meet one of the following: Hold a valid Class A Professional Educator Certificate in Instructional Leadership or a valid Class A Professional Leadership Certificate earned after completing a redesigned program at an Alabama university. Be currently serving as a superintendent, assistant or associate superintendent, assistant to the superintendent, principal, assistant principal, supervisor (any subject and/or grade level), administrator of career and technical education, coordinator, or evaluator. Document three years of employment in an instructional leadership position for which one of the certificates in Rule 290-3-3-.53.01(2)(b) is proper certification according to the current edition of the Subject and Personnel Codes of the Alabama State Department of Education. Demonstrate each of the abilities in the Class A Instructional Leadership standards prior to admission to the Class AA Instructional Leadership program or prior to completion of the Class AA Instructional Leadership program. All applicants must submit a portfolio which includes: Three letters of recommendation. Most recent performance appraisals. Evidence of ability to lead student achievement. Evidence of leadership and management potential. Reasons for pursuing the Class AA certificate in Instructional Leadership. Copy of valid Class A teaching certificate. Resume Copy of EXP form Pass an interview conducted by a program admission committee that includes both P-12 instructional leaders and instructional leadership faculty

Additional Requirements/Information

• Educator candidates will be required to attend periodic focus sessions via online or on campus to share problem-based concerns and successes and to collaborate on issues and solutions
• The core of the instructional content portion of the Class AA program shall be the Alabama Standards for Instructional Leaders.
• Each course requires meaningful P-12 school-based field experiences to provide evidence of having met the Alabama Standards for Instructional Leaders; artifacts/ evidence of experiences must be documented through Blackboard IL Ed.S. Program Portfolio.
• Program content shall be an extension rather than a repetition of instructional approaches used in the Class A Instructional Leadership program
• Content will be related to the practice of sharing leadership at very high levels of expertise rather than focusing on observation and participation
• The core of instructional content shall be anchored in practical experiences
• Practical experiences shall be carefully planned and linked to at least one central instructional problem which will serve to focus the student's research and problem-solving efforts
• Program content shall incorporate experiences that encourage students to engage in alternative ways of thinking about educational settings, planning, scheduling, and approaches to teaching to accomplish learning goals for student populations with ever-changing needs
• The program will include a significant content focus on adult learning theory. All educator candidates should develop a clear understanding of how adults learn and that schools are places where adults and students learn together.
• All educator candidates must complete the mentor training component which will be built into IL651. Mentor training will include, at a minimum, understanding the role of mentor; providing high-quality learning experiences, coaching, and feedback to new and experienced professional educators and other staff; and, improving teacher performance using Alabama Educator Effectiveness Process.
• The program will include significant content and practice in shared leadership. It will include opportunities for each candidate to understand and be able to implement leadership that is shared with all stakeholders in meaningful ways to support improved student learning.
• The program will include a focus on leadership for special education, English language learners, career and technical education, technology, pre-K programs, and adolescent literacy.
• The program will include a study of content appropriate to the National Board Core Propositions for Accomplished Educational Leaders from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (IL653)
• The program will include content and practical experiences in leading change to include an understanding of school cultures and resistance to change.
• Individuals must be unconditionally admitted to the Class AA instructional leadership program before enrolling in any coursework.

Program Completion Requirements

The following requirements must be met prior to completion of the sixth-year Class AA Instructional Leadership program:

The educator candidate shall

1. Complete all required courses.
2. Maintain a 3.50 grade point average in all program courses with no grade less than "C."
3. A passing score on the Blackboard IL Ed.S. Program Portfolio Comprehensive Portfolio Assessment which comprehensively assesses all program standards as listed in the Alabama Standards for Instructional Leaders.

Testing for Class AA Certification for Instructional Leadership

Educator candidate applicants for Class AA certification who are meeting requirements for a certificate which covers a grade span different from the grade span covered by the certificate used as the basis for admission to the Class AA Instructional Leadership program must meet the Praxis II requirements of the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP). Some individuals hold an Alabama certificate for principal 1-6 or 7-12 rather than P-12. A person holding one of those certificates and completing the Class AA Instructional Leadership P-12 program must meet the Praxis II requirements as a precondition for certification. Additional information is provided in Rule 290-3-3-.01(3).

Requirements for Certification

1. An official transcript from a regionally accredited institution documenting a minimum of 30 semester hours of post-master's degree work at the sixth-year level or above
2. Satisfactory completion of a State-approved program with a minimum GPA of 3.50 on all courses in the Alabama State Board of Education approved Class AA Instructional Leadership program
3. Competence to serve as a Class AA Instructional Leader as partially demonstrated through completion of mentor training
4. Competence to serve as a Class AA Instructional Leader as partially demonstrated through completion of a problem analysis project
5. A passing score on the Blackboard IL Ed.S. Program Portfolio Comprehensive Portfolio Assessment which comprehensively assesses all program standards as listed in the Alabama Standards for Instructional Leaders.

NOTES:  Educator candidates must be unconditionally admitted prior to enrolling in any courses in the Instructional Leadership degree program.  Applicants who are denied unconditional admission may reapply the following semester.