EDL - Educational Leadership

The educational finance course is a laboratory based experience which focuses on the major concepts, primary language and political realities of the fiscal arena of education including local, state and federal funding, the continuing issues of adequacy, equity, efficiency and reliability (in particular Property Taxes vs General State Aid), formulation of District-Building-Department/Team budgets and the delegation of authority in allocation of fiscal and human resources. Financial forecasting and planning as key elements in attaining fiscal stability are addressed. Case studies, problem illustrations and study of current local and state education financial challenges are among the methodologies utilized. Prerequisite(s): None. 3 Semester Hours

The law and governance course presents the legal and legislative bases of public education. The school codes, federal and state court decisions, and federal and state legislation are studied and analyzed in this course. Along with general educational legislative issues, specific items such as substance abuse, employee discipline and dismissal procedures, and faculty and students rights are addressed. Each student is to complete at least 15 hours of clinical internship work outside of class and attend one additional class session to meet clinical expectations. Prerequisite(s): None. 3 Semester Hours

This course provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary for understanding the interaction between schools and their communities; initiating and maintaining effective communications among school personnel, families, students, and other community members; and developing educational policies and programs which best reflect the community's needs and desires. Interactive, participatory communications are emphasized to reduce isolation and increase responsiveness between constituency groups and the schools. Each student is to complete at least 15 hours of clinical internship work outside of class. Prerequisite(s):None. Co-requisites(s): None. 3 semester hours

The Collective Negotiations and Personnel Administration course is a simulation based experience which focuses on both the content and the process of contract bargaining, including the importance of valuing the labor-management relationship, understanding/resolving conflict as a function of expectations, and developing and maintaining mutual integrity, trust and support. Further strategies in recruitment and employment of personnel, delegation of authority, and dealing with incompetent and ineffective staff are addressed. Prerequisites: None; 3 Semester Hours

This course provides each candidate with theories and strategies of educational leadership that influence administration, coaching and organization development in schools. Specific attention is given to change theory, long-range planning, decision-making processes, motivation and social systems theories. A solid foundation in the research and practice of effective educational leadership is addressed. Pre-requisite(s): None. Co-requisite(s): None. 3 semester hours

High levels of communication skills are essential for school leaders to support instructional leadership and critical management functions. This course explores conceptual foundations and practical applications of various communication skills, strategies, and technologies. Candidates will have opportunities to hone their interpersonal communication skills, learn about effective communication coaching strategies, and use appropriate communication strategies to identify the needs of various stakeholder groups and effectively engage them. Candidates will also learn about how to advocate for school and district goals, assess their school communications, and develop goals and action steps for improvement. Technology competencies required by school leaders will be discussed, assessed and developed. Pre-requisite(s): None. Co-requisite(s): None. 3 semester hours

This course focuses on the sociocultural and economic contexts of school communities. Through course readings and activities, candidates have opportunities to develop critical perspectives addressing a range of diversities. Emphasis is positioned on developing leadership skills, strategies, and dispositions that encourage candidates to promote and use inclusive practices. Candidates examine how their leadership actions and behaviors impact faculty, student and parent perceptions about school and classroom inclusiveness within domains of race, class (social economics), gender and gender identification, physical-emotional-cognitive disabilities, faith, community, culture, and language. Pre-requisite(s): Admission to the MED/EDS Administration and Supervision Program or Teacher Leader Endorsement. Co-requisite(s): None. 2 semester hours

This course provides leadership candidates with a foundational understanding of community dynamics in order to mobilize efforts and resources to improve student learning. Emphasis is placed on identifying community outreach opportunities, strategic partnerships, and vital relationships. Ways to plan, organize, and evaluate school community initiatives will be explored. Candidates will learn to utilize diverse sources of data to analyze community context. Other topics include mobility, community schools, local employment, inter-organizational networking, and inter-cultural communication. Pre-requisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision or Teacher Leader Program. 2 semester hours

This course provides an opportunity for candidates to explore what it means to lead student-centered schools. Student-centered schools are characterized by a culture of learning, personal accountability, self- discipline, and safety. This course will look at the school leader’s role in creating and sustaining this type culture by integrating building management and program supervision skills with knowledge of student-centered classrooms, child and adolescent development, literacy and numeracy foundations, student motivation and discipline strategies, social emotional learning, environmental and emotional safety character development programs, and relationship building. Issues of safety will be addressed including disaster planning and bullying as well as cyber-bullying. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. Co-requisite(s): None. 2 semester hours

School leaders must be able to quickly assess a situation and respond in a reasonable and prudent manner to maintain fairness and avoid liabilities. This course enables leadership candidates to understand the fundamentals of school law, and in particular, special education law, to ensure that laws are upheld and applied fairly and equitably with the goal of enhancing school climate. Particular attention will be given to application of Response to Intervention and student learning in the least restrictive environments. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 2 semester hours

This course introduces the candidate to the role the school leader plays in the larger political, social, cultural, and economic contexts of their school and community and what they face unifying multiple interest groups towards a common vision of equitable schooling. Candidates will explore leadership skills and dispositions needed to promote cooperative interaction among stakeholders and to resolve conflicts of varying degrees. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of developing clear and purposeful communication strategies, negotiation, and mediation skills. Interest-based bargaining will be taught utilizing simulation-based experiences. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration & Supervision Program. 2 semester hours

This course enables leadership candidates to develop decision-making and problem-solving capabilities to mobilize schools with a common vision. Within the context of systems theory applied in educational settings, as well as current educational policy, candidates will analyze organizational situations using leadership frames, social network and decision-making theories. As developing leaders, candidates will build capacities to empower leadership teams and teacher decision-making. Most importantly, candidates will make sense of how current policies impact educational change and how good leadership funnels those efforts into positive school culture and productive school improvement. Alternative models of school organization, including charters, will be explored. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 2 semester hours

This course prompts leadership candidates to develop plans and strategies for using educational resources to promote student achievement. Students will examine theories of effective resource allocation as well as case studies presenting decisions and tradeoffs involving the key resources such as budgets, staff, time, and technology. They will create a major resource re-allocation project, making leadership choices about resources while providing decision rationales, aligning resources with school improvement plans, and resolving resource conflicts. Course topics also include resource adequacy, equity, efficiency, reliability, as well as quality staff recruitment, selection, support, and retention. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 2 semester hours

Leadership candidates will become familiar with a variety of curriculum development strategies, curriculum integration, differentiation, curriculum monitoring and assessment. Candidates will learn leadership skills required to offer a culturally responsive and differentiated curriculum used to advance student achievement, supporting all students including English language learners, gifted and special needs students. Response to Intervention will be examined as a systematic model for problem-solving in academic and behavioral areas. Leadership for instructional technology will also be explored. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 2 semester hours

Candidates will develop competencies in data interpretation, data-driven decision-making, and data presentation to improve student achievement. They will also examine and compare tools for analyzing student performance data and for collaborating with teachers on creating data-driven approaches to improve instruction and student achievement. Formative and summative assessment will be studied from a leadership and administrative perspective as well as strategies for conducting program evaluations. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 2 semester hours

As instructional leaders, candidates will promote teacher efficacy and implement comprehensive professional growth plans for all staff focused on student learning. State-specific models of teacher evaluation will be explored, as well as current conceptions of adult learning and professional development. Particular attention will be given to collaborative models of interpreting and improving instruction. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 2 semester hours

Educational policy is a topic that is heavily debated amongst stakeholders invested in improving learning outcomes for students. Waves of educational reform have shaped ideas for restructuring schools. This course focuses on the conceptualization, adoption, implementation, and assessment of educational policies. It involves the analysis of policies in relationship to their suitability for achieving preferred aims of education. Attention is devoted to issues of standardized testing, accountability, privatization, charter schools and the business model. The ways historical, political, legal, social, and institutional contexts shape administrators’ and other policy makers’ ability to initiate, and other policy makers’ ability to initiate, Pre-requisite(s): None. Co-requisite(s): None. 3 semester hours

This course focuses on the roles and responsibilities of the administrator as an instructional leader and facilitator of the curriculum development process. Curriculum development theory is explored and existing models of curriculum planning are examined. Systematic change is addressed as a need for curriculum revisions or additions to meet the aspirations of an increasingly diverse and global society. Students will be exposed to a body of knowledge focused on cognitive development, leadership styles, assessment processes, research data collection and analysis, resource allocation and collaborative decision making focused on instructional leadership and facilitation. This course involves a self directed curriculum analysis project as group deliberation on whether and how various proposals might be included in curriculum plans for a school or district. Pre-requisites: None. Co-requisite(s): None. 3 semester hours

In this course the student learns and demonstrates the collaborative clinical supervision and evaluation processes. The skills needed for effective supervision that result in professional development are learned and practiced, including joint planning, observation, data collection, analysis of teaching strategies and feedback. Pre-requisites: None. Co-requisite(s): None. 3 semester hours

The purpose of the course is to ground labor leadership in an understanding of the multiple, often overlapping systems in which teachers' unions are rooted. The course will proceed in three stages. The first will focus on systems theory, focusing on how organizations are situated within cultural and political systems. The second stage will focus on educational systems in particular. Candidates will study educational policy and current structures of educational governance and organization. The final stage will engage students in the organizational and political context in which labor unions, particularly teachers' unions, are embedded. Prerequisites: Enrollment in the Progressive Leadership for Labor in Education Program or consent of department. 5 semester hours

This is the first course for candidates for the M.Ed. or Ed.S. in Administration and Supervision. Candidates are introduced to the program expectations, state and other academic standards, certification requirements, professional decorum, NLU technology platforms, and professional writing expectations. It also introduces students to the Administration and Supervision Internship. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 1 semester hour

This course enables leadership candidates to demonstrate competency in case study analysis, to implement competency-based strategies in presenting their leadership identity, to receive feedback regarding progress in leadership development, and to demonstrate use of feedback for performance improvement. Candidates gain skills in competency- based interviewing and written communication. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 1 semester hour

This course is the final forum for leadership competency demonstrations and final assessment of leadership candidates in the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. In it, candidates demonstrate leadership knowledge, skills, and dispositions through a formal interview and capstone case analyses drawing upon all previous courses, as well as applicable national and state leadership standards. Candidates are assessed for their presentation skills, as well as their understanding of all program curriculum, through a formal interview and a video case analysis. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 2 semester hours

Candidates for the M.Ed. in Administration and Supervision complete a capstone project that demonstrates skills and knowledge in building-level, entrepreneurial leadership. Candidates work with faculty to develop a product such as a grant application, a school improvement plan, a technology or curriculum initiative, a public-relations plan, or another project which has practical application. Program faculty will direct candidates to complete projects that assist them in their career aspirations as school leaders. Each product will adhere to standards set forth by the department. Final products titles are listed on candidates' transcripts. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 1-4 semester hours

1-4 semester hours

1-4 semester hours

1-4 semester hours

1-4 semester hours

1-4 semester hours

The Educational Leadership Clinical Internship is designed to meet the Florida program requirement for individuals whose training and experience allows them to develop professionally through the application of theory and research to administrative practice. Each student will take a total of six hours focused on either Early Childhood, Middle School. Secondary Education or Exceptional Children in conjunction with EDL 501; EDL 504; EDL 510; EDL 512; EDL 552 and EDL 553. Students will work in cooperating public school systems to test and refine the wide range of personal and professional competencies associated with effective leadership in district level administrative positions. Pre-requisite(s): Admission to Educational Leadership Program. Co-requisite(s): None. 6 semester hours

The Educational Leadership Clinical Internship is designed to meet the Florida program requirement for individuals whose training and experience allows them to develop professionally through the application of theory and research to administrative practice. Each student will take a total of six hours focused on either Early Childhood, Middle School. Secondary Education or Exceptional Children in conjunction with EDL 501; EDL 504; EDL 510; EDL 512; EDL 552 and EDL 553. Students will work in cooperating public school systems to test and refine the wide range of personal and professional competencies associated with effective leadership in district level administrative positions. Prerequisite(s): Admission to Educational Leadership Program. Co-requisite(s): None. 6 semester hours

The Educational Leadership Clinical Internship is designed to meet the Florida program requirement for individuals whose training and experience allows them to develop professionally through the application of theory and research to administrative practice. Each student will take a total of six hours focused on either Early Childhood, Middle School. Secondary Education or Exceptional Children in conjunction with EDL 501; EDL 504; EDL 510; EDL 512; EDL 552 and EDL 553. Students will work in cooperating public school systems to test and refine the wide range of personal and professional competencies associated with effective leadership in district level administrative positions. Prerequisite: Admission to Educational Leadership Program. 1-4 semester hours

The Educational Leadership Clinical Internship is designed to meet the Florida program requirement for individuals whose training and experience allows them to develop professionally through the application of theory and research to administrative practice. Each student will take a total of six hours focused on either Early Childhood, Middle School. Secondary Education or Exceptional Children in conjunction with EDL 501; EDL 504; EDL 510; EDL 512; EDL 552 and EDL 553. Students will work in cooperating public school systems to test and refine the wide range of personal and professional competencies associated with effective leadership in district level administrative positions. Prerequisite: Admission to Educational Leadership Program. 1-4 semester hours

6 semester hours

An advanced seminar dealing with current issues in administrating and supervising schools K-12. 2 semester hours

The purpose of this independent study is to provide participants with the opportunity to explore a topic of their own choice related to professional development and growth, educational supervision, and/or educational leadership. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Interdisciplinary Studies Program in Curriculum and Instruction and completion of Terms I and II. 1-3 semester hours

This course exists to provide an opportunity for school leaders to promote individual and administrative team development, the mentoring of recently appointed school leaders, and professional networking to offer support to those serving in leadership roles in schools and school districts nation-wide. Prerequisite(s): None. 1-4 semester hours

The Administration and Supervision Internship requires candidates to engage in authentic leadership at the school building level. The internship requires candidates to apply theoretical and empirical knowledge to solve practical administrative problems and to transform learning environments. In consultation with the clinical supervisor and a site sponsor, the candidate will engage in an extensive internship that involves practice and competency in all ISLLC 2008, Wisconsin Administrator, and Florida Principal Leadership Standards. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. in Supervision and Administration. 1-6 semester hours

In this course students will consider the social, economic, and political considerations related to financing public schools. Adequacy and equity provide the lens for analysis and critique of existing policies and practices. Students will learn about effective practices for decision-making and resource allocation that support improved student achievement. The changing landscape of federal, state, and local funding, new forms of teacher compensation, strategic management of human capital, charter schools, partnerships, and fund-raising are also considered. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

In this course students will extend their cultural proficiency to lead pluralistic schools. Coursework requires students to engage in self-assessment, reflection, and goal-setting around their cultural proficiency. Students will also analyze diversity within the school setting, examine school structures that promote or hinder equitable educational practice, and evaluate policy, curriculum, and instruction from a cultural proficiency lens. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

In this course students will be introduced to a systems approach to design, implement, and support transformational change required for improved teaching and learning. Students will examine the conditions, competencies, culture, and context that affect organizational change as well as critical skills required to lead a change initiative. Students will also identify the barriers to change and strategies to build capacity, develop high functioning teams, improve decision making, and assess progress to sustain change initiatives. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

In this course students are introduced to leadership theories, principles, and styles. Students explore how leaders work to establish climate, conditions, and culture that foster both adult and student learning. Building professional learning communities, cultivating relationships, and establishing trust among internal and external stakeholders will be addressed. Communication and advocacy skills for the school leader, capacity building, and sustaining organizational initiatives will also be examined. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

In this course students will focus on community engagement through the exploration and analysis of school/educational policy in community settings. Power structures, social and political contexts, cultural and demographic changes, and principles of social justice are examined as they affect school and community relations. Students will explore principles of community development such as autonomy, self determination, and the integration of community resources. Students will also examine multicultural understanding, group dynamics, community organizing, interagency cooperation, financial resources, and evaluation. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

This course is required for candidates in the Subsequent Certification (Superintendent Endorsement) program who hold doctoral degrees in Educational Leadership, Educational Administration, or Educational Policy but who did not earn recognized endorsements for the superintendency within those doctoral programs. Candidates register for a total of 9 semester hours to fulfill the portfolio documenting knowledge, skills, and dispositions mandated by national standards. Prerequisite(s): Candidates must hold a Type 75 endorsement in Illinois or a Type 51 License in Wisconsin. Candidates must be admitted to either the Educational Leadership Ed.D. or Subsequent Certification (Superintendent Endorsement) program. 1-9 semester hours (may be repeated up to 9 semester hours)

This course focuses on federal and national trends in education policy. An examination and analysis of the way these trends influence policy and political action at the school district level are addressed by focusing on governance structures, politics, and the influence of interest groups. Candidates will analyze cases while developing a working knowledge of educational politics and policy. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

In this course students are introduced to models and processes for curriculum planning, organization, and evaluation through a district leadership perspective. Traditional and contemporary curriculum theories and frameworks are examined as they relate to curriculum issues and problems. Macro and micro levels of curriculum are explored to understand how knowledge is shaped in schools and how curriculum is organized to assist students to meet specific learning goals. Case studies are used to develop a practical working knowledge of contemporary problems and solutions to issues of curriculum, teaching, learning, and assessment. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

This course focuses on school change in the contexts of teacher learning and organizational culture. School improvement, teacher learning, and vision are linked by a focus on teaching as the core technology of schools. School culture, teacher professionalism, teacher knowledge, and instructional leadership are examined for the purpose of building instructional capacity and teacher professionalism within the organization. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

This course is designed to support candidates through the dissertation writing process by focusing on scholarly writing. The course will emphasize developing good dissertation writing practices and finding scholarly voice. Candidates will analyze exemplars and use current course assignments for writing practice. Pre-requisite(s): Initial enrollment in the Ed.D program. Co-requisite(s): None. 1-4 semester hours

In this course students will examine theoretical and practical knowledge necessary for a school leader to guide curriculum, instruction, and assessment at the district level. Identification and exploration of assumptions, principles, and concepts of learning theories, strategies, and assessments to foster an inclusive learning community will be emphasized. The use of technology to inform and enhance instruction will also be examined. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

This course focuses on how well a school district is functioning as an organization. Students combine sociological analysis of organizational roles, structures, and dynamics with practitioner research methods to better understand and assess their school district's organizational conditions, context, culture, and competencies. With the goal of uncovering and building organizational capacity from within, qualitative and quantitative research methods are applied to various organizational structures and operating systems that impact power distribution, information flow, collegiality, school climate, and leadership development. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

In this course candidates analyze and critique theories, paradigms, and methods of practitioner-focused research that impact district educational policy and decision-making. This includes evaluation, and various forms of both quantitative and qualitative research. Candidates also study research that informs and influences product development (e.g., achievement tests, software, textbooks, training programs), policy decisions, and evaluation techniques utilized in the field by principals, superintendents, and state-level educational administrators. Pre-requisite(s): Admission to an NLU doctoral program or with permission of the EDL doctorate program coordinator. Co-requisite(s): None. 3 semester hours

In this course candidates study the methodologies, assumptions, and the techniques for various types of data collection and analysis used by educational leaders. The course begins with an overview of student data as a form of organizational performance (e.g., test scores, graduate rates, attendance, etc.) then moves to the broader issues of evaluation, experimentation, quantitative analysis, and interpretivist analyses. The course ends with a review of current research trends in data-driven decision-making. Throughout the course candidates analyze cases to develop a practitioner's knowledge of research, evaluation, and data use for school improvement. Pre-requisite(s): Admission to an NLU doctoral program or with permission of the EDL doctorate program coordinator. Co-requisite(s): None. 3 semester hours

The Ed.D. Internship in Educational Leadership provides interns with the opportunity to apply theoretical and empirical knowledge to solve practical administrative problems. Under the direction of an advising professor and a cooperating superintendent (or other district administrator with a superintendent endorsement), the intern will assume district-level leadership work in areas such as planning, finance, community and board relations, policy development, and curriculum and instruction. A minimum of 800 hours of work is required over two to three years. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. Co-requisite(s): None. 12 semester hours

The course organizes doctoral candidates’ postsecondary internship work in the Ed.D. degree in Educational Leadership with a major in Leadership for Learning and Change. Candidates in this program and major work as educators in postsecondary institutions and pursue internship activities related to their content area specializations and postsecondary job roles. Candidates’ internship work is supervised by an advising professor and a cooperating Subject Matter Expert related to the content area specialization. Internship projects may include work as a visiting academician, shadowing or co-teaching with the Subject Matter Expert or other colleagues, engaging in collaborative scholarship focused on research or grant activity, service work on special projects focused on institutional improvement, community engagement work within the academy, or leadership work on behalf of college student services or programs. Internship activities are documented within the candidates’ leadership portfolio. Pre-requisite(s): None. Co-requisite(s): None. 1-8 semester hours

The intern seminar provides an opportunity for administrative interns to integrate practical experience with theoretical models addressed in the program course work. Students will meet with the seminar professor weekly to review the activities in which the interns are involved, share experiences, and products, discuss the degree of success achieved, analyze administrative styles of cooperating administrators, analyze interpersonal relationships and integrate these with the theoretical modes, processes and skills. Pre-requisite(s). None. Co-requisite(s): None. 3 semester hours