THIS IS A DELAWARE LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION PROGRAM WITH CONTENT KNOWLEDGE AND PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS. Students taking courses to satisfy certification requirements are personally responsible for verifying with the Delaware Department of Education (or the appropriate licensure/certification authority in another state) that such course work is applicable and acceptable. Students are also responsible for meeting all state-mandated testing requirements and/or teaching experience requirements, and for applying for credentials.
Admission
In addition to general admissions requirements, admission to this degree program requires applicants to have a Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or have a GPA in the top 50th percentile for coursework completed during the most recent two years of the applicant’s general education, whether secondary or post-secondary.
Admission to the Master of Education School Leadership degree program requires the following:
1. Complete and submit the Application for Admission, accompanied by a non-refundable application
fee.
2. Submit an official transcript or transcripts verifying completion of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Transcripts and all application documents should be sent to Wilmington University Office of Graduate Admissions. Please note that any course(s) accepted for transfer into the program must have a letter grade of B or better and be from a degree-granting, regionally-accredited institution.
3. Applicants are also asked to provide official and complete score reports from the Praxis Core exam and/or test results from the SAT or ACT demonstrating mastery of general knowledge, including the ability to read, write and compute. This is to provide the College of Education with data that can satisfy national program accreditation requirements.
NOTE: These test scores will NOT affect admissions decisions, but are used to comply with program approval and accreditation standards.
It is important that Candidates must identify Wilmington University as an official score recipient. This enables scores to be sent directly, confidentially, and electronically. Otherwise, candidates must provide original copies of all official score reports. For more information about ETS exams (including how to register), go to www.ETS.org. Visit College Board to have SAT or ACT scores sent to Wilmington University.
4. Schedule a program planning conference with a Graduate Program Advisor, the Program Chair or the Assistant Chair.
After completing all of the above, register for MED 6102 (E-Folio), which is a prerequisite for all other courses in the program.
Content and Performance Assessment Requirements
This is a state-approved degree program which contributes to eligibility for licensure/certification as an educator in Delaware public schools. As such, all candidates must meet the content and performance assessment requirements described in DE Administrative Code.
The regulation states, in part:
Content Assessment
“Where a content readiness exam is applicable and available in area, subject, or category of specialization sought, the Candidate shall achieve a passing score on an examination as established by the Professional Standards Board, in consultation with the Department and with concurrence of the State Board.”
Please note that state-mandated licensure/certification exams and minimum score requirements are subject to change by the Delaware Department of Education. Any changes mandated by the Department of Education will be implemented as required by state regulation.
Performance Assessment
“Where a performance assessment is applicable and available in an area appropriate to the Program in which a Candidate is enrolled, the Candidate shall achieve a passing score as a requirement to Exit the Program. The performance assessment may not be scored by any employees of the Educator Preparation Program or Unit, and shall be scored by Certified Reviewers.”
The instrument selected by Wilmington University as a required exit assessment for the M.Ed. in School Leadership is the SLLA (School Leader Licensure Assessment), administered and scored by ETS. Candidates must consult with program advisors and/or program chairs to obtain the most current information about how to fulfill this graduation requirement.
Program Purpose
The Master of Education in School Leadership program addresses research, theory, and practice related to effective schools, teaching and learning, and school reform. Translating theory into practice is a primary emphasis.
This 33-35 credit program is designed to (a) develop aspiring school leaders’ knowledge, dispositions, and skills related to effective and sustainable school and school system leadership and renewal; (b) prepare school leaders who are committed to the centrality of teaching and learning and to the removal of barriers to student learning; (c) prepare school leaders who will engage all school stakeholders in the development of a shared vision of teaching and learning; (d) prepare school leaders who will manage school operations and resources in an efficient, equitable, and ethical manner, maintaining a constant focus on the improvement of student learning; and (e) prepare school leaders who are committed to professional growth and renewal.
Program Competencies
Program competencies for the M.Ed. in School Leadership are derived from current national standards for building-level educational leadership as adopted by the ELCC and the National Policy Board for Educational Administration. Those standards provide a framework for developing building–level leaders who can apply knowledge and promote the success of every student by …
- collaboratively facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a shared school vision of learning through the collection and use of data to identify school goals, assess organizational effectiveness, and implement school plans to achieve school goals; promotion of continual and sustainable school improvement; and evaluation of school progress and revision of school plans supported by school-based stakeholders.
- sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to learning through collaboration, trust, and a personalized learning environment with high expectations for students; creating and evaluating a comprehensive, rigorous and coherent curricular and instructional school program; developing and supervising the instructional and leadership capacity of school staff; and promoting the most effective and appropriate technologies to support teaching and learning within a school environment.
- ensuring the management of the school organization, operation, and resources through monitoring and evaluating the school management and operational systems; efficiently using human, fiscal, and technological resources in a school environment; promoting and protecting the welfare and safety of school students and staff; developing school capacity for distributed leadership; and ensuring that teacher and organization time is focused to support high-quality instruction and student learning.
- collaborating with faculty and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources on behalf of the school by collecting and analyzing information pertinent to improvement of the school’s educational environment; promoting an understanding, appreciation, and use of the diverse cultural, social and intellectual resources within the school community; building and sustaining positive school relationships with families and caregivers; and cultivating productive school relationships with community partners.
- acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner to ensure a school system of accountability for every student’s academic and social success by modeling school principles of self-awareness, reflective practice, transparency, and ethical behavior as related to their roles within the school; safeguarding the values of democracy, equity, and diversity within the school; evaluating the potential moral and legal consequences of decision making in the school; and promoting social justice within the school to ensure that individual needs inform all aspects of schooling.
- understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal and cultural context through advocating for school students, families, and caregivers; acting to influence local, district, state, and national decisions affecting student learning in a school environment; and anticipating and assessing emerging trends and initiatives in order to adapt school-based leadership strategies.
- completing a substantial and sustained educational leadership internship experience that has school-based field experience and clinical internship practice within a school setting and that is monitored by a qualified, on-site mentor.
Outcomes Assessment
Multiple assessments are used to determine candidate growth toward achievement of the knowledge, skills, and dispositions described in School Leadership program competencies and college-wide graduation competencies. Rubrics-based evaluations of fieldwork, projects, assignments, research papers, and final grades for courses represent the first level of assessment. Goals, learning outcomes and activities, external assignments, and assessment strategies are linked directly to program and graduation competencies and are clearly stated on each course syllabus. Other assessment strategies include individual progress and advising conferences, evaluations of candidate performance in authentic settings, and a capstone portfolio and internship journal completed as part of the leadership practicum and internship.
Program Design
Candidates are expected to satisfactorily complete all requirements associated with the School Leadership program. A total of 33-35 credit hours are required for program completion and certification. Field-based components are embedded in every course. Practicum/Internship experience/hours are aligned with certification requirements in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The program is normally completed in two to three years, although accelerated options make it possible to complete the program in one year or less by combining regular courses, summer week-long courses, weekend courses, online learning courses, and/or hybrid courses.
Required Courses
With the exception of MED 6102, courses may be taken in any order. It is recommended that candidates take MED 7590 and MED 7503 very early in the program.
Courses
| MED 6102 | E-Folio | 0 |
| MED 6490 | Education, Ethics, and the Law | 3 |
| MED 7201 | Fiscal Operations and Resources | 3 |
| MED 7503 | School and Community: Building a Shared Vision | 3 |
| MED 7590 | School Leadership: Theory and Practice | 3 |
| MED 7701 | Supervisory Leadership: Staff Selection Appraisal, and Renewal | 3 |
| MED 7705 | Measurement, Accountability, and Student Learning | 3 |
| MED 7706 | The Principalship, PreK–8 | 3 |
| OR | |
| MED 7707 | The Principalship, 9-12 | 3 |
| MED 7708 | Curriculum Leadership | 3 |
| MED 8900 | Practicum in School Leadership | 3 |
| MED 8903 | Administrative Internship 3 Credits | 3 |
| OR | |
| MED 8904 | Administrative Internship 4 Credits | 4 |
| OR | |
| MED 8905 | Administrative Internship 5 Credits | 5 |
| OR | |
| MED 8906 | Administrative Internship 6 Credits | 6 |
MED 8904 is required for those seeking licensure in Delaware. MED 8905 is required for those seeking licensure in New Jersey. Candidates seeking licensure in other states must check with the Program Chair to determine correct course.
Elective Courses (as approved by the Program Chair)
| MED 7702 | Classroom and School Culture: Creating Environments for Learning | 3 |
| MED 7703 | Curriculum and Teaching: Research, Theory, and Practice | 3 |
| MED 7704 | Education for Equity and Social Justice | 3 |
| MED 7709 | Personnel Administration | 3 |
| MED 7710 | Technology and the School Environment | 3 |
| MED 7712 | Curriculum Development | 3 |
| MED 7799 | Supervision and Curriculum Improvement | 3 |
| MED 7816 | Advanced Studies in Teaching and Learning | 3 |
NOTE: Some of the above courses are cross-listed and may apply to M.Ed. and Ed.D. degrees. Candidates should check with Program Chairs for details.
Qualification for Degree
To qualify for the Master of Education in School Leadership degree, a student must successfully complete all required courses plus one of the above elective courses for a minimum of 33 credit hours (35 credit hours for New Jersey candidates), with a GPA of at least 3.0. The program must be completed within five years. Candidates are required to take the School Leader Licensure Assessment (SLLA) and achieve a score deemed passing by the College of Education. Candidates NOT passing these tests may not receive a degree that leads to certification in that area.
Graduation Planning Conference
Prior to registering for either the Practicum in School Leadership or the Administrative Internship, candidates will schedule a graduation planning conference with the Program Chair or a University Program Advisor.
Administrative Certification
The M.Ed. in School Leadership certification degree meets the certification requirements in Delaware for the positions of assistant principal/principal. In addition, if not taken at the undergraduate level, a course in Child, Adolescent or Human Development is required.
Candidates taking courses to satisfy certification requirements are personally responsible for verifying, with the appropriate licensure/certification authority in another state, that such course work is applicable and acceptable. Candidates are personally responsible for meeting all state-mandated testing requirements for teachers and administrators (Praxis Core, PRAXIS II, SLLA, etc.), for fulfilling state-mandated degree and/or teaching experience requirements, and for applying for credentials. Students are requested to provide copies of scores on state-mandated examinations. These scores provide valuable data essential to maintaining CAEP/NCATE accreditation status.
Delaware state regulations require a master’s or doctoral degree from a regionally accredited college or university in educational leadership or administration. The program must be nationally accredited/recognized or state-approved using CAEP/NCATE standards; or the applicant must hold a degree from a regionally accredited college or university in any field and successfully complete one of the following: A School Principal Course of Study as defined by 14 DE Admin. Code 1595 or a School Principal Certification program pursuant to 14 DE Admin. Code 1595.
Delaware experience requirements for a School Assistant Principal and Principal certificate specify the following: “A minimum of 5 years of teaching experience as defined in 16 DE Reg 969 (03/01/13).”
Wilmington University reserves the right to change requirements to comply with any licensure/certification mandates of the Delaware Department of Education.