Advanced Educational Leadership

The purpose of the Advanced Educational Leadership/District Leader Extension Program is to prepare candidates for positions as School District Leaders (SDL), with an emphasis on urban leadership, and to fulfill the New York State licensure requirements for SDL. The programs unite both the development of schools/districts and the development of educational leaders by preparing individuals who can be catalysts for school/district change and improved student performance.

The program prepares students for positions of leadership (e.g., superintendents, assistant superintendents. directors, etc.) in urban districts with diverse populations. The curriculum is aligned with the New York State content-area requirements for programs preparing educational leaders, leading to certification as an SDL. The pedagogical content of the courses integrates practice with theory. Extensive field-based experiences, in collaboration with school, district and community agencies, are a central component throughout this program. Candidates develop their skills and capacities as leaders through both on-campus and school/district-based experiences with current educational leaders, teachers, counselors, other educational staff, parents, and students. The courses emphasize critical thinking, reflection, and problem solving.

The Advanced Educational Leadership/District Leader Extension Program is committed to preparing candidates who demonstrate the nine essential characteristics of effective leaders, promoted by the New York State Education Department, and are based, in part, on the School of Education's Lehman Urban Transformative Education conceptual framework, whose mission is to facilitate the development of competent, caring, and qualified educators.