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Master's of Education

Educational Leadership Consortium Council (ELCC) Standards

1.           Professional and Ethical Leadership

The institution’s program prepares school leaders who demonstrate an understanding of, and the capability to:

1.1	Facilitate the development and implementation of a shared vision and strategic plan for the school or district that focuses on teaching and learning (e.g. cultivate group norms, influence institutional culture, and affirm core values.).
1.2	Use motivational theory to create conditions that motivate staff, students and families to achieve the school’s vision (e.g. facilitate collegiality and teamwork, arrange significant work, encourage challenging standards, provide autonomy, support innovation, delegate responsibility, develop leadership in others, provide leadership opportunities, recognize and reward effective performance, provide knowledge of results, provide coaching and mentoring, gain resources, serve as a role model.)
1.3	Frame, analyze, and resolve problems using appropriate problem-solving techniques and decision-making skills (e.g. identify problem, seek and analyze problem factors, collect and organize relevant information, identify causes, seek creative solutions, apply ethical standards, determine best solution with others when appropriate.
1.4	Initiate, manage, and evaluate the change process.
1.5	Identify and critique several theories of leadership and their application to various school environments.
1.6	Act with a reasoned understanding of major historical, philosophical, ethical, social and economic influences affecting education in a democratic society.
1.7	Manifest a professional code of ethics and values.

 

 2.          Information Management and Evaluation

The institution’s program prepares school leaders who demonstrate an understanding of, and the capability to:

2.1	Conduct needs assessment by collecting information on the students; on staff and the school environment; on family and community values, expectations and priorities; and on national and global conditions affecting schools.
2.2	Use qualitative and quantitative data to inform decisions, to plan and assess school programs, to design accountability systems, to plan for school improvement, and to develop and conduct research.
2.3	Engage staff in an ongoing study of current best practices and relevant research and demographic data, and analyze their implications for school improvement.
2.4	Analyze and interpret educational data, issues, and trends for boards, committees, and other groups, outlining possible actions and their implications.

 

 3.           Curriculum, Instruction, Supervision, and the Learning Environment

The institution’s program prepares school leaders who demonstrate an understanding of, and the capability to:

3.1	Create with teachers, parents and students a positive school culture that promotes learning; (e.g. holds high expectations, focuses on accomplishments and recognition, and promotes a supportive climate.)
3.2	Develop collaboratively a learning organization that supports instructional improvement, builds an appropriate curriculum, and incorporates best practice.
3.3.	Base curricular decisions on research, applied theory, informed practice, the recommendations of learned societies, and state and federal policies and mandates (e.g. cognitive development, human development, learning styles, contemporary methodologies, content priorities, special needs legislation on topics such as least restrictive environment, etc.)
3.4	Design curricula with consideration for philosophical, sociological, and historical foundations, democratic values, and the community’s values goals, social needs and changing conditions.
3.5	Align curricular goals and objectives with instructional goals and objectives and desired outcomes when developing scope, sequence, balance, etc.
3.6	Develop with others curriculum and instruction appropriate for varied teaching and learning styles and specific student needs based on gender, ethnicity, culture, social class and exceptionalities.
3.7	Utilize a variety of supervisory models to improve teaching and learning (e.g. clinical, developmental, cognitive and peer coaching, as well as applying observation and conferencing skills.)
3.8	Use various staffing patterns, student grouping plans, class scheduling forms, school organizational structures, and facilities design processes, to support various teaching strategies and desired student outcomes.
3.9	Assess student progress using a variety of appropriate techniques.

 

4.           Professional Development and Human Resources

The institution’s program prepares school leaders who demonstrate an understanding of, and the capability to:

4.1	Work with faculty and other stakeholders to identify needs for professional development, to organize, facilitate, and evaluate professional development programs, to integrate district and school priorities, to build faculty as resource, and to ensure that professional development activities focus on improving student outcomes.
4.2	Apply adult learning strategies to professional development, focusing on authentic problems and tasks, and utilizing mentoring, coaching, conferencing and other techniques to ensure that new knowledge and skills are practiced in the workplace.
4.3	Apply effective job analysis procedures, supervisory techniques and performance appraisal for instructional and non-instructional staff.
4.4	Formulate and implement a self-development plan, endorsing the value of career-long growth, and utilizing a variety of resources for continuing professional development.
4.5	Identify and apply appropriate policies, criteria and processes for the recruitment, selection, induction compensation and separation of personnel, with attention to issues of equity and diversity.
4.6	Negotiate and manage effectively collective bargaining or written agreements.

 

5.           Student Personnel Services

The institution’s program prepares school leaders who demonstrate an understanding of, and the capability to:

5.1	Apply the principles of student growth and development to the learning environment and the educational program.
5.2	Develop with the counseling and teaching staff a full program of student advisement, counseling, and guidance services.
5.3	Develop and administer policies that provide a safe school environment and promote student health and welfare.
5.4	Address student and family conditions affecting learning by collaborating with community agencies to integrate health, social, and other services for students.
5.5	Plan and manage activity programs to fulfill student developmental, social, cultural, athletic, leadership and scholastic needs; working with staff, students, families, and community.

 

The institution’s program prepares school leaders who demonstrate an understanding of, and the capability to:

6.1	Establish operational plans and processes to accomplish strategic goals, utilizing practical applications of organizational theories.
6.2	Apply a systems perspective, viewing schools as interactive internal systems operating within external environments.
6.3	Implement appropriate management techniques and group processes to define roles, assign functions, delegate effectively, and determine accountability for attaining goals.
6.4	Monitor and assess the progress of activities, making adjustments and formulating new action steps as necessary.

 

7.           Interpersonal Relationships

The institution’s program prepares school leaders who demonstrate an understanding of, and the capability to:

7.1	Use appropriate interpersonal skills (e.g. exhibiting sensitivity, showing respect and interest, perceiving needs and concerns, showing tact, exhibiting consistency and trustworthiness, etc.)
7.2	Use appropriate written, verbal, and nonverbal communication in a variety of situations.
7.3	Apply appropriate communications strategies (e.g. identifying audiences, determining messages selecting transmission mediums, identifying reaction of receivers, soliciting responses, etc.)
7.4	Promote multicultural awareness, gender sensitivity, and racial and ethnic appreciation.
7.5	Apply counseling and mentoring skills, and utilize stress management and conflict management techniques.

 

8.           Financial Management and Resource Allocation

The institution’s program prepares school leaders who demonstrate an understanding of, and the capability to:

8.1	Identify and analyze the major sources of fiscal and non-fiscal resources for schools and school districts.
8.2	Acquire and manage financial and material assets, and capital goods and services, allocating resources according to district or school priorities (e.g. property, plant, equipment, transportation, and food service.)
8.3	Develop an efficient budget planning process that is driven by district and school priorities and involves staff and community.
8.4	Perform budget management functions including financial planning, monitoring, cost control, expenditures accounting, and cash flow management.

 

9.           Technology and Information Systems

The institution’s program prepares school leaders who demonstrate an understanding of, and the capability to:

9.1	Use technology, telecommunications and information systems to enrich curriculum and instruction (e.g. CAI systems, CD ROM retrieval systems, on-line networks, distance learning, interactive video, etc.)
9.2	Apply and assess current technologies for school management and business procedures.
9.3	Develop and monitor long range plans for school and district technology and information systems, making informed decisions about computer hardware and software, and about staff development, keeping in mind the impact of technologies on student outcomes and school operations.

 

The institution’s program prepares school leaders who demonstrate an understanding of, and the capability to:

10.1	Analyze community and district power structures, and identify major opinion leaders and their relationships to school goals and programs.
10.2	Articulate the district’s or school’s vision, mission and priorities to the community and media, and build community support for district or school priorities and programs (e.g. form collaborative relationships with businesses, citizen groups, neighborhood associations, social service agencies, parent organizations, advocacy groups, universities, and religious institutions, etc.)
10.3	Communicate effectively with various cultural, ethnic, racial, and special interest groups in the community.
10.4	Involve family and community in appropriate policy development, program planning, and assessment processes.
10.5	Develop an effective and interactive staff communications plan and public relations program.
10.6	Utilize and respond effectively to electronic and printed news media.

  

 11.         Educational Law, Public Policy and Political Systems

The institution’s program prepares school leaders who demonstrate an understanding of, and the capability to:

11.1	Apply knowledge of federal and state constitutional, statutory and regulatory provisions and judicial decisions governing education.
11.2	Apply knowledge of common law and contractual requirements and procedures in an educational setting (e.g. tort liability, contract administration, formal hearings.)
11.3	Define and relate the general characteristics of internal and external political systems as they apply to school settings.
11.4	Describe the processes by which federal, state, district, and school-site policies are formulated, enacted, implemented and evaluated, and develop strategies for influencing policy development.
11.5	Make decisions based on the moral and ethical implications of policy options and political strategies.
11.6	Analyze the major philosophical tenets of contemporary intellectual movements and analyze their effect on school contexts (e.g. critical theory, feminism, post-structuralism, fundamentalism, etc.)
11.7	Develop appropriate procedures and relationships for working with local governing boards.

  

12.         Internship

The Internship provides significant opportunities in the workplace to synthesize and apply the knowledge, and to practice and develop the skills, identified in the eleven guideline areas. Therefore the preparation program:

12.1	Requires a variety of substantial in-school/district experiences over an extended period of time in diverse settings, planned cooperatively and supervised by university and school district personnel.
12.2	Establishes relationships with school leaders acting as trained mentors/clinical professors who guide individuals preparing for school leadership in appropriate in-school/district experiences.
12.3	Includes experiences with social service, private, and/or community organizations.

 

 

 

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