Principal program overview
The WSU Spokane Principal and Program Administrator Professional Certificate programs provide course work in Spokane and Wenatchee.
Program faculty have a strong commitment to providing an exemplary preparation program for beginning school administrators in a high-stakes accountability environment. There is a strong nexus between intended student outcomes of the preparation program and the expectations for administrators to lead highly effective schools. The "Nine Characteristics of High Performing Schools" as endorsed by the Washington State Board of Education provides an overall framework for the purposes of Washington State University's administrative preparation program. The program is committed to preparing school leaders who have a passion about the importance of quality leadership and a clear understanding of how to positively impact student learning and achievement.
To prepare school leaders with the leadership and management skills needed to improve student learning in a variety of school environments the program includes the following principles:
- Provide relevant and rigorous coursework that closely aligns with expectations for school building and district leaders.
- Provide a rigorous field-based internship organized around the six professional standards from Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC).
- Collaborate closely with school district mentors to plan and supervise internship experiences.
- Encourage and facilitate networking among administrative candidates through participation in seminars and workshops with interns from other institutions.
- Deliver instruction by faculty members who have experience, skills, and knowledge as school building and district leaders.
Academic expectations
Courses and seminars, while closely linked to the ISLLC standards and problems of practice, also reflect the academic standards of WSU graduate programs. Program participants are expected to successfully complete all academic course requirements and to demonstrate their ability to write and think clearly through the completion of course papers and other assignments.
Washington State-funded educational leadership intern program
It is very important that an intern has release time from his or her other responsibilities to experience and practice the role of the principal, to be involved in the day-to-day operation of the school, and to participate in leadership professional development opportunities.
The Washington State-Funded Educational Leadership Intern Program provides funds to school districts for release time for individuals participating in an administrative intern program. The program is managed by the Washington School Principals Education Foundation, an affiliate of the Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP), in cooperation with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).
Grants are awarded each year through a competitive grant application process. Applications are distributed to school districts, universities and educational service districts in mid January from OSPI and due back to AWSP in mid March. Successful grant recipients are usually notified in May regarding release time funding for the following academic year. Grant recipients are also expected to respond to various surveys and data collection processes conducted by AWSP.
Spokane and Wenatchee interns are expected to apply for this grant in January of the first year of the two year internship to support their second year internship activities.
Funding for the Washington State-Funded Educational Leadership Program is dependent on legislative appropriations.
The objectives of the internship activities are: (1) to assist the candidate to acquire the skills identified for each of the standards, and (2) to provide additional valuable learning experiences relative to the administrative position as jointly determined by the mentor, the candidate and the university supervisor. During the course of the program, candidates should be sure to complete at least one major project related to each of the six program standards as described in the “Washington State Certification Performance Indicators."
Alignment with degree programs
Education courses taken in Spokane may be used as supporting course work for students admitted to a WSU degree program, such as the Ed.M or Ed.D.
Program admittance requirements
Prerequisite Experience: Applicants must hold or have held a valid teaching certificate or an ESA certificate with appropriate documentation of successful school-based experience in an instructional role with students.
Academic requirement: Applicants must have a master’s degree from an accredited institution in order to apply for the administrative certificate. Students may work on the master's degree and the certificate at the same time, and most of the course work in the principal certificate program may be applied to the Ed.M. in Educational Leadership offered through WSU Spokane.
Moral Character: Applicants who do not hold a valid Washington certificate at the time of application (See WAC 180-79A-155) must complete Fingerprinting, Washington State Patrol and FBI background check.
Program application and information (pdf)
Contacts
Field-based Principal Certification, Program Administrator Certificate, Spokane
James Howard, Ph.D.
jamesh@mail.wsu.edu
Phone: (509) 358-7948
Program information
Kelly LaGrutta
Academic Coordinator
lagrutta@wsu.edu
Phone: (509) 358-7942
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Mailing Address
College of Education
PO Box 1495
Spokane, WA 99210-1495
FAX (509) 358-7933
Student Services
(509) 358-7537
enroll@wsu.edu
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