Initial Principal Certification Graduate Program
33 credits
The principalship provides the foundational course work for all administrative licenses, and focuses on instructional leadership and data-based decision-making.
Requirements beginning fall 2012
Focus on Learning
- ELPA 702 Introduction Educational Leadership
- ELPA 735 Leadership for Equity and Diversity
Monitoring Teaching and Learning
- ELPA 726 Data-Based Decision Making
- ELPA 703 Evaluating and Supporting Quality Classroom Teaching (OR C&I 830 Theory and Design of the Curriculum, or C&I 662 Elementary School Curriculum, or other approved curricular course
Building Nested Learning Communities
- ELPA 844 Technology and School Leadership
- ELPA 847 Instructional Leadership and Teacher Capacity
- ELPA 770 School-Community Engagement
Acquiring and Allocating Resources
- ELPA 830 School Finance and Resource Allocation
- ELPA 840 Public School Law
Maintaining a Safe and Effective Learning Environment
- ELPA 845 School-Level Leadership
- ELPA 700 Field Experience in Educational Leadership
Additional Licensure Requirements
- Portfolio (not required if currently hold an administrator license)
- Program Assessments
Additional Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Requirements for Administrative Licenses
- Master’s degree or an approved equivalent in Education Administration (PI 34.32)
- Eligible to hold teacher, counselor, school psychologist, or social worker licenses in the State of Wisconsin
- Three years successful experience at the elementary/secondary level, or three years successful experience as a school counselor, psychologist, or social worker which included 540 hours of classroom teaching experience.
- Completion of the human relations requirement of PI 4.11
- Undergraduate or graduate course in human growth and development including child psychology, early adolescent psychology, or adolescent psychology. (Ed Psych 301, 303, 320, 502, 520, 521, or 701)
(From Department of Public Instruction FAQ)
Q: Can a teacher who holds an Initial Educator License and who completes an approved principal program apply for and be issued an Initial Educator License as a principal?
A: No. The educator would first have to complete all requirements to advance his/her non-renewable Initial Educator License for teaching to the professional educator license stage. If an Initial Educator License was issued in an administrative category to an educator who still was licensed at the initial educator stage as a teacher, there is no assurance that the educator would complete requirements for advancement to the professional educator stage as a teacher. The educator would therefore no longer be eligible for the administrator license since eligibility for a teaching license is a prerequisite.