Instructional Leadership Concentration

The Master of Education in Instructional Leadership curriculum builds on each candidate’s knowledge and expertise gained from working as a classroom teacher. Candidates will work on self-selected projects, that fall within the parameters of course learning objectives, to impact student learning in local schools and/or systems. Standards for the program are based on the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) prepared by the Council of Chief School Officers with support from numerous professional associations.

Program mission:

To graduate instructional leaders who have a deep understanding of, and have practiced and commit to continually practice, the skills addressed in the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL), resulting in knowledgeable instructional leaders who focus on student growth and success.

Program objectives:

Effective instructional leaders develop, advocate for, and enact a shared mission, vision, and core values of high-quality education and academic success and well-being of each student.

Effective instructional leaders act ethically and according to professional norms to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.

Effective instructional leaders strive for equity of educational opportunity and culturally responsive practices to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.

Effective instructional leaders develop and support intellectually rigorous and coherent systems of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.

Effective instructional leaders cultivate an inclusive, caring, and supportive school community that promotes the academic success and well-being of each student.

Effective instructional leaders develop the professional capacity and practice of school personnel to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.

Effective instructional leaders foster a professional community of teachers and other professional staff to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.

Effective instructional leaders engage families and the community in meaningful, reciprocal, and mutually beneficial ways to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.

Effective instructional leaders manage school operations and resources to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.

Effective instructional leaders act as agents of continuous improvement to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.

How long will it take me to complete the M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership Program?

1. The M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership program requires a minimum of 33 hours of graduate coursework.
2. There are four core courses, not part of concentration courses. ED 530, ED 535, ED 540, and ED 565.
3. There are six concentration courses: EDL 601, EDL 602, EDL 603, EDL 604, EDL 605, and EDL 606, plus a residency.
4. The program was designed for candidates to take the core courses in sequence: EDL 601 and EDL 602 the first seven weeks of the first semester, along with a field experience; EDL 603 and EDL 604 the second seven weeks of the first semester, along with a field experience; and EDL 605 and EDL 606 the first seven weeks of the second semester, along with a field experience; followed by EDL 691, which includes a two-week (10 day) residency, the second seven weeks of the second semester.
5. Candidates will be required to (1) pass Praxis Exam 5412, Praxis Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision, (2) pass a comprehensive exam and (3) demonstrate knowledge and growth via the Leading a Team: Making Connections Portfolio prior to residency. During residency, candidates will (4) demonstrate knowledge and growth via the Data Analysis: Making Connections Portfolio and (5) a Professional Portfolio.

How do I know if I am eligible for the M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership Program?

In addition to a valid Class B Professional Educator Certificate in a teaching field or a valid Class A Professional Educator Certificate in a teaching field or instructional support area, the applicant must document a criminal history background check and shall:

(a) Educational Experience. The prospective Instructional Leadership candidate must meet one of the following criteria:

1. Have a minimum of three full years of full-time, satisfactory professional educational work experience in a P-12 setting, which must include P-12 teaching experience if admitted prior to August 2010 or have a minimum of three full years (or six full semesters) of full-time, acceptable professional educational experience in a P-12 setting, which must include at least one full year of full-time P-12 classroom teaching experience if admitted on or after August 1, 2010.
2. Effective January 1, 2022, and thereafter, have a valid Alabama Professional Educator Certificate endorsed for library media or school counseling, document a minimum of seven full years of full-time employment, in the same school system, as a library media specialist or school counselor in a P-12 setting if admitted spring semester 2022 or thereafter, and provide a written recommendation from the current employing superintendent.

(b) Submit an admission portfolio before an interview. The portfolio must contain the following:

1. Three letters of recommendation to include the applicant’s principal or supervisor. Each local superintendent will establish requirements for recommendations from the principal and/or supervisor.
2. Completed copy (all forms) of the most recent performance appraisal to include the professional development component, if available.
3. Evidence of ability to improve student achievement.
4. Evidence of leadership and management potential, including evidence of most recent accomplishments in the area of educational leadership.
5. Summary of candidate’s reasons for pursuing instructional leadership certification.
6. Summary of what the candidate expects from the preparation program.

(c) Pass an interview conducted by a program admission committee that includes both P-12 instructional leaders and higher education faculty.

(d) Individuals must be unconditionally admitted to the Class A instructional leadership program before enrolling in any instructional leadership courses in the program.

How to Apply?

To be considered for admission to the Instructional Leadership, M.Ed. program, applicants must complete the following steps:

1. Create your Charger Status account and submit the UAH graduate application for admission.
2. Submit official college transcript to the UAH Graduate Admissions Office through an electronic delivery service. UAH Graduate Admissions accepts official transcripts from Parchment and Student Clearinghouse.
3. Upload an essay as per the instructions provided within Charger Status.
   • Essay Instructions:
     • Place your first and last name at the top left corner of each page of the essay.
     • Type the essay double-spaced using Times New Roman, 12 font.
     • Avoid quotes unless they have a specific relevance to justify a conclusion. In most cases, quotes should be avoided as evidence or support.
4. All candidates will be required to complete an interview with the faculty.

How do I enroll in the program?

1. Apply for admission to the UAH graduate program. Be sure to indicate that you want to apply for the M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership program. Send official transcripts from all degree granting institutions you have attended to the UAH Graduate Admissions Office. Applications must be submitted by June 1 to be considered for the upcoming fall semester.
2. Earn a passing score on an approved entrance exam.
3. Once you have been formally accepted to UAH, you should meet with Dr. Fran Hamilton. Dr. Hamilton will complete a program of study and inform you of any prerequisites that may be required.
4. You are now ready to begin the program. Continue to meet with your advisor.

What must I do to continue in the program?

1. The UAH Graduate School requires that all students must maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher in order to remain in their programs. If a student falls below the requisite GPA, a plan of action must be created in order to support the student to move forward.
2. In order to graduate, the student must have a 3.0 GPA or higher at graduation.

How are the courses offered?

Courses will be offered online through UAH's Canvas Learning Management System. The course instructors will utilize a combination of synchronous and asynchronous activities. The synchronous meetings, via Zoom, will be for candidates to share their projects and receive and provide feedback to/from classmates, unless other arrangements are made for extenuating circumstances. Other class activities may require readings, viewing videos, and participating in asynchronous discussions online in Canvas's discussion boards.

When are courses offered?

The Instructional Leadership program is designed for new students to begin each semester and to continue through the program as cohorts taking courses in sequence.

What resources will I need to purchase?

As with many university courses, students will be required to purchase textbooks for each course.

What are the state requirements for certification in instructional leadership?

Readiness to serve as an instructional leader shall include:

(a) An official transcript from a regionally accredited institution documenting an earned master’s degree.

(b) A survey of special education course is required unless that course was taken for prior level certification. [See definition (51)]. An individual who completed a survey of special education course prior to the semester when the individual met requirements for unconditional admission to a Class A program July 1, 2017, and thereafter, must take a course focused primarily on one of the following categories: methods of accommodating instruction to meet the needs of students with exceptionalities in inclusive settings, multicultural education, teaching English language learners, rural education, or urban education. A diversity course used to meet this requirement for one level of certification may not be used to meet the requirement for a higher level of certification. This rule is applicable to the Reduced-Hour Option described in Rule 290-3-3-.47(6).

(c) Satisfactory completion of a State-approved program with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all courses in the Alabama State Board of Education approved program in instructional leadership. Effective for candidates unconditionally admitted to a Class A instructional leadership program July 1, 2017, and thereafter, satisfactory completion of a State-approved program with a minimum GPA of 3.25 on all courses in the Alabama State Board of Education approved program.

(d) A valid Alabama Class B Professional Educator Certificate in a teaching field or a valid Alabama Class A Professional Educator Certificate in a teaching field or instructional support area.

(e) An internship that allows candidates to benefit from purposeful hands-on experiences designed to prepare them to lead the essential work of school improvement and higher student achievement.

What is required for field experience and residency?

The Department of Curriculum and Instruction will work with all students to ensure that they have ample opportunities to complete the required clinical experiences in various settings.

1. Components: Candidates in Alabama instructional leadership preparation programs must experience an internship in which the following occur:
   1. Collaboration between the university and LEAs that anchors internship activities in real-world problems instructional leaders face, provides for appropriate structure and support of learning experiences, and ensures quality guidance and supervision.
   2. An explicit set of school-based assignments designed to provide opportunities for the application of knowledge, skills, and ways of thinking that are required to effectively perform the core responsibilities of an instructional leader, as identified in Alabama standards and research and incorporated in the preparation programs’ design.
   3. A developmental continuum of practice progresses from observing to participating in and then to leading school-based activities related to the core responsibilities of instructional leaders, with analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of real-life problems at each level.
   4. Field placements provide opportunities to work with diverse students, teachers, parents, and communities.
   5. Handbooks or other guiding materials clearly define the expectations, processes, and schedule of the internship to participants, faculty supervisors, directing P-12 instructional leaders (principals and central office staff), and LEA personnel.
   6. Ongoing supervision provided by program faculty who have the expertise and time to provide frequent formative feedback on interns’ performance that lets them know how they need to improve.
   7. Directing instructional leaders (principals and central office staff) model the desired leadership behaviors and know how to guide interns through required activities that bring their performance to established standards.
   8. Rigorous evaluations of interns’ performance of core school leader responsibilities based on clearly defined performance standards and exit criteria and consistent procedures.

 

2. Design. Universities and LEAs collaborate to ensure that candidates have meaningful and practical experiences in actual school settings during the course of the instructional leadership preparation program. The internship is designed to place candidates in the cooperating schools during critical times of instructional planning. This collaborative model requires that LEAs provide release time for candidates and for universities to work with LEAs so that the candidate’s experiences are comprehensive and valuable. The internship experiences are the total sum of practical experiences, either field or clinical, as part of every course taken for preparation, plus a residency. The residency is uninterrupted service in an active school with students present for the equivalent of ten full days. The residency allows interns to experience leadership in as many of the Alabama Leadership Standard indicators as possible. Candidates shall prepare and maintain a comprehensive portfolio which indicates the level of experiences and knowledge gained in instructional leadership during the intern experiences. The portfolio shall be juried by a committee of university and cooperating school staff before the candidate is recommended for certification.

What is the testing requirement for certification in instructional leadership (in Alabama)?

Applicants for initial certification in instructional leadership through the completion of a Class A program must meet the Praxis requirements of the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) as a precondition for certification. Additional information is provided in Rule 290-3-3-.46(7).

What courses will I take as part of this program?

Core Courses = 4 Courses (12 hours)

Concentration Courses = 6 courses (21 hours)

If you have additional questions or need advisement about the M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership program, please contact:

Dr. Fran Hamilton
frances.hamilton@uah.edu
or call the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at: 256-824-6180