Educational Leadership, M.Ed. (State Credential Track, Florida)

This program is designed to prepare fully certified and experienced teachers for educational leadership.

In Florida, graduates of the program may receive a transcript endorsement indicating the completion of a state approved program in Educational Leadership. Candidates must also meet Florida Department of Education requirements for documentation of ESOL training or coursework and passing scores on the three subtests of the Florida Educational Leadership Examination. For more details, visit the Florida Department of Education.

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs):

Through the program, candidates will gain and apply knowledge and dispositions so as to ensure that all students are at the center of all educational decisions. Specifically, Program Learning Outcomes of the EDL program include the following:

PLO 1: Mission, Vision and Improvement: Candidates collaboratively lead, design, and implement a school mission, vision, and process for continuous improvement that reflects a core set of values and priorities.

PLO 2: Ethics and Professional Norms: Candidates understand and demonstrate the capacity to advocate for ethical decisions and cultivate and enact professional norms.

PLO 3: Equity, Inclusiveness, and Cultural Responsiveness: Candidates develop and maintain a supportive, equitable, culturally responsive, and inclusive school culture.

PLO 4: Learning and Instruction: Candidates evaluate, develop, and implement coherent systems of curriculum, instruction, data systems, supports, and assessment.

PLO 5: Community and External Leadership: Candidates to engage families, community, and school personnel in order to strengthen student learning, support school improvement, and advocate for the needs of their school and community.

PLO 6: Operations and Management: Candidates improve management, communication, technology, school-level governance, and operation systems; to develop and improve data-informed and equitable school resource plans; and to apply laws, policies, and regulations.

PLO 7: Building Professional Capacity: Candidates build the school’s professional capacity, engage staff in the development of a collaborative professional culture, and improve systems of staff supervision, evaluation, support, and professional learning.

In addition to National College of Education Graduate Admission Requirements, this program requires:

  • A copy of the applicant’s valid and current teaching certificate (for certification eligibility in Educational Leadership)
    • Signed Licensure Limitation Form (for applicants who do not currently hold a valid teaching certificate)  
  • Two years of teaching experience
  • A letter of recommendation
  • A written statement of leadership experience and aspirations: Briefly describe your most significant experience as a leader (formally or informally) and elaborate on how this experience inspired you to pursue a degree in leadership.
  • A written statement of social justice, diversity and equity: Briefly describe a social issue about which you feel deeply committed or passionate. How have you been actively involved with this issue?
  • A written statement of instruction: Briefly describe a significant instructional learning experience you have had in the past year. What data or information drove that learning experience? How did you change? What impact did that change have on students?
  • Faculty review of applicant's credentials and written statements 

Program Details:

  • Requires 34 SH for completion
  • Requires an internship

Required Courses

EDL 510Change Leadership for Organizational Equity, Development, and Continuous Improvement

2

EDL 520Leading Diverse Schools

2

EDL 521Building School Community Partnerships

2

EDL 522Leading Student-Centered Schools

2

EDL 523Navigating School and Special Education Law

2

EDL 525Decision-Making for Educational Systems and Organizations

2

EDL 526Realizing Vision through Technical, Human, and Financial Resources

2

EDL 527Guaranteeing a Differentiated and Coherent Curriculum

2

EDL 528Maintaining Accountability with Data Use and Program Evaluation

2

EDL 529Improving Instruction through Teacher Evaluation and Professional Development

2

EDL 570Internship Seminar I: Organizing Leadership Competency Planning

1

EDL 571Internship Seminar II: Resume Building and Professional Writing for Educational Leaders

1

EDL 572Internship Seminar III: Demonstrating School Leadership Competence

2

EDL 573Educational Leadership Project

1 TO 4

EDL 598Administration and Supervision Internship

1 TO 6

Notes: EDL 573 must be taken for a total of 4 semester hours. EDL 598 must be taken for a total of 6 semester hours.