Internship and Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership Handbook Version 9.1 Effective June 2, 2014 Masters of Education in Educational Leadership
Table of Contents American College of Education Mission Statement... 3 Internship and Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership Overview... 3 Educational Leadership Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership... 3 Educational Leadership Internship... 4 Location of School-Based Internships, Field Experiences, and/or Student Teaching... 5 Electronic Portfolio Enrollment... 5 Educational Leadership Department Personnel... 5 Department Chair... 5 Assistant Department Chair... 6 Associate Director of Internships... 6 ACE Internship and Capstone Faculty... 6 Educational Leadership Internship Process... 6 Intern Responsibilities... 6 Mentor Selection and Approval... 7 Mentor Policy... 7 Internship Activities... 7 Evaluation of Internship and Capstone Components... 8 Department of Educational Leadership Program Outcomes (2012)... 9 Program Dispositions and Core Values... 11 Component Rubrics... 11 Graduation Requirements... 15 EL5113 Educational Leadership Internship Completion... 15 Appendix A: Florida... 17 Florida Requirements... 17 William Cecil Golden School Leadership Development Program... 17 Appendix B: Ohio... 18 Appendix C: Texas... 20 Texas Requirements... 20 Internship Experience... 20 Appendix D: Educational Leadership Signature Assessments... 21 Appendix E: Pacing Guide... 22 American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 2
American College of Education Mission Statement The mission of American College of Education is to deliver affordable, online degree programs that provide evidence-based content and relevant experiences to improve educators' knowledge, skills, and performance. Internship and Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership Overview All American College of Education students are required to complete a Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership project as part of their program s requirements. Educational Leadership students are required to complete an administrative internship that will account for a portion of the Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership. Educational Leadership Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership The Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate and document the impact of scientific research, pedagogy, instructional technology, school effectiveness, supervision and leadership skills in diverse P-12 school settings and competencies gained throughout, and as a result, of the Educational Leadership program. The following list serves as a guide to the items students will upload to their electronic portfolios as part of the Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership. This list and the expectations outlined may be clarified during the degree program, but no new requirements will be issued beyond this list: 1. Individual Student Profile (Pre-Program Reflection): Students will create an individual student profile which includes their philosophy of leadership and three to five professional goals in Module 1 of EL5033/ELX5033. This profile is a required submission in the Taskstream portfolio after completion of this course. 2. Evidence of Program Outcomes: Students will select three (3) artifacts per program outcome to submit to the Capstone portfolio, for a total of 15 artifacts. The signature assessment course assignments are required artifacts (See Appendix D). The remaining artifacts will consist of completed assignments or reflections from coursework. As the authors of their capstone portfolios, students will determine to which program outcome each artifact will align. 3. Leadership Book Reflections: Students are required to read a minimum of six (6) leadership books authored by acknowledged leaders in the field of education and will submit a 2-4 page scholarly reflection for each book to their capstone portfolios. Three (3) books are self-selected and the following three (3) books representing seminal research are required: American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 3
Goldring, E.B. (2008). Leading with data: Pathways to improve your school. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Marx, G. (2006). Future-focused leadership: Preparing schools, students and communities for tomorrow s realities. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Tschannen-Moran, M. (2004). Trust matters: Leadership for successful schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. 4. Original Scholarly Contribution to the Discipline: The original contribution is a product demonstrating the impact you have made in the field of Educational Leadership. Students will self-select and display in a presentation format of their choice what they consider their most original internship activity and artifact to meet this requirement. Presentation formats are suggested in EL5091. 5. Internship Evaluation Artifacts: Given that the internship accounts for a portion of the capstone project, students will document internship completion in the capstone portfolio by uploading the final process and internship verification forms to the electronic capstone portfolio at the conclusion of their internship course as a capstone requirement. 6. Final Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership Paper, Including Leadership Book Reflections (Post-Program Reflection): a. Part 1: Post-Program Reflection Part 1 of your Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership paper will includes these components: Program Artifacts Five Leaders in the Field of Educational Leadership Leadership Model b. Part 2: Reflection on Leadership Books Synthesis and reflection Contributions to competency in Program Outcomes Application of learning to workplace setting Note: All assignment expectations and requirements will be explained in further detail in the electronic portfolio. As is the case with coursework, work submitted to the electronic portfolio must follow APA formatting and style requirements as outlined in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6 th edition, 2 nd printing). Educational Leadership Internship The internship represents an extended period of guided, professional practice during which the Educational Leadership intern takes increasing responsibility for the learning of P-12 students while under the guidance of a self-selected and approved mentor and an ACE faculty member. The experience is designed to address the Educational Leadership Program Outcomes though standards-based work in a school setting guided by a practicing school administrator. All activities completed by the intern are expected to provide administrative support to the mentor and school community in addition to instructional support to the campus in order to help increase student learning and achievement. American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 4
Location of School-Based Internships, Field Experiences, and/or Student Teaching Internship, student teaching, and/or field experience activities are designed to be compatible with the U.S. school system. In order to ensure appropriate supervision and equivalent experiences, students must complete all internships, student teaching, and/or other field experiences in the United States, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Students with special circumstances (such as working for a Department of Defense school) may apply for a Clinical Experience Exception Approval as explained below. Information is also found in the Catalog. Note: American College of Education does not offer visas or other types of work permits. Securing any necessary authorization is the responsibility of the student. All admitted students must be eligible to work in, and agree to complete all requirements within, the United States, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Clinical Experience Exception Approval Process Clinical Experience is defined as any required experience in a school setting including field experiences, internships, and/or student teaching. Students in special circumstances may seek approval to complete their internship, student teaching, and/or field experiences outside of the jurisdictions listed above. Special circumstances include, but are not limited to Department of Defense schools or American-based international schools. Students may not enroll in a program with an internship, student teaching, and/or other field experience without being granted prior approval through the process, or completing an acknowledgement form. The process commences during enrollment. Once enrolled, it is the student s responsibility to notify the college of any change in employment location by sending an email to InternshipsEL@ace.edu. Licensure Testing It is the student s responsibility to know the requirements and to make appropriate arrangements to complete required testing for the state in which they are seeking licensure. Electronic Portfolio Enrollment Students will be provided access to the web-based portfolio program Taskstream (www.taskstream.com), in the second course of their programs. Taskstream is designed to assist students in submitting and storing their capstone components as well as showcasing their internship experiences in a professional format to be utilized after graduation. Educational leadership students will be responsible for maintaining two (2) separate portfolios in Taskstream one for the Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership project and the other for the internship experience. Once an intern is appropriately enrolled, links to each portfolio will be available on the student s Taskstream home page. The directions for submission of required Capstone components will be embedded in the Taskstream portfolio, while instructions for the internship experience portfolio will be included in EL5983/ELX5983: Internship Experience in Educational Leadership. Please note the internship portfolio will not be accessible until the student is enrolled in the internship course (EL5983/ELX5983). Educational Leadership Department Personnel Department Chair The Department Chair is responsible for direct oversight of the Educational Leadership department and supervises all staff and faculty assigned to the department. In addition, the American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 5
Department Chair supports ACE Faculty members to ensure all courses and experiences are meaningful ones for students. The Department Chair handles all escalated concerns regarding internship and Capstone issues after all established communication paths are followed and all documented attempts at a reasonable resolution are reviewed. Assistant Department Chair The Assistant Department Chair provides direct support to the Chair and is available to respond to concerns or questions regarding the Internship and Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership as needed. The assistant chair also supports ACE faculty members to ensure all courses and experiences are meaningful ones for all students. Associate Director of Internships The Associate Director of Internships is responsible for the overall management of the internship and activities. The associate director will support Educational Leadership students knowledge and understanding of internship responsibilities as they progress through their degree programs. The associate director is responsible for the internship process, procedures, and activities tracked and housed in the course: EL5983/ELX5983: Internship Experience in Educational Leadership. Additionally, the associate director will support ACE faculty members to ensure the internship experience is a meaningful one for all students. ACE Internship and Capstone Faculty The faculty s primary responsibility is to oversee student documentation of the internship and Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership during EL5983/ ELX5983: Internship Experience in Educational Leadership and EL5091: Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership. ACE internship and capstone faculty: evaluate submitted internship and Capstone components, provide pertinent materials and information to students, and assist students as needed. Educational Leadership Internship Process The internship is usually acknowledged as the most meaningful experience of any Educational Leadership student. This experience is intended to assist in the development of transformational educators who will have the tools to make a lasting, genuine contribution to education by exemplifying Visionary Leadership, Instructional Leadership, Administrative and Ethical Leadership, School and Community Leadership, and Social, Political, and Legal Leadership. Intern Responsibilities As interns undertake their internship, they integrate theory with practice. This approach allows interns multiple opportunities over time to apply and reapply knowledge and skills in a structured environment with highly experienced practitioners. Intern responsibilities include: securing and maintaining a currently employed principal or assistant principal with at least two years experience in a leadership role early in the degree program to serve as their mentor; Note: Mentors must be evaluated and approved by the college prior to the intern beginning any internship activities. exhibiting sound time management by planning, executing and documenting internship activities prior to beginning the internship course (see Appendix E); and completing and submitting all required forms and documenting all activities for the internship experience in EL5983/ELX5983: Internship Experience in Educational American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 6
Leadership. Mentor Selection and Approval The mentor is the educational leader who helps guide interns in completing practical, diverse, and authentic experiences in school administration. The mentor provides insight both into the activity and into the school structure to guarantee a relevant learning experience for the intern and beneficial service for the school. In addition, the mentor helps the intern reflect on the various elements of the experience including the intern s own performance to enhance and expand the learning involved. The mentor has direct opportunities to provide guidance and support to the Educational Leadership intern as a professional role model and teacher. In this role, the mentor: provides opportunities for an intern to complete meaningful internship activities, communicates regularly with the intern to discuss and review internship activities, assists the intern in accomplishing the activities according to district and professional standards, assists the intern in completing activities within the structure of the school, provides feedback and coaching in response to the intern s professional development efforts, reviews and verifies the internship activities completed and submitted by the intern, and reviews and provides feedback during the internship, Interns identify and recruit their own mentors, who are then screened and approved by the college. Mentors must be practicing principals or assistant principals. Mentors must be located within close proximity to their interns. The mentor information form can be found at this link and must be completed during the student s first course to begin the mentor approval process. Mentor Policy American College of Education requires all mentors to be currently licensed and practicing principals or assistant principals with at least two years experience in a leadership role located within close proximity to the intern. Family members are not permitted to serve as mentors. A leadership role is defined as a position in which the individual is currently responsible for officially evaluating the work of subordinates as part of a systematic review process for the subordinate s employment file. The following individuals are not permitted to serve as a mentor: Central office personnel Colleague teachers/other employees with principal certification Retired building administrators Family members If extenuating circumstances call for a new mentor to be selected at any point during the program, a new mentor information form can be submitted at the same link to begin the mentor approval process again. The intern must alert the Associate Director of Internships of the change via email at InternshipsEL@ace.edu. Internship Activities Each Educational Leadership intern must complete a 120-hour internship experience as degree requirement. Interns are encouraged to complete activities among a variety of grade levels and American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 7
departments involving diverse student populations and faculty across the P-12 curricula. All experiences must be verified by the intern s mentor. Interns are required to complete activities demonstrating competency in each program outcome: 1. Visionary Leadership 2. Instructional Leadership 3. Administrative and Ethical Leadership 4. School and Community Leadership 5. Social, Political, and Legal Leadership Each activity will be awarded twelve (12) total hours upon completion and successful evaluation. The following chart outlines the required framework for successful activity submission utilizing all Program Outcomes: Program Outcome Number of ACE- Designed Activities Available Number of ACE- Designed Activities Required Additional Activities Possible (Open or ACE- Designed) Maximum Number of Activities Allowed 1 2 1 1 2 2 3 2 1 3 3 3 2 1 3 4 3 2 1 3 5 1 1 1 2 8 ACE-Designed Activities (96 hrs) + 2 Additional Activities (24 hrs) = 120 TOTAL HOURS *Since Texas interns are required to complete more hours (see Appendix C), they will complete all twelve (12) ACE-designed activities and two (2) open activities aligned to any program outcome. Interns are required to complete a specific number of ACE-designed internship activities for each program outcome. To reach the 120-hour requirement, interns have the option of completing two (2) additional ACE-designed activities from the collection, or may propose up to two (2) open activities based on their professional interests or school needs, as supported and approved by their mentor. Open Activities must be approved by ACE faculty prior to implementation by completing and submitting an Open Activity Proposal/Pre-Approval form available in Student Commons. Internship faculty will review open activity proposals during EL5983. If the intern would like to propose an open activity prior to EL5983 enrollment, s/he can submit the proposal form to InternshipsEL@ace.edu for review. Evaluation of Internship and Capstone Components The Educational Leadership program is aligned with the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) Educational Leadership Policy Standards (2008) and is designed to create culturally aware and competent administrators. Students who complete the Educational Leadership program are educational leaders who promote the success of all students by: Facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a school or district vision of learning that is shared and supported by the school community American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 8
(Standard 1). Advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth (Standard 2). Ensuring management of the organization, operations, and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment (Standard 3). Collaborating with faculty and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources (Standard 4) Acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner (Standard 5). Understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context (Standard 6). Department of Educational Leadership Program Outcomes (2012) American College of Education Educational Leadership Program outcomes are aligned to the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium Standards (ISLLC, 2008) and the National Policy Board for Educational Administration s Standards for Advanced Programs in Educational Leadership (NPBEA, 2011). The American College of Education s leadership program is designed to address the following areas of Leadership: Visionary; Instructional; Administrative and Ethical; School and Community; and Social, Political, and Legal Leadership. At the conclusion of this program, our graduates will be able to: Outcome 1: Visionary Leadership Develop a vision of learning for the school or district-level community that promotes the academic and social success of all students and effectively assign the vision to the mission or belief statements of the school. Formulate the initiatives necessary to motivate staff, students, and families to achieve the school s vision. This also requires the ability to collect, interpret, and analyze school data and/or outcomes. Develop plans and processes for implementing the vision. Demonstrate the ability to involve community members in the realization of the vision and related school improvement efforts. Monitor through periodic evaluation the effective operationalization of the vision and mission. Outcome 2: Instructional Leadership Problem-solve potential instructional deficiencies in staff to improve overall content delivery and enhance professional development. Engage teachers in team building strategies and facilitate the process of developing and maintaining professional learning communities to strengthen instruction and to increase student achievement. Strategically plan effective lessons with teachers and engage in data driven decision making to enhance learning for all students. Effectively assess instructional proficiencies through classroom observations to American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 9
determine teacher needs and strengthen effectiveness. Evaluate instructional models on an ongoing basis, used by teachers to determine suitability based on student assessment data. Outcome 3: Administrative and Ethical Leadership Implement skills, concepts, and practices to structure an educationally rich, positive, and safe school environment. Create a learning culture inclusive of operations and resources for an efficient and effective learning experience to enhance academic achievement for all students. Foster stewardship of the school vision by relaying, executing, and promoting the vision to all stakeholders. Promote and facilitate the use of instructional tools, strategies, assessments, and current technologies. Manage school financial resources effectively; which includes prioritizing decisions based on the schools vision, mission, and academic improvement goals. Provide information and support for rigorous and relevant professional growth activities that will foster an enthusiastic work environment. Expand decision-making skills to include equitable considerations, valid data gathering measures, and consequence analyses concerning school staff. Practice and model ethical behavior at all times. Serve as an advocate for all children and promote their continuous development. Outcome 4: School and Community Leadership Build strong community relations by modeling and promoting equity, fairness, and respect among faculty, staff, students, parents, and community leaders. Provide opportunities for stakeholders to develop and use skills in collaboration, shared decision-making, and responsibility for the purpose of maintaining a comprehensive program of positive home/school relationships. Acknowledge and respect the goals, values, and aspirations of diverse family and community groups by engaging the support of business, philanthropic, political, social, and civic or faith-based organizations and other resources to enrich the school s climate, culture, and diverse learning infrastructure. Maintain a broad communication network throughout the school and community by using a wide variety of print and electronic media modes while establishing a high level of visibility and active involvement among stakeholders. Outcome 5: Social, Political, and Legal Leadership Establish partnerships with social, political, and community leaders to obtain and integrate the resources necessary to build a productive school environment. Demonstrate the knowledge of and apply legal, political, social, and economic principles in an institutional framework to enrich the school s climate, culture, and diverse learning infrastructure. Promote the success of all students by understanding causes for achievement gaps, while responding to, and influencing, educational equity with cultural context. American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 10
Note: Alignment of ISLLC Standards, American College of Education Program Outcomes and individual state standards may be found in course syllabi or other state-specific modules throughout the program. Program Dispositions and Core Values American College of Education s Educational Leadership interns demonstrate the following professional dispositions: equity, scholarship, diversity and unity, lifelong learning, excellence, and ethics. Equity: Interns believe in, value, and are committed to building and sustaining a positive school culture and a safe, orderly, effective learning environment that supports the educability of all. Scholarship: Interns believe in, value, and are committed to leading and managing an evidence-based, data-driven instructional program that ensures that all students have the knowledge, skills, and values to become contributing members of society. Diversity and Unity: Interns believe in, value, and are committed to the inclusion of all stakeholders in a collaborative school learning community that promotes academic achievement for all. Lifelong Learning: Interns believe in, value, and are committed to the implementation of a shared vision of learning that is supported by the school community and promotes lifelong learning for self and others. Excellence: Interns believe in, value, and are committed to the implementation of clear learning goals, high-quality standards, evidence-based instructional strategies, and technology that will prepare all learners to experience success in a complex, global society. Ethics: Interns believe in, value, and are committed to acting with integrity, fairness, and equity; bringing ethical principles to the decision-making process; and adhering to all local, state, and federal laws and policies governing schools. Both EL5983/ELX5983: Internship Experience in Educational Leadership and EL5091: Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership will be evaluated as pass/fail. Individual components in both courses are evaluated using either a 30-point rubric or on an individual meets/does not meet rubric. Both the internship and Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership will also be evaluated as a whole after all required components are successfully submitted and evaluated individually. Evaluation methods will be explained and provided in the submission areas of the respective courses. Component Rubrics Internship Activity Rubric Each internship activity submitted to the portfolio will be graded by the internship faculty member using the rubric on the following page: American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 11
Communication Specialized Knowledge Evidence-Based Theory and Practice Student-Focused Observation, Assessment, and Action Research Relevance and Leadership Completion Strong Medium Weak 5 4 3 2 1 0 Focused, coherent Some related concepts Lacks focus presentation of welldeveloped but not fully developed; concepts relationships between elements not always clear Uses terminology of field accurately Demonstrates confident understanding of subject matter and application to professional practice; uses APA for citations and references when specified in the assignment Comprehensively demonstrates clear understanding of process and subject matter including indepth analysis of data Clearly connects learning to the profession and personal experience; analyzes implications for the institution, the larger-context, and own professional growth, and strongly communicates the importance of shared vision and shared leadership to overall institutional and academic success. Completed all essential elements of assignment and followed directions and format required for assignment (type, spacing, margins, headings, etc.); includes required artifact submissions. Uses terminology of the field but without clear articulation or context Theories not consistently supported by clear evidence or citations and demonstrates partial understanding without fully applying it to professional practice; uses some elements of APA Explains some processes and subject matter and includes superficial analysis of data Lacks clear connections of learning to personal experience and implications for the profession, the larger context, and professional growth; shallow analysis of implications for the institution, the larger context, and own professional growth; and makes limited connection between shared vision and leadership and institutional and academic success. Completed some but not all of the essential elements and not entirely responsive to assignment directions and format; submits less than the required artifacts. Uses little or no terminology or concepts related to field Little attempt to place details in the context of broader ideas or theories; does not use APA citations and references Doesn t explain processes and subject matter; no analysis of data Does not explain implications of learning on profession, the larger-context, and professional growth; does not analyze implications for the profession, the larger context, or professional growth; does not acknowledge the importance of shared vision and leadership. Essential required elements (tables, statistics, etc.) missing and not responsive to assignment directions and format; does not submit artifacts. American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 12
Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership Rubric The Capstone component of the student s electronic portfolio will be evaluated by a capstone faculty member. Several Capstone components are evaluated individually on a Meets/Not Meets basis. The final paper and the overall Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership are evaluated holistically using the following rubric once all components are complete and accepted: Communication Specialized Knowledge Evidence- Based Theory and Practice Strong Medium Weak 5 4 3 2 1 0 Some related Lacks focus concepts but not fully developed; relationships between elements not always clear Focused coherent presentation of well-developed concepts For example: Synthesizes and integrates knowledge from the program of study in a clear, detailed reflection; ideas and content are developed with details and examples; artifacts are used to support ideas in the paper; paragraphed correctly; no mechanical errors; clear sentences and transitions between ideas. Uses terminology of field accurately For example: Discusses knowledge gained from the program of study but not enough specific examples to support ideas; relation of artifact to paper not always clear; insufficient paragraphing; sentences clear but choppy; lack of clear transitions between ideas; a few distracting mechanical errors. For example: Little or no introduction; rambles from one subject to another; little or no use of paragraphs to organize information; not enough narrative or explanation; little or no relationship between artifacts and ideas in paper; many distracting errors, hard-to-read sentences; concepts not structured, not developed with specific detail. 5 4 3 2 1 0 Uses terminology of Uses little or no the field but without terminology or clear articulation or concepts related to context field For example: Seems to use terminology only to satisfy course requirements, not to convey ideas; language more conversational than professional 5 4 3 2 1 0 Demonstrates confident understanding of subject matter and application to professional Theories not consistently supported by clear evidence or citations and demonstrates partial Little attempt to place details in the context of broader ideas or theories; does not use APA American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 13
Student- Focused Action Research: Observation, Interview, Assessment, Analysis Relevance practice; uses APA for citations and references to support ideas For example: Uses personal and professional insight to evaluate the learning experience and knowledge gained; applies broad theories to real-world application; uses sufficient appropriate number of relevant (seminal or recent) sources; sources add relevant information. Project represents the student s own perspective and synthesis of reading, research, and reflection. For example: Uses real-world applications; reflects in detail on own strengths and weaknesses; connects learning to its impact on student achievement, continuous school improvement, and personal growth. understanding without fully applying it to professional practice; uses some elements of APA For example: Citations not clearly related to point; some application of ideas but concepts not sorted out and explored separately or thoroughly; includes analysis but without frame of reference; cites multiple references but doesn t relate to each other; does not consistently follow APA format. citations and references For example: Does not thoroughly analyze in relation to learning theory or educational practice; refers to information from Internet but doesn t document sources; does not cite other sources or use evidence-based sources to support major points. 5 4 3 2 1 0 Explains some Doesn t explain processes and processes and subject matter and subject matter; no includes superficial analysis of data analysis of data Clearly connects learning to the profession and personal experience; analyzes implications for the larger-context and own professional growth For example: Identifies elements of For example: Includes examples of observation, assessment, or action research but not sufficiently detailed or analyzed; interesting data but addition of tables or other visuals would have made information easier to interpret. For example: Does not collect data or does not analyze data; doesn t move beyond brief summary and few details; does not connect learning to student achievement or school improvement. 5 4 3 2 1 0 Lacks clear Doesn t explain connections of implications of learning to personal learning on experience and profession, the implications for the larger-context, and profession, the professional growth larger context, and professional growth For example: Limited application of theory For example: no application of concepts to profession or personal experiences; no American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 14
Completion courses and the program as a whole that had an impact on point of view; balances theory with practical experience. Completed all essential elements of assignment and followed directions and format required for assignment (type, spacing, margins, headings, etc.); includes required artifact submissions. and research to professional practice. evidence of applying strategies studied in course. 5 4 3 2 1 0 Completed some but Essential required not all of the elements (tables, essential elements statistics, etc.) and not entirely missing and not responsive to responsive to assignment assignment directions and directions and format; submits less format; does not than the required submit artifacts. artifacts. The passing standard for all assignments evaluated using the 30-point rubric is 80%. Therefore, a minimum of 24 out of 30 points must be achieved for the student to receive credit for the assignment. If the student receives less than 24 points, the item will be returned for mandatory revision and re-evaluation. After evaluation the internship or Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership as a whole, the ACE faculty member will submits the final Pass/Fail grade for the course. If a score of Fail is recorded, the student will be enrolled in the course again for the next academic session and charged applicable tuition and fees. Students must have successfully completed both experiences in order to graduate. Note: Successful and complete documentation of the 120-hour internship is required to receive a passing grade in EL5983: Internship Experience in Educational Leadership. Graduation Requirements Graduation requirements include the satisfactory completion of a 120-hour internship experience as well as the Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership. ACE offers additional supervision for students wishing to complete more than 120 hours for state licensure purposes. EL5113 Educational Leadership Internship Completion This course provides access to an ACE faculty member who will evaluate any additional hours and/or requirements a student needs to complete a specific state s requirements for certification. After program completion, students may reapply as a student-at-large and, upon acceptance, be enrolled in this course. Grading for this course will consist of either Pass (P) for those who met all requirements or NP for those who made progress but did not complete all requirements. Students may enroll in this course more than one time, but continuous enrollment is not required. It is the student s responsibility to communicate to the faculty member assigned the number of hours and/or additional requirements needed for licensure at the beginning of the American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 15
course to set the passing standard. Any activities that take place after the degree conferral date may be applied to EL5113, up to 24 months past conferral. Official Course Description This course is designed to assist ACE Educational Leadership graduates in completing additional hours of internship to meet state licensure expectations. Students will submit internship activities aligned to the ISLLC standards for principals and will be assigned to ACE internship faculty for feedback and evaluation. It is the student s responsibility to communicate the specific number of internship hours needed for his/her state as well as any additional state licensure requirements. Prerequisite: This course is only available to students who have completed an ACE Master s Degree in Educational Leadership. This course must be completed within 2 years of the date the ACE EL Master s Degree was conferred to be eligible for a state licensure recommendation. American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 16
Appendix A: Florida The M.Ed. in Educational Leadership program has been approved by the Florida Department of Education as a preparatory program for persons applying for certification in Educational Leadership. Completers of this program may receive transcript endorsements indicating the completion of a state-approved program at the master s level in Educational Leadership. Florida Requirements 1. Completion of the college s Florida-approved M.Ed. program in Educational Leadership, which encompasses each of the principal leadership standards. 2. Passing score on the Florida Educational Leadership Examination (FELE). 3. Meet the Florida licensing requirement to work in a school as a teacher or in a professional service area. 4. Completion of a 120-hour internship in which a minimum of 40 hours reflecting William Cecil Golden program training modules and activities are included. William Cecil Golden School Leadership Development Program The William Cecil Golden (WCG) School Leadership Development Program (F.S.1012.986) was established by the 2006 Florida Legislature to provide a high quality, competency-based, customized, comprehensive, and coordinated statewide professional development system for current and emerging school leaders. The WCG program utilizes a collaborative network of state and national professional leadership organizations to respond to instructional leadership needs throughout the state. The network supports the human resource development needs of principals, principal leadership teams, and candidates for principal leadership positions. Note: American College of Education students are required to document William Cecil Golden (WCG) requirements in at least 4 of the 10 required internship activities, or at least 48 hours of the 120-hour internship. Documentation of WCG requirements in the ACE portfolio: 1. Select a college-designed or Open Activity to complete on the campus. a. Read the directions for the ACE-provided internship activity thoroughly, or b. Write an outline and action plan for completion of the Open Activity. 2. Determine the Florida Principal Leadership Standard that applies to the selected activity. 3. Visit the Florida School Leaders website, and complete the free registration or log in if registration has already been completed. 4. Visit the Learning Library, and browse the online courses available for the leadership standard to be addressed during the completion of the internship activity. 5. Select an online course (module) that is connected in some way to the internship activity concept, and view the video. 6. Complete the internship activity on the campus. 7. When completing the internship documentation, include at least one well-developed paragraph explaining the connection between the online course (module) viewed and the internship activity completed. a. Include the title of the online course (module) viewed, a summary of the content of the module, what was learned from the module, and how it was applied to what was learned as the activity was completed. American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 17
Appendix B: Ohio The Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Leadership program is state-approved by the Ohio Department of Education as properly preparing graduates for principal/building administrator licensure. Ohio Requirements In addition to the general requirements for the M.Ed. In Educational Leadership, the following are required of Ohio applicants: Submit an Education Leadership essay Submit two (2) letters of recommendation Note: additional evidence may be required to fulfill state requirements, including but not limited to verification of professional experience and test scores. Please click here for Ohio professional principal license requirements. Internship Experience Ohio students must follow internship activity submission requirements as outlined in the framework for successful submission of activities aligned to all Educational Leadership Program Outcomes (see pg. 8 of this handbook). The Ohio standards and requirements for Professional Administrator require alignment of Ohio standards to include Ohio Standards for Principals, Ohio Standards for Professional Development, and School Operating Standards within the licensure program requirements/rules. An alignment of these standards and American College of Education Educational Leadership Program Outcomes is included in course syllabi or state-specific modules throughout the program. Additionally, Ohio standards and requirements for the Professional Administrator require inclusion of the value-added student growth measure, which makes up a major percentage of a principal s evaluation. Ohio students are required to complete the following three Ohio-specific, ACE-designed activities as part of the 120 hour internship experience: 1. School-Wide Data Analysis 2. Preparation for Standardized Test Administration 3. Human Resource Management Activity instructions are located in Student Commons as well as the Ohio Module in EL5983: Internship Experience for Educational Leadership. These internship activities include valueadded components. Please note: The internship experience for Ohio students begins in course one with mentor selection. Once an appropriate mentor is identified, screened and approved, Ohio students are expected to begin their internship experiences in earnest. As early as the second academic course, Ohio interns should map out a plan of action for the completion of the 120 hour internship, which should include the completion of one internship activity per academic session. Throughout the academic program, Ohio students adhering to their plan of action should have eight internship activities completed (one for each academic session from courses American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 18
three-10) by the time the internship course, EL5983, actually commences during the Ohio student s 11 th term. Ohio students will submit the eight activities already completed and will complete the remaining two during the 10-week internship experience. The documentation and finalization of the experience will occur as outlined in the course. Please see Appendix E in this handbook for a pacing guide intended to assist students as they plan their internship and capstone completion timeline. American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 19
Appendix C: Texas Texas Requirements Texas applicants to the Master of Education in Educational Leadership program must meet the following requirements prior to admission: Interview for admission Educational Leadership essay for admission Submission of official copy of Teacher Service Record Standard Principal Certificate Requirements: Completion of the college s Texas-approved M.Ed. program in Educational Leadership Passing score of 240 or higher on the TExES Principal Exam Two (2) years of creditable teaching experience as a classroom teacher Completion of a 160-hour documented internship experience Internship Experience The 160-hour internship experience will involve three virtual field observations, to be completed under the coordination of an ACE faculty member, on the following timeline: 1. Practicum Observation 1 must be completed within the first two weeks of the launch of the internship course, ELX5983, and after the initial conference between the intern, mentor, and ACE faculty member. a. This timeline is defined by Texas Administrative Code TAC 228.35(f) and is non-negotiable. 2. Practicum Observation 2 should be completed by the end of the intern s sixth week of the internship course (ELX5983). 3. Practicum Observation 3 should be completed by the end of the intern s tenth week of the internship course (ELX5983) and prior to the final conference between the intern, mentor, and ACE faculty member. Interns will be responsible for digital recording and electronic submission of their observations as required. Observations will be submitted as digital video recordings to a storage program as designated by the ACE internship faculty member. Students are required to submit videos in formats viewable by Windows Media Player or Quick Time Player. If a video is not submitted in the proper format, it will not be included, and American College of Education will be unable to report completion to the Texas Education Agency as required. American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 20
Appendix D: Educational Leadership Signature Assessments The following chart details which courses contain signature assessments and the module in which the signature assessment is located: Course Title Module EL5033/ELX5033 Creating Safe and Supportive Learning Environments M5 ED5053/EDX5053 Community Engagement M4 ED5123/EDX5123 Diverse Learners M2 ED5153/EDX5153 Research Methods M2 LIT5203 Strengthening Literacy M4 EL5623/ELX5623 Developing Teachers M4 Transfer Information If a student has transferred in credit for a course that included a signature assessment, the student will complete an alternate assignment and submit it to the portfolio for the Capstone requirement. Instructions for the alternate assignment are included in the electronic portfolio. American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 21
Appendix E: Pacing Guide Although individual course sequences vary by student, all Educational Leadership students will complete some courses in a fixed sequence: 1 st Course: EL5033/ELX5033 2 nd Course: EL5753/ELX5753 11 th Course: EL5983/ELX5983 12 th Course: EL5653/ELX5653 EL5091* *EL5983/ELX5983: Internship Experience in Educational Leadership must be completed and passed prior to taking this course All Educational Leadership Students will be enrolled in EL5091 to complete their Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership documentation in an electronic portfolio during the same session in which EL5653/ELX5653 begins. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE 11 TH COURSE TO BEGIN INTERNSHIP AND CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENTS. Internship activities should be completed throughout the program. It is recommended for all students to complete at least one internship activity each session. In addition, the Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership requires students to read and reflect on six leadership books. It is imperative for all students to read these books early in the program to avoid time constraints that may impact graduation dates. Additionally, students should make it a habit to preserve their work starting in their first course. It is recommended students store coursework in at least two of the following media: computer hard drive, USB/flash drive, online/cloud repository, CD/DVD, or email attachments. The following is a suggested pacing guide to assist students in time management planning: Before Entering the Program: Talk to active principals about the possibility of serving as the mentor. Time management is important as an educational leader. Time will be stretched in this program. Think through all responsibilities (both personal and professional), and determine a timeline that will allow a maximization of learning potential in the program. Students will need to dedicate the next 18 months to completing this program. By the End of the First Course: Mentor information must be submitted online to begin the mentor approval process (see page 7). At the Beginning of the Second Course: Taskstream account activation and Capstone Experience in Educational Leadership portfolio enrollment will occur. Make a tentative plan which maps out internship activities and leadership book requirements. American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 22
Suggested approach: Completion of one internship activity every session Completion of one leadership book during each off week between sessions From the Beginning of the Third through the End of the 10 th Course: Complete internship activities (see Student Commons for important information). Read all six leadership books and complete reflections. Upload available Capstone components to electronic portfolio as they are completed. Dumping assignments in at the end is not recommended, as it does not show strong time-management skills. At the Beginning of EL5983/ELX5983 (11 th course): Make sure all internship activities are uploaded and documentation is complete in the internship portfolio (access will be provided at the beginning of the course). At the Beginning of EL5091 (during the 12 th course): Make sure all Capstone components are uploaded and documentation is complete in the Capstone portfolio. American College of Education, Reviewed 5.7.2015 23