School Building Leaders & School District Leaders

School Building Leader & School District Leader


The Summer Principals Academy at Teachers College, Columbia University is a transformative graduate program committed to promoting equity and excellence in urban education leadership and overcoming the gap in educational access and achievement between the most and least advantaged groups in our country.  To achieve this goal, our aspiring school leaders are encouraged to construct transforming possibilities for student learning, school design, social equity, and opportunity.  While some principal preparation programs prepare school leaders who perpetuate schools as they currently exist, SPA strives to prepare leaders who will create the innovative schools that our nation and students need.

SPA NYC enrolls two cohorts and over 100 graduate students each year in a rigorous 14 month, 36-credit program.  Depending on their previous academic experiences, our students pursue the MA or EdM degree, as well as initial School Building Leader certification. Cohorts meet Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm and Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:00 am - 7 pm in an intensive, five-week session for two consecutive summers.  The 450-hour Administrative Internship takes place during the intervening school year, thereby enabling students to complete internship requirements while maintaining their positions at their schools.  Our schedule supports the reality of aspiring leaders who are working teachers, team leaders, department chairs, and/or supervisors seeking the benefits of a competitive program without the disruption of time away from their school communities and students.

Related Links

-------------

New York State Education Department (NYSED) requirements for

(INITIAL/PROFESSIONAL) Administrative & Pupil Personnel Services certification:

MA-ELBL-School Building Leader (All Grades)- (SPA-NYC)

Program Code: 29181

ME-ELBL-School Building Leader (All Grades)- (SPA-NYC)

Program Code: 29182

 

Student enrolled in the Master of Arts & Master of Education: Public School Building Leadership INIT/PROF – (ELBL) 36 credits (SPA-NYC) & 60 credits (SPA-NYC)- approved teacher preparation program, must complete the below listed workshops.  These workshops are required prior to degree conferral and institutional recommendation: 

Complete 3 Workshops and submit proof of completion to the Office of Teacher Education (OTE).  As soon as the OTE receives the workshop(s), we will update your degree audit to reflect as received/completed:

  • Child Abuse Identification
  • School Violence Prevention & Intervention
  • Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)

  

Additional NYSED requirements

  • Candidates MUST submit to the NYSED information of minimum of 3 years of Paid, Full-time classroom teaching and/or PPS experience. This is performed via the completion of the NYSED- “Verification of Experience for Permanent/Professional certificate form
  • Educating All Students (EAS)
  • School Building Leader Assessment (SBL) Part 1
  • School Building Leader Assessment (SBL) Part 2

 

NYSED- Examinations requirement-- New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCEs) required for SBL:

NOTE that:

  • the NYSED will NOT issue your SBL-INITIAL certificate if ALL above listed exams are not taken/passed.
  • These exams are NOT attached to your institutional recommendation.

  

NYSED acceptable grades:

B- or above for graduate level courses are acceptable toward meeting pedigogical core requirements.

Upon completion of your Teachers College approved teacher preparation program you are able to apply:

 

Steps for applying for out of New York State (NYS)certification/credential/license: 

  • Apply for your out of NYS-teaching certificate via that state’s department of education.
  • Take/pass all required examination(s) for the out of state you are applying to be certified/credentialed/licensed
  • Undergo Fingerprint Clearance at THAT state
  • Print/and complete the top portion of the out of state verification of approved program completion form and either scan and email or mail such form to OTE to attention Faride Suarez for evaluation/verification and completion in support of the approved teacher preparation program you completed at Teachers College
  • After the out of state-DOE form is verified and completed by Faride Suarez at OTE, it will either be emailed or mailed to the student or the state’s DOE for their evaluation and verification (note: the out of state form will indicate to whom it should be mailed/emailed to).

 

Teachers College has been a leader in the field of educational administration, having awarded the earliest doctorates in the field, graduating generations of leaders for districts and schools around the nation, and producing seminal research on educational finance, governance and other topics.

The mission of the current Education Leadership Program is to prepare scholars and practitioners whose work will lead and transform education, especially in urban school systems and other contexts serving marginalized and disadvantaged students.

The Education Leadership Program has developed the Urban Education Leaders Program (formerly known as Inquiry in Education Leadership Practice) to be consistent with the social justice mission of the College. Recognizing that education can transform the lives of individuals, communities, and society, and that inspired, capable leaders are crucial to education, the Urban Education Leaders Program seeks to prepare a new generation of improvement-focused leaders for school systems and schools, especially to serve where reform is needed the most and where leadership can make a significant difference. Urban Education Leaders Program graduates will lead the way toward equity and social justice in schooling and will ensure quality learning and healthy development for all students, by using their knowledge, skills, and values to guide and support teaching and learning and to manage and lead educational organizations and systems effectively. 

Related Links

----------------------------------------

New York State Education Department (NYSED) requirements for

(PROFESSIONAL) Administrative & Pupil Personnel Services certification:

EdD-ELDL-Public School District Leader (All Grades)

Program Code: 29184

EdD-UELP-Urban Education Leaders Program

Program Code: 29183

 

Students enrolled in the Education degree Doctoral: Public School District Leadership-PROF – (ELDL) 90 credits & Urban Education Leaders Program -PROF - (UELP) 90 credits-- approved teacher preparation program, must complete the below listed workshops (please note beginning in the 2024-2025 academic year, the Ed.D. degree required credit load for this program will change from 90 to 75 credits. Up to 30 credits from prior graduate studies may be transferred, subject to advisor approval. Prospective new students who apply for spring, summer or fall 2024 terms and are successfully admitted will follow the new reduced Ed.D. credit requirements). These workshops and examinations are required prior to degree conferral and institutional recommendation: 

Complete 3 Workshops and submit proof of completion to the Office of Teacher Education (OTE).  As soon as OTE receives the workshop(s), we will update your degree audit to reflect as received/completed:

  • Child Abuse Identification
  • School Violence Prevention & Intervention
  • Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)

 

NYSED- Examinations requirement-- New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCEs) required for SDL:

  • Educating All Students (EAS)
  • School District Leader Assessment (SDL) Part 1
  • School District Leader Assessment (SDL) Part 2

 

 

Additional NYSED requirements

  • Candidates MUST submit to the NYSED information of minimum of 3 years of Paid, Full-time classroom teaching and/or PPS experience. This is performed via the completion of the NYSED- “Verification of Experience for Permanent/Professional certificate form
  • The NYSED requires that candidates submit to the NYSED your official transcripts so that they are able to verify the satisfactory completion of at least 60 graduate credits of School District Leaders. Please be reminded that you will need to submit, directly to the NYSED, official transcripts containing all graduate coursework you have completed.

 

NYSED acceptable grades:

B- or above for graduate level courses are acceptable toward meeting pedagogical core requirements.

  

Upon completion of your Teachers College approved teacher preparation program you are able to apply:

 

Steps for applying for out of New York State (NYS)certification/credential/license:

  • Apply for your out of NYS-teaching certificate via that state’s department of education.
  • Take/pass all required examination(s) for the out of state you are applying to be certified/credentialed/licensed
  • Undergo Fingerprint Clearance at THAT state
  • Print/and complete the top portion of the out of state verification of approved program completion form and either scan and email or mail such form to OTE to attention Faride Suarez for evaluation/verification and completion in support of the approved teacher preparation program you completed at Teachers College
  • After the out of state-DOE form is verified and completed by Faride Suarez at OTE, it will either be emailed or mailed to the student or the state’s DOE for their evaluation and verification (note: the out of state form will indicate to whom it should be mailed/emailed to).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to skip to quick links