It is no mystery that attracting a sufficient, high-quality pool of perspective school leader candidates to apply for an open school leadership position is a challenge. Data we have collected and shared in our policy brief, Effective and Sustained Principals for Every Illinois School Community, shows that both school leadership churn and a dwindling Illinois school leadership pipeline present serious problems for filling open principal and assistant principal positions.
To combat these issues, the IPA, through our Ed Leaders Network platform, is partnering with Aurora University to support their Alternative Principal Endorsement Program. This innovative program allows for aspiring school leaders who hold a current Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) and master’s degree in an area of education to earn their principal endorsement in just one year through a unique combination of internship activities and Micro-Credentials.
Aurora University’s principal internship is designed to meet Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) requirements and National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) standards. Throughout the internship, participants will gain knowledge and apply skills and dispositions related to school leadership. While completing internship activities, participants will also complete corresponding Micro-Credentials developed and delivered by the IPA’s Ed Leaders Network.
To learn more about the program including an informational webinar presentation, visit the IPA website. If you know of someone in your school who would make an outstanding school leader and has a master’s degree, please share this information with them.