St. Thomas Aquinas College MSEd. Educational Leadership (30 credits) Goal of the Program

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1 St. Thomas Aquinas College MSEd. Educational Leadership (30 credits) This Master of Science Degree program is designed to prepare school personnel to become school building leaders. The program focuses on current theory, best practices, research, and issues involved in building level administration and supervision. Graduates of this program can assume the role of school building leaders in such positions as pupil personnel directors, assistant principals, departmental chairpersons, and building principals. The 30 credit field based program consists of 24 credits of core course requirements and 6 credits of supervised internship. The program will qualify candidates to seek initial New York State Certification as a School Building Leader. Upon completion of this degree program and New York State School Building Leader Assessment, St. Thomas Aquinas College will recommend the candidate for initial certification as a school building leader. This program uses a cohort model and can be completed in 14 months of continuous study beginning in the month of July. Candidates will be required to take courses each semester (Summer I, Fall, Spring, Summer II) along with field experiences and the culminating internship experience. Note: It is intended that graduates of this program can transition directly into the College s planned doctoral program in Educational Leadership once the program is approved and implemented. Goal of the Program The goal of the Masters of Science in Educational Leadership is to prepare school administrators who are educational leaders and informed decision makers and who enhance teacher effectiveness and promote the success of all students. Learning Outcomes and Knowledge Base 1. An understanding of the importance of a school vision of learning, and the ability to develop, communicate and utilize the vision to lead the school and promote success of all students. 2. An understanding of the nature of the process of change within schools and the ability to implement those changes to reach the school vision. 3. An understanding of the importance of ethics in school leadership, and the ability to act with fairness, courage and integrity in order to develop and maintain a positive school climate.

2 4. An understanding of effective communication and collaboration, and the ability to use these skills to create an effective learning community where needs of diverse learners are met. 5. An understanding of research validated instructional practices, and the ability to facilitate the implementation of these practices to enhance student achievement. 6. An understanding of assessment as an ongoing process involving multiple sources of information and varied assessment techniques, and the ability to use assessment results to promote success for all students. 7. An understanding of the importance of the professional development of faculty and staff, and the ability to support, motivate, and facilitate professional development actions that increase student achievement. 8. An understanding of the principles of finance and resource management, and the ability to manage resources for the design of a safe and effective learning environment for all students. 9. An understanding of the laws and regulations that govern education, and the ability to use this information to promote the success of all students. 10. An understanding of the use of self evaluation and reflection as tools for professional growth, and the ability to use the resources within the school and broader professional community as supports for professional growth as a lifelong learner and as a leader. Program Requirements Core Courses (3 credits each) GED 7501 Educational Leadership GED 7502 Management of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning GED 7503 The Principalship GED 7504 Assessment and Program Evaluation GED 7505 Research Methods and Data Analysis GED 7506 Supervision of Instruction GED 7507 Management of Resource and Finance GED 7508 School Law Culminating Experiences (6 credits) GED 7600 Action Research Project (0 credits) GED 7601 Internship I (3 credits) GED 7602 Internship II (3 credits)

3 Schedule of Courses Summer I A GED 7501 Educational Leadership GED 7502 Management of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning Summer I B GED 7503 The Principalship GED 7504 Assessment and Program Evaluation Fall GED 7505 Research Methods and Data Analysis GED 7601 Internship I and Seminar Spring GED 7506 Supervision of Instruction GED 7602 Internship II and Seminar Summer II GED 7507 Management of Resource and Finance GED 7508 School Law Admission Requirements 1. Bachelor s degree from an accredited college or university. 2. A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale (The Division of Teacher Education reserves the right to require GRE scores from promising candidates with a GPA of 2.7 to 2.9). 3. A certificate in teaching or in pupil personnel services. 4. Minimum of three years teaching experience and/or pupil personnel services. 5. Proof of two hour workshop each on Child Abuse and School Violence Prevention. In addition, applicants must present a recommendation letter from a principal or supervisor with a commitment in writing to Provide the candidate time to perform the competencies described in the program. Make the resources and personnel of the school available to facilitate a meaningful internship experience. Agree to provide necessary supervision and evaluation of the candidate.

4 Course Descriptions GED 7501 Educational Leadership This course examines the current theories of educational leadership and related effective practices. Change Theory and the organizational and institutional factors affecting change, is addressed. The nature and dynamics of building level organizations and the importance of ethnicity and cultural diversity in the school community is examined. Attention is given to models of problem solving, conflict resolution, strategies for collaboration, and effective communication skills including public speaking. This course is designed to examine the leadership knowledge base and research and stimulate leadership skill development. GED 7502 Management of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning This course examines the current theories, models, and research in effective instructional practices that promote learning for students, including students with disabilities. Knowledge of national and state content standards and best practices as it informs curriculum mapping and classroom implementation will be emphasized. Issues related to effective classroom management, student motivation, and discipline will be highlighted. GED 7503 The Principalship This course examines the role of the school principal in terms of school organization, community relationships, and human resources management to promote a positive building culture and climate. Topics include the development of effective partnerships with staff, parents, students, social agencies, and institutions of higher education; analysis of needs assessment, developing job descriptions, recruitment and retention of staff, and scheduling formats. Importance of data based decision making, personal reflection, and professional growth will be highlighted. GED 7504 Assessment and Program Evaluation This course examines current practices, trends, and issues in student assessment and program evaluation in schools. Topics will include use and relative efficacy of qualitative and quantitative measures, standardized testing, criterion referenced tests, and curriculum based measures. The interrelationship of curriculum, content standards, developmental levels and performance based assessment will be highlighted. Objective, reliable, and valid assessment of student performance and meaningful educational results that facilitate data based decision making in schools will be addressed. Current models and best practices in program evaluation are examined. Technology applications will be infused across the course s content. GED 7505 Research Methods and Data Analysis This course focuses on the basic concepts, principles, and methods used in quantitative and qualitative educational research from idea formulation through data analysis and interpretation. Methods of descriptive statistics including measures of central tendency, variability and correlation will be covered. Topics include variables, sampling,

5 instrumentation, data collection, and parametric and non-parametric tests used in inferential statistics. SPSS data analysis program will be introduced. Design and implementation of action research projects for instructional improvement will be an outcome of the course. GED 7506 Supervision of Instruction This course examines the entire supervisory process. Principles and models of teacher supervision that use student data to inform instruction will be highlighted. Topics include observation techniques, reflective practices, professional inquiry, formative and summative evaluation procedures, and peer coaching. Importance of using these techniques to inform design of comprehensive professional growth plans for faculty and in-service education to advance student learning will be emphasized. GED 7507 Management of Resources and Finance This course focuses on a review of the principles and issues involved in managing fiscal and material resources in order to promote an effective learning environment. Topics include overview of revenue sources (federal, state and local), strategic long term fiscal planning and budgeting. Responsibilities of the school administrator including, inventory and purchasing procedures, facility management, allocation of resources, and transportation and food services governance will be addressed. GED 7508 School Law This course involves an analysis of the laws governing education on federal, state, and local levels including laws pertaining to education of students with disabilities. The rights of students and school personnel will be highlighted. Topics examined will include hiring and tenure issues, the impact of school budgets, pupil discipline, freedom of speech, church and state relations, and legal uses of computer technology. Landmark decisions and pertinent court cases will be discussed and critiqued. GED 7601 and GED 7602 Internship I and II The two-semester internship experience (200 hours each semester) provides a wide range of experiences to ensure that the candidate (a) acquires an in-depth understanding of the demands, expectations, and challenges of building level administrators; (b) develops leadership skills related to various roles of building administrators; (c) designs, implements, and evaluates an action research project that demonstrates the integration of theory and research with practice, and makes recommendations for change based on assessment data; and (d) identifies personal strengths and weaknesses in becoming a building level administrator. The candidate demonstrates meeting the competencies of the program through a presentation of the professional portfolio at the end of the internship.

6 Format for Instructional Delivery Candidates for the Masters of Science Degree in Educational Leadership will follow a program that consists of attending classes, attending large group seminars, participating in group activities and conducting independent research. The following schedule will serve as an overview of the format of delivery. Pre-Course Seminar Candidates will attend a seminar prior to each course to obtain course outline, formulate groups, collect texts and get an introduction to the course objectives and assignments. At this seminar the cohort will be divided into small learning communities. A group leader will be selected from each community and that person will communicate on a regular basis with the course professor with regard to the progress of the group. During the three week period between the pre-course seminar and regular class sessions, candidates will engage in independent study of assigned readings to better prepare them for participation and contribution in regular class sessions. The candidates will complete a minimum of ten hours of independent study under the auspices of the professor for the course. The professor will hold regular office hours for the course during the three week independent study period and will be available for individual or small group meetings. Candidates will be encouraged to communicate regularly via with the course professor. Class Times During the summer sessions, each course will meet twice a week Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays. Each class session will run for 3 hours and 30 minutes excluding a break. Classes will meet four days a week, Monday through Thursday. During fall and spring semesters, classes will be scheduled on every other Saturday; each class session 3hours and 30 minutes excluding a break. This innovative format of instructional delivery was designed to meet the needs of adult learners who are educators in the field. The three week self-study period, supported by a program faculty member, was specifically built in to develop independent thinking, initiative, sense of responsibility, and life long learning. These dispositions are deemed critical for effective school building leaders.

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