School Leadership

The School Leadership Program (SLP) uses an innovative leadership model to prepare students to assume dynamic roles leading transformative change in schools. The program offers a coherent sequence of courses and practicum experiences that grounds students in the centrality of teaching and learning, and helps them understand and navigate the different structures and cultures of charter, pilot, and district schools, and the systems that support them. The program focuses on the levers of improvement—how school leaders create conditions in start-up schools, or transform them in existing settings to support high quality teaching and learning for all students. At the same time, the program is intensely personal, focusing on the leadership development of each participant—his or her sense of purpose and commitment, skills in working effectively with other adults, and courage in tackling one of the biggest challenge we face—providing the knowledge, skills and social development all of our students need.

The School Leadership Program (SLP) includes the following two strands of specialization:

• Principal Licensure -- Those who are interested in obtaining Massachusetts licensure as a school principal*
• School Development -- Those who school leadership roles that do not require licensure (for example, in charter schools)

The program will include traditional course work, field placements, project-based learning activities, case discussions, on-site school consultations, cohort activities, and consultation on job placement. The School Leadership Program is a one-year full time masters program.

*All administrative licensure programs in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are under review by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Until this has been completed, every program in Massachusetts, including the HGSE School Leadership’s Principal Licensure Strand, is considered to be in the process of 'seeking approval' from the state.  While HGSE fully expects to attain this prior to the start of the 2013-14 academic year, we are unable to confirm our program's approved status at this time.