northcentral university school of education principal ... · 4/15/2014 · prescott valley, az...

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Northcentral University

School of Education

Principal Leadership Certification Specialization

(PLCS) Handbook

Master of Education - Specialization in PK-12 Principal Leadership

Last Updated April 15, 2014


10000 E. University Drive

Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

(928) 541-7777 or (888) 327-2877

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Table of Contents

Section Item Page

Table of Contents 1

1 Welcome from the School of Education Dean 3

Introduction from the Principal Leadership Specialization Coordinator 3

Northcentral University 4

Northcentral University School of Education 5 5

N Accreditations: State, Regional, and National 6

2 M.Ed./PL Program Overview 7 6

Program and Specialization Requirements 10 9

Program Admission 10 9

Admission Checklist 11 10

Coursework Completion: M. Ed. Degree Candidacy 12 11

Graduation Checklist 12 11

NCU SoE Recommendation for State PK-12 Principal Certification 12 11

Certification Checklist 13 11

Course Sequence 14 12

S Scheduling Courses

Leaves of Absence

Length of Leave

Return from Leave

12

Introduction to Field Experiences and the Internship 14 14

3 Field Experiences 15 15

Professional Liability Insurance 15

Field Experience Matrix: All PL Courses 16 16

Field Experience Logs 19 19

Field Experience Rubrics 19 19

4 Capstone Internship 19 19

Application and Placement for the Internship 20 20

Internship Components 20 20

Action Plan for the Internship 20 20

Action Research Project and Paper 21 21

E-folio Artifacts: Programmatic Portfolio 23 24

Experiences – ISLLC Standards Aligned:

Full-Day Shadowing

Required

Optional

Individually Designed

25 25

Faculty Professional Development Initiative 26 26

Internship Logs 27 27

Internship Rubric 27 27

On-Line Seminars 28 28

Reflections 28 28

Remediation Processes and Remediation Action Plans 29 29

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Supervision and Supervisory Contacts

Mentor Principals

Role of University Supervisors

Role of University Faculty/Course Instructors

Role of the Principal Leadership Specialization Coordinator

30 29

Submitting Documents and Artifacts 33 32

5 Program Textbooks 34 33

APPENDICES

AA A Letter of Reference and Experience Verification (Form A) 35 34

B B Sample Course Plan Schedule 36 36

C C Mentor Principal Agreement (Form B) 37 37

D D Field Experience Log 39 39

E E Common Components: Field Experience Evaluation Rubric 40 40

F F Principal Leadership Internship Experience Matrix 41 41

G G Benchmark Matrix: Admission, Enrollment Maintenance, Degree, Certification 45 45

H H NCU IRB Expedited Review Request for Action Research 46 46

I I Application for Internship 49 49

J J Internship Action Plan 50 50

K K Internship Experience Log 52 52

L L Internship Evaluation Rubric 53 53

M M M Field Personnel Evaluation 60 60

N N Action Research Evaluation Rubric 61 61

O ISLLC Standards and Functions (2008) 65

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Welcome from the School of Education Dean, Dr. Cindy Guillaume

The NCU School of Education Philosophy underscores our commitment to meeting your learning needs,

fostering innovation and ongoing performance improvement, and valuing diversity of perspectives. As a

learning community, the School of Education is also committed to fostering the kinds of caring, supportive,

interconnected environments you want for your own schools as support structures for your own students. As

you prepare to begin your program of study in the area of Principal Leadership, do reach out to the NCU team

members inside and outside the School of Education who want to help you be successful. If I can be of

assistance to you during your program, please do not hesitate to contact me. Remember – with hard work and

dedication, many things are possible!

Best wishes,

Dr. Cindy Guillaume - Dean, NCU School of Education

[email protected]

Introduction from the Principal Leadership Coordinator, Dr. Mary Goggins Selke

Congratulations! You are beginning an M.Ed. program with a Specialization in PK-12 Principal Leadership

and will soon be ready to start field experiences in your principal preparation program! The field

experiences and the internship represent a key component in your academic program of study where you can

develop your applied skills in school administration. The courses, school-based experiences, introspection,

and self-assessment you experience as you progress through this program will result in more personal and

professional growth than you may have experienced since you student taught. The opportunity to work as a

beginning practitioner within your field, combined with active support from your mentor principal and

(during your internship) your university supervisor, will give you a sense of opportunities that await in

school leadership.

This handbook should be read, saved, and shared with your mentor principal as a practical guide to

rewarding and successful field experiences and internship course components. Requirements for each phase

of the program are provided in checklists on the following pages, to help you stay focused and organized. If

you have questions, please feel free to contact me and I will assist in any way I can. All the best as you

continue on your path to educational leadership!

Respectfully,

Mary J. Goggins Selke, Ph.D. - Principal Leadership Specialization Coordinator

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


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Northcentral University was incorporated on August 24, 1998 as a private distance learning institution

initially located in Prescott, Arizona. It was granted initial accreditation by the Higher Learning

Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools on February 20, 2003. Northcentral

is a private university committed to online program and degree offerings.

The Northcentral learning model is best described as a one-to-one mentored approach. Students receive

personalized guidance and interact asynchronously and synchronously with faculty instructors, who

provide assistance and feedback to students in the program.

Northcentral University is divided into three schools: Education, Behavioral and Health Sciences, and

Business and Technology Management. Each school is supported by a dean, an assistant to the dean, and

full-time core faculty who perform curriculum, assessment, faculty assignment, and oversight for the

programs, students, and faculty.

NCU Mission

Northcentral University educates professionals throughout the world and provides an accessible

opportunity to earn a U.S. regionally accredited degree. Northcentral mentors students one-to-one with

highly credentialed faculty via advanced delivery modalities. Northcentral commits to helping students

achieve academically and become valuable contributors to their communities and within their professions.

NCU Vision

Northcentral University is a premier online graduate University and a global leader in providing

unprecedented access to U.S. regionally accredited higher education.

NCU Values

NCU holds all members of our community to the highest ethical standards of integrity, professional

conduct, and academic conduct:

Innovation: We envision new and innovative education delivery systems, and support proven concepts of

teaching and learning. We encourage our community to seek solutions to educational challenges that will

improve the quality of our programs and services.

Diversity: We value diversity of thought and action as a strength that allows our community to transcend

organizational and geographical boundaries. We expect members of our community to treat people with

respect and dignity.

Excellence: Our community is committed to excellence in academics and service. We value leadership

and strive for continuous improvement in everything we do. We define and measure outcomes and take

action to ensure that our community’s passion for excellence is never compromised.

Accountability: We are deeply committed to holding each member of the University responsible for their

scholarly and professional work. We expect financial responsibility in the actions of our students and

University team.

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Northcentral University School of Education

The Northcentral University School of Education is a unit that is part of the University academic structure

under the Office of the Provost of the University. The Master of Education program in the School of

Education is accredited by the national Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC). The Dean of

the School of Education is the head of the School and has all administrative responsibility for the faculty,

staff, instructors, and students within the School of Education.

School of Education degree programs consist of one baccalaureate completion program in partnership

with Rio Salado College, doctoral programs, and masters programs in Educational Leadership with 17

different specializations. The specialization in PK-12 Principal Leadership is the most recent addition and

the only graduate program housed completely in the NCU School of Education, to date, that prepares

candidates for state certification in Arizona.

School of Education Mission

The mission for the School of Education at Northcentral University is to prepare professional educators at

all levels to become effective leaders, reflective practitioners, and successful communicators within the

diverse field of education. The School of Education's mission is centered on improving teaching, learning,

research and leadership contributions throughout all levels of human development and education.

School of Education Vision

Northcentral’s School of Education is a global leader in delivering career-long professional preparation

and development through excellence in student-focused online environments.

School of Education Philosophy

Northcentral University and the School of Education recognize the keen interconnection of its

organizational culture and the beliefs, values, and expectations that guide the behavior of the members of

the institution. We are committed to meeting the needs of our students, and focus on putting the

educational needs of students first in online learning. The integrity of the School is built on a core set of

values pertaining to innovation and improvement in our performance. The School of Education values

diversity of thought and action and is committed to treating all members of the learning community with

respect and dignity.

School of Education Goals

The School of Education at Northcentral University develops professional educators who will be able to:

Apply concepts of the disciplines.

Effectively communicate, conduct sound, open-minded research.

Address educational issues critically and reflectively.

Create solutions to problems based on knowledge, research, critical thinking skills, and collaboration.

Respect diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Demonstrate a commitment to the highest ethical and professional standards through accreditation.

Foster effective discussion of theoretical problems within the education profession.

Nurture a commitment to life-long learning.

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M.Ed. Program Goals

In addition to the School of Education Goals, all of the M.Ed. programs in the School of Education have a

common set of program goals across all specializations, including the M.Ed. with a specialization in PK-

12 Principal Leadership:

1. Apply education leadership principles and theories to a real-world educational problem or case study.

2. Analyze educational issues within your specialty area and make decisions and/or recommendations.

3. Effectively use technology.

4. Reflect on situations, theories, and/or case studies.

5. Apply learning in a caring and professional manner.

6. Communicate effectively and in a caring manner in a variety of learning contexts within a global

environment.

7. Collaborate to build and execute a shared vision.

8. Accurately integrate multiple perspectives related to diversity.

Principal Leadership Specialization Mission

The mission of professionals working with candidates in the Northcentral University School of

Education M.Ed. with a specialization in PK-12 Principal Leadership is to prepare effective, reflective

educational administrators in PK-12 schools and other settings requiring PK-12 administrative

certification.

Accreditations: State, Regional, and National

The M.Ed./PLCS was approved by the Arizona Department of Education on August 26, 2013, for an

initial period of three years. The program is also approved by the Arizona State Board for Private

Postsecondary Education (AZPPSE), is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of

the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC), and is nationally accredited by the

Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC).

Program Overview: M.Ed. in Educational Leadership with a Specialization in PK-12 Principal

Leadership – Certification Preparation (M.Ed./PLCS)

Northcentral University's Master of Education (M.Ed.) program with a specialization in PK-12 Principal

Leadership (PL), is designed to prepare candidates to become eligible for institutional recommendation

for PK-12 principal certification in the State of Arizona. The M.Ed./PLCS program is designed for

individuals interested in earning a graduate degree and seeking an administrative certification to work as

principals or assistant/associate principals in PK-12 school settings or in other educational settings

wherein a graduate degree and PK-12 administrative certification are required. The program is unique

in eight ways:

1. The Principal Leadership specialization program is fully aligned with national standards/Arizona

Department of Education standards (ISLLC), NCU School of Education goals, and M.Ed. program

goals/TEAC claims.

National Standards Alignment: The Interstate School Leaders Licensure

Consortium (ISLLC), a subsidiary of the National Policy Board for Educational

Administration (NPBEA) under the auspices of the Council of Chief State School

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Officers (CCSSO), has assembled a set of six ISLLC standards to inform the design

and assessment of educational leadership programs.

[http://www.ccsso.org/Documents/2008/Educational_Leadership_Policy_Standards

_2008.pdf]

Specialization programs seeking HLC and TEAC endorsement must align

programmatic components with a set of national standards. The ISSLC Standards

are one of two national standard sets that currently meet this requirement.

The Arizona Department of Education also requires educational leaders at

universities that prepare educational administrators to align their programs with the

ISSLC standards.

In the Principal Leadership (PL) specialization within the educational leadership

M.Ed. program at NCU, all of the following are directly aligned with the six ISLLC

standards:

(1) Required courses,

(2) Course learning outcomes (in PL specialization courses and M.Ed. core courses),

(3) Signature assignments in each PL and ED course,

(4) Required course-embedded field experiences in each PL specialization course,

(5) Specific required and optional internship experiences, and

(6) The programmatic e-folio artifacts which serve as evidences of learning.

The course learning outcomes and course-embedded field experiences in the PL

specialization courses are aligned with the six ISLLC standards and with the ISLLC

standard functions.

Northcentral University School of Education Goals and M.Ed. Program Goals

Alignment: The School of Education (SOE) at Northcentral University has designed

sets of programmatic goals at the school and degree (in this case, the

master's/M.Ed.) levels. All artifacts in the programmatic e-folio, provided as

representative ISLLC Standards-aligned evidences of learning, are also aligned with

School of Education goals and M.Ed. program goals/TEAC claims.

In summary, the M.Ed. program with a specialization in Principal Leadership is standards-aligned at

every level (national, state, and institutional) and in every aspect, from the required courses, to the

specific Principal Leadership specialization course outcomes, to final signature assignments, to field-

based components, to the summative programmatic e-folio artifacts.

2. Courses are taught by full-time and part-time faculty members, all of whom hold doctoral degrees in

educational administration or similar areas. All faculty teaching in the program are experienced

practitioners in their respective fields who share knowledge and expertise in areas of school leadership,

administrative foundations and organizational theory, PK-12 legal issues, public school finance,

curriculum development, data-driven assessment, educational change, and/or the practice of

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instructional leadership. It is an NCU university-wide requirement that all full-time or part-time faculty

teaching graduate courses must hold a doctoral degree.

3. Carefully designed Bloom's taxonomy progressions characterize progression from coursework to

field experiences to the capstone internship. Courses start with the introduction of specific content

knowledge and analysis of knowledge/skills components in courses, to application of applied knowledge

through course-embedded field experiences in all PL specialization courses, to integration of and

reflection upon applied knowledge in the context of an inquiry-enhanced practicum/internship

experience.

4. Required field experiences are embedded in all Principal Leadership specialization courses. Five of

the ten courses preceding the two courses comprising the internship are PL courses which feature

specific, required, ISLLC standards/functions-aligned field experiences. Field experience scores in each

course are determined with the assistance of field experience rubrics which course instructors use to

evaluate demonstration of leadership dispositions and skills that align with School of Education and

M.Ed. goals.

5. The course of study concludes with 16 weeks of a capstone internship. The internship includes the

implementation of an action research project, designed and IRB-approved in the course taken

immediately prior to the internship, to be carried out during the internship experience. The internship is

assessed at the midpoint and in the final week with an evaluation rubric constructed around the ISLLC

standards and functions plus the same School of Education and M. Ed. program leadership dispositions

and skills assessed in specialization course-embedded field experiences.

6. Candidates prepare ISLLC standards-aligned programmatic e-folios during their internship semester.

The e-folios consist of six signature assignment artifacts (three produced during coursework and three

produced during the internship), their final internship action plan, their final internship evaluation, and a

professional resume. E-folio requirements align with NCU School of Education goals and M. Ed.

program goals/TEAC claims as well as with the ISLLC standards, which is helpful for assessment

purposes and to document and track evidences of learning. The e-folios are prepared by all candidates as

one requirement for reaching the benchmark point of successful program completion.

Monthly on-line internship seminars are provided for administrative interns and the mentor principals

and university supervisors who work with the candidates at this crucial point in their preparation.

Candidates from diverse school settings will be able to interact and learn from experiences in addition to

their own and from featured presenters in a technology-enhanced setting.

An on-line administrative induction program will be available for program graduates. The on-line

induction program is unique to other induction programs in AZ and in the USA. It is designed to foster

problem-solving collaboration, bolster the morale of fledgling school administrators, and keep NCU

graduates connected to their degree-granting university as a source of continuing on-line professional

development for our graduates and their educational administrative colleagues. Our vehicle for

delivering the induction program is the NCU Virtual Academic Center, which can help specialization

faculty design professional learning communities to facilitate professional networking, collaboration,

and professional/interpersonal support and encouragement for NCU graduates.

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M.Ed./PL PROGRAM AND SPECIALIZATION REQUIREMENTS

There are specific requirements for the NCU M.Ed. program with a specialization in PK-12 Principal

Leadership that are summarized at four benchmark points: program admission, enrollment maintenance,

degree candidacy, and recommendation for state licensure. Read requirements for each of the four

points carefully.

Transfer credits are not accepted for any of the 12 courses in the 36-credit M.Ed. program with a

specialization in Principal Leadership. The PL-prefix courses contain specific standards-aligned field

experiences; the PK-12 core courses are required of all M.Ed. candidates. However, if additional credits

are necessary to meet state-specific requirements, they may be transferred in if approved by the NCU

registrar.

Please be aware that requirements for PK-12 principal licensure vary, sometimes significantly, from

state to state. (A set of links to state education agencies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia is

provided in the PLCS Application document.) For example, in some states, students must complete

state-specific coursework or additional credits beyond the 36 in the PLCS. Some state departments of

education do not accept coursework completed in another state toward principal licensure. Others do.

Still others require prospective candidates to become certified in the state where the degree-granting

university is located, and in some cases gain at least one year’s experience, prior to submitting an

application for a reciprocal license in the other state.

Prospective candidates are responsible for learning and following the requirements for licensure

in the state(s) where they wish to become certified.

You are strongly encouraged to obtain documentation, via email or in written form, from the

agency that grants certification in your state, verifying that the NCU M.Ed. with a specialization

in PK-12 Principal Leadership will fulfill coursework requirements for principal certification in

the state where you want to become certified as a principal.

PROGRAM ADMISSION

The M.Ed. in Educational Leadership with a specialization in the PK-12 Principalship is designed for

working adults: ideally working teachers, assistant/associate principals or principals on temporary or

provisional licensure needing a degree in the field to become fully licensed, or related school personnel

seeking a master’s degree that will prepare them for PK-12 school leadership positions.

The following checklist contains several requirements that must be met, with pertinent documentation

provided along with your NCU/PLCS application. You are encouraged to apply as early as possible

prior to your anticipated start date so your application can be processed and you can progress with

coursework leading to your degree and area of specialization on your preferred timeline. Please send all

of the following items on the Admission Checklist at the same time you submit your PLCS Application

(with the exception of official transcripts, which must be forwarded directly from the issuing college or

university):

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ADMISSION CHECKLIST

# Check

list

Required Items:

1 Complete the online NCU/PLCS Application Packet, which includes the following items:

2 An official transcript documenting a baccalaureate degree or higher from a regionally accredited college

or university, with a GPA of 2.5 or better. Unofficial (issued to student) transcript ok for initial admit;

official transcript must be received by the NCU Registrar within 90 days of starting EDU 5000. Six credits

of university-quality post baccalaureate coursework with a GPA of 3.0 or better will be accepted if

baccalaureate GPA is 2.00 - 2.49 and all other requirements are met.

3 A copy of your valid, unencumbered, current teaching certificate from Arizona or another state.

Alternative path program ok if undergraduate degree and teaching experience requirements are met. AZ-

approved alternative path programs based at colleges or universities may be found at:

http://www.azed.gov/highly-qualified-professionals/files/2013/04/ihealtpathcontacts.pdf

4 A supportive recommendation from your current supervising principal or superintendent addressing all 7

required components (see Form A-Part I in the PLCS Application).

5 Verification of at least three years of successful full-time PK-12 teaching experience, by your current

supervising principal, superintendent, or HR personnel (see FORM A – Part II in the PLCS Application).

Candidates applying for Arizona certification will need to provide documentation of at least three years’ full

time teaching experience to the Arizona Department of Education when applying for a PK-12 Principal

certification., using the form on the ADE website. The full listing of requirements for Arizona principal

certification may be found at: http://www.azed.gov/educator-certification/files/2011/09/principal-

certificate.pdf 6 Documentation of meeting your state’s and/or district’s fingerprint/criminal background check

requirements. (Many states, counties, districts, or schools require this clearance for anyone volunteering

or observing in public schools. Check local requirements carefully.) Arizona information may be found

at: http://www.azdps.gov/Services/Fingerprint/ 7 Signed statement of intent (see PLCS Application, p. 5) regarding your status for meeting the requirement of

6 semester hours Arizona-approved Structured English Immersion (SEI)) coursework (if Arizona PK-12

Principal Certification will be sought) at the undergraduate or graduate level. Several options exist for

completing this requirement online. Arizona State-approved SEI options may be found at :

http://www.azed.gov/english-language-learners/sei/endorsement-training/

NCU has working relationships with Rio Salado College, where the required courses for SEI endorsement

are offered on-line. The first 45 clock hour course is EPD 220. The prerequisite is a copy of a current

teaching license or a transcript of a bachelor’s or higher degree. The second 45 clock hour course is EDP

233; the prerequisite is the same as the first course. Students only need to submit the prerequisite once if

both classes are needed. Contact registration at 480-517-8540. To register, go to

http://www.riosalado.edu/Schedule/pages/default.aspx or Registration may be reached at (480) 517-8540.

For more information: Arizona Structured English Immersion (SEI) requirement information -

http://www.azed.gov/educator-certification/files/2011/09/information-sei-fast-facts.pdf If you have not yet

met this requirement at the time of admission it must be met prior to program completion in order to apply

for an Arizona principal certificate.

8 Signed statement of intent (see PLCS Application, p. 5) regarding your status on obtaining a passing score

on an AZ Constitution examination and a USA Constitution examination or college course(s) in AZ

government (if Arizona PK-12 Principal Certification will be sought). A combined examination is available,

offered year-round by appointment, at test sites in and outside of Arizona. See information at :

http://www.aepa.nesinc.com/AZ_testinfo.asp?t=033. If you have not yet met this requirement at the

time of application it must be met prior to NCU clearance to apply for an Arizona principal certificate.

9 A signed letter of agreement (using the NCU letter provided for this purpose- see Form B in Appendix C)

from a qualified principal who is willing to serve as your Mentor Principal during your coursework and

internship.

http://www.azed.gov/highly-qualified-professionals/files/2013/04/ihealtpathcontacts.pdf

http://www.azed.gov/educator-certification/files/2011/09/principal-certificate.pdf

http://www.azed.gov/educator-certification/files/2011/09/principal-certificate.pdf

http://www.azdps.gov/Services/Fingerprint/


https://m1.ncu.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=Qk3Ast0UpEWPftms6rBB-HSZyHq6c9AI1SCbHJ4A0nKeAdfbO876mBuLRtjWyQz-8-WxRQls8o8.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.riosalado.edu%2fSchedule%2fpages%2fdefault.aspx

http://www.azed.gov/educator-certification/files/2011/09/information-sei-fast-facts.pdf

http://www.aepa.nesinc.com/AZ_testinfo.asp?t=033

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Coursework Completion: M. Ed./PLCS Degree Candidacy

All course and internship requirements must be satisfactorily completed for an M.Ed. in Educational

Leadership with a specialization in PK-12 Principal Leadership from Northcentral University in order to

graduate. The following checklist of requirements pertaining to the M.Ed./PLCS must be met to be

cleared for graduation:

GRADUATION CHECKLIST

# Check

list

Items:

1 A completed NCU application for graduation. (This requirement will need to be met several months

prior to the date of anticipated program completion.)

2 Satisfactory completion of all degree and specialization requirements, including the e-folio, the

supervised internship, and the exit conference with mentor principal and university supervisor/

course instructor.

3 Recommendation for degree by program coordinator and Dean. (Will be handled internally

and sent to the appropriate office; candidates are copied on this correspondence for their records.)

NCU School of Education Recommendation for State PK-12 Principal Certification

After all graduation requirements for the M.Ed. degree and PL specialization have been met, the

following checklist of requirements must be completed and forwarded to the NCU certification officer

(or her/his designee) in order to apply for state principal licensure in Arizona. (Requirements for

certification in other states will be handled in a similar manner if direct application for licensure from an

out-of-state school is permitted.) Degree candidates are responsible for learning and following the

requirements for licensure in the state(s) where they wish to become certified.

CERTIFICATION CHECKLIST

# Check

list

Required Item:

1 A completed AZ Principal Certificate application with fee. (Will be signed by certification officer/

Dean at NCU and forwarded to the Arizona Department of Education.) You may access this form at:

http://www.azed.gov/educator-certification/files/2012/11/application-for-certification-checklist.pdf 2 Transcripted completion of all M.Ed. degree program course requirements with a final GPA of 3.0 or

better. (This GPA is an AZ requirement for PK-12 Principal certification). No need to request a

transcript, it will be accessed by NCU as part of the process of approving you for certification.

3 School or district-required security clearance. (A current Arizona IVP fingerprint card must be submitted

with any application for an Arizona PK-12 Principal Certification.) Arizona information may be found at:


4 Completion of any outstanding requirements regarding SEI, AZ Constitution, and/or U.S. Constitution.

(For Arizona certification only.) 5 Passing score on the AEPA for Arizona principal licensure. (The exam may be taken any time after

completion of PL 5050. Request scores be sent to the NCU School of Education.) Information may be

found at: http://www.aepa.nesinc.com/AZ_testinfo.asp?t=081. 6 Three years of verified full-time teaching in grades pK-12. For Arizona certification, this must be

verified on the form at: http://www.azed.gov/educator-certification/files/2011/09/verification-teaching-

experience.pdf.

http://www.azed.gov/educator-certification/files/2012/11/application-for-certification-checklist.pdf


http://www.aepa.nesinc.com/AZ_testinfo.asp?t=081

http://www.azed.gov/educator-certification/files/2011/09/verification-teaching-experience.pdf


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A copy of a valid teaching certificate is not required in Arizona but is required for administrative

certification in many other states. (A valid teaching certificate is an NCU requirement for admission to

this NCU M.Ed. program specialization.) Additional information on Arizona requirements related to PK-

12 Principal Licensure may be found on the following links:

Arizona PK-12 Principal Certification requirements - http://www.azed.gov/educator

certification/files/2011/09/principal-certificate.pdf. (Please be aware that requirements may be a bit

different for someone coming in from out of state who has already been a principal in another state.)

Arizona PK-12 Principal Certification application form - http://www.azed.gov/educator-

certification/files/2012/11/application-for-certification-checklist.pdf

Arizona SEI requirement information - http://www.azed.gov/educator-

certification/files/2011/09/information-sei-fast-facts.pdf

Arizona State-approved SEI options - http://www.azed.gov/english-language-learners/sei/endorsement-

training/

The form for providing evidence of successful full-time teaching experience at the time of application for

Arizona PK-12 principal certification - http://www.azed.gov/educator-

certification/files/2011/09/verification-teaching-experience.pdf

COURSE SEQUENCE: M.Ed. with a Specialization in PK-12 Principal Leadership

Course Number Course Title Credits

EDU 5000* Foundations of Graduate Study in Education 3

ED 5001* Contemporary Issues in Education 3

ED 5034* School Community Relations 3

PL 5035** Supervision of the PK-12 Curriculum 3

PL 5016** Instructional Supervision and Leadership for PK-12 Principals 3

PL 5004** School Law for PK-12 Principals 3

PL 5013** School Finance for PK-12 Principals 3

ED 5023* Multicultural Relations in Educational Organizations 3

ED 5022* Educational Policies and Practices 3

PL 5050** The PK-12 Principalship 3

PL 6010*** PK-12 Capstone Internship I 3

PL 6011*** PK-12 Capstone Internship II 3

* The five PK-12 core courses are required for all M.Ed. students in PK-12 Specializations.

** The first five specialization courses include embedded Field Experiences.

*** The final two specialization courses comprise the 16-week PK-12 Capstone Internship.

SCHEDULING COURSES

Be sure to time your courses carefully, so that courses are scheduled completely (internship courses) or

partially (PL prefix courses) when school or summer school is in session. See sample schedules in

APPENDIX B. Please note: If the course pair of PL 5035 and PL 5016 falls during a summer vacation

when planning the program schedule, and summer school supervision/ curriculum work is not possible,

the course pair of PL 5035 and PL 5016 may be exchanged for the course pair of PL 5004 and PL 5013 by

http://www.azed.gov/educator%20certification/files/2011/09/principal-certificate.pdf

http://www.azed.gov/educator%20certification/files/2011/09/principal-certificate.pdf









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contacting the School of Education Dean’s Office for permission to do so. Up to three weeks may be built

in between courses except for PL6010/PL6011, which must be completed in a 16-week block. However, if

a schedule is to be completed in approximately two years, plan to work as much as possible with one-

week breaks between courses or course blocks.

Candidates may elect to take breaks up to three weeks in length without needing to apply for a leave of

absence. Keep this policy in mind when planning for holidays, family vacations or celebrations, etc. as

you work with an Enrollment Specialist to design your schedule.

Leaves of Absence

Northcentral University programs are designed to allow students to pursue their educational efforts full-

time while managing other responsibilities. An Academic Leave of Absence (ALOA) may be granted for

a student who is experiencing professional or personal hardship circumstances that make effective

progress in his/her academic course of study unusually difficult. A leave of absence is defined as a

temporary break from registration with a clear intent to return to the program of study.

Leaves are only available to students who are currently in active status and have proceeded beyond the

drop period in at least one course since beginning their program of study. Students on approved ALOA

who receive Federal Financial Aid are not considered withdrawn, and a return of funds is not required.

However, students may not receive Federal Financial Aid disbursements while on an ALOA. (Policy and

procedure for students who require a leave of absence due to military deployment are outlined in a

separate Military Leave of Absence policy.)

Students considering an Academic Leave of Absence must contact an Academic Advisor to discuss

strategies to help them continue their studies prior to requesting an ALOA. A student who is in an active

course at the time he or she is granted an academic leave of absence (ALOA) receives a “W” (Withdrawn)

grade provided the request is made on or before the last day to withdraw from the course. Otherwise a

letter grade, based on course work completed to date, will be given.

Students who require an ALOA, and who are not eligible for a military leave of absence, must complete a

Request for Leave of Absence form, available in the Student Portal on the Student Programs page (ask an

Advisor if you need assistance). The request is submitted for approval to the Academic Liaison in Student

Services, who is responsible for determining if the student is eligible for a leave. Not all requests will be

approved, additional documentation may be required, and all Leave of Absence decisions are final.

When a Leave request is approved, the Academic Liaison notifies the student, instructor, and Faculty

Services (if the student is in an active course), Academic Advisor, Registrar, and Student Financial

Services. At that time, the Academic Liaison specifies the length of time approved for the ALOA, and the

course start date on which a student must start the next course after the approved ALOA return date.

Length of Leave

The permissible length of each ALOA is evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the Academic Liaison.

Calendar days are used to calculate the length of time a student spends on ALOA, and the maximum

number of calendar days permissible in any case is 90 per ALOA. The allowed length of the ALOA will

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be determined during the approval process by the Academic Liaison based on the circumstances of each

leave requested.

The date specified as the beginning date of the Academic Leave of Absence depends on whether or not the

student is currently enrolled in a course or is in between courses.

- Students currently enrolled in a course: The ALOA begins on the day after the date the student last

clicked into the course room.

- Students not currently enrolled in a course: The ALOA begins on the day after the student’s last course

completion date (for most students the completion date is the official end date of the course, but it will

be an earlier date for those who complete earlier).

Regardless of whether the ALOA begins while a student is in a course or in between courses, the

maximum allowable time out of a course is 90 days. The student must return from their ALOA on a start

date such that the 90 day leave limit is not exceeded. Back-to-back requests that comprise more than 90

total days of leave are not permitted.

Time spent on ALOA counts toward program length and is included when determining if a student can

complete his or her degree program within the maximum time limits. Students in a Master’s Degree

program may take up to two ALOAs over the course of their programs.

Students on leave do not maintain access to faculty, electronic Course rooms, or the SmarThinking tutorial

service offered in the Writing Center. Other Writing Center resources and the Northcentral Library

remain available through the student portal.

Return from Leave

Students returning from ALOA remain in the degree program in which they were enrolled at the time the

ALOA was approved. Students who do not acknowledge acceptance of and payment for a course with the

next start date immediately following the date of return from leave will be administratively withdrawn

from the University. It is the responsibility of the student to work with his or her Academic Advisor to

begin a course on or before the date specified as the date of return from leave.

INTRODUCTION TO FIELD EXPERIENCES AND THE INTERNSHIP

The field experience and internship components of this program were developed using the Arizona

Department of Education’s Statewide Framework for Internship Programs for School Leaders (2008) as a

guide.The NCU field experiences/internship model contains the following attributes:

Work in PK-12 schools involves observing (field experiences and internship), participating (field

experiences and internship), and leading (systematically required to complete program e-folio artifacts

under ISLLC standards 2 and 6).

Field experiences are embedded in all PL specialization coursework throughout the program: 5 of the

10 M. Ed. courses prior to the 6-cr internship.

The course-embedded field experiences prior to the internship are not only ISLCC-aligned but also

ISLLC function-aligned in order to systemically mandate specific authentic experiences in the principal’s

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role. Internship experiences – required, optional/selected, and individually designed – are all ISLLC-

aligned as well.

The internship requires exploration of various school levels depending on the needs of the candidates.

(This is also encouraged in some field experiences).

The internship includes a diversity of experiences. Candidates must complete a set number of

internship hours under each ISLLC standard in addition to required internship experiences.

The NCU program requires a 16 week internship in addition to 110 hours of required course-imbedded

field experiences – all ISLLC-aligned.

The combined field experiences and internship comprise a minimum of 350 hrs – 110 hours in course-

embedded field experiences; plus 120 hours in each of the two 8-week sections of the 16-week internship.

The internship requires two full-day shadowing experiences during the 16 weeks.

FIELD EXPERIENCES

As part of your admission requirements, you must have a signed letter of agreement from your mentor

principal on file with the Coordinator of the Principal Leadership program or his/her designee. (See

APPENDIX C for a copy of the letter.) You must submit the letter at the time of application.

In the five PL-prefix Principal Leadership specialization courses preceding the internship, you will be

engaging in a minimum of 110 hours of specific, course-embedded field experiences. All field experiences

are aligned not only with ISLLC standards but also with specific functions under each standard. This is

done to assure candidates have comprehensive experiences prior to beginning the internship. Field

experiences are embedded in all Principal Leadership courses: PL 5004, 5013, 5016, 5035, and 5050.

Hours of Field Experience Credit (FEC) are provided for each but are only estimates of the number of

contact hours involved. Preparation or follow-up work may involve additional time. In most courses you

may complete required field experience hours for the course at any time prior to the date on which they

are due to be submitted. However, field experience requirements must be completed, and documentation

submitted, by specific points in each course. The actual field experience takes place in the weeks prior to

submission of the field experience documentation.

You will want to read descriptions of the field experiences in all courses prior to planning your academic

program so that you can allow yourself plenty of time to complete them. You will also want to be sure

your school – or another in which you can complete the required field experiences with permission from

your mentor principal – is in session during the times when you plan to take courses with required field

experiences. Consider the course sequence and which courses contain required field experiences carefully

when planning your program. (See APPENDIX B for sample schedules. Students may take up to 3 weeks

off between courses without permission to take a leave of absence.) Field experiences for all PL courses

are summarized in the chart on the next page.

Professional Liability Insurance: Candidates are encouraged to secure professional liability insurance

prior to beginning required field experiences. Professional liability policies, sometimes at a reduced fee,

are often available through membership in professional organizations. The website, www.ftj.com, is an

excellent website to visit to determine professional organization liability insurance options. Liability

insurance can also be obtained through private insurance companies. Mentor principals will be able to

provide information regarding professional liability in candidates’ schools. In some cases candidates are

covered by school policies but be sure of your coverage before beginning field experiences.

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PL Field Experience Matrix: Course Number/Field Experience Code, ISLLC Standard/Function, Hours Required, and Descriptions

Course Field

Exp

ISLLC

Functions

Hours Field Experience Descriptions

PL 5004 FE 1 6A, 6B, 5C 10 Applying School Law-Based Policy in Daily Practice – Prior to beginning this course or in the first

week of the course, have a conversation with your mentor principal in which you share the eight focal

areas of PK-12 school law addressed in this course: attendance, building emergencies, contract

negotiations, free speech (1st Amendment), search and seizure (4

th Amendment), special education law,

student safety, and teacher rights including due process. Ask your mentor principal to involve you as

much as possible in the decision-making and resolution processes regarding these issues while you are

enrolled in this course and also in the future, during the semester in which you will be completing your

internship. Examples could include issues as simple as working with a student who has worn a t-shirt

with an inappropriate saying to school or as complicated as navigating the process needed to suspend a

student for threatening another student’s life in an on-line environment.

PL 5004 FE 2 6A, 6B, 5C 10 Integrating School Law in Policy Decisions: Preparing a Policy Proposal –One of your tasks for the

signature assignment in this course will be to draft a case law supported proposal for a new or revised

school handbook policy, presented in a set of PowerPoint Slides suitable for sharing at a school

leadership team, PLC, or faculty meeting. Once you have read the policy documents, have a discussion

with your mentor principal in which you select a mentor principal-approved policy to draft or revise for

your signature assignment. It is ideal (but not required as related decisions are not under your direct

control) if the collaborative work you do for this project would provide a service to your school and the

resulting presentation would be shared as part of policy approval and implementation process.

PL 5013 FE 1 3A, 4A 20 Working with PK-12 School Finance - Be sure to plan for experience with: A) the monitoring and

management of day-to-day operating systems pertaining to the PK-12 school (and district) budget and to

associated financial areas such as fund raising for school programs, co-curricular or extra-curricular

programs, and school-associated events, and B) the collection and analysis of numerical data and

narrative information pertinent to the school (and district) budget and to financial matters in the local and

state educational environment. Pease read descriptions of the 15 field experience options and plan time to

complete field work in a minimum of five areas. Opportunities for observation and direct work with the

school budget will be partially dependent on educational setting and on the time of year you are enrolled

in this course. Because of this you may opt to substitute field experience in one individualized area of

school finance not included in the list of 15 options for one of your required five experience areas.

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PL 5016 FE 1 2D, 2F, 2I,

3E

10 Daily Instructional Supervision - Informal observations of classroom instruction are sometimes

known as ‘walk throughs’ because the intent is to observe samplings of instruction in a brief

unannounced visit. This takes place on a daily basis (some districts mandate this) or as close as possible

to a daily basis. In some schools, principals use hand-held devices that interface with ipads or laptop

computers to provide working notes and a running record of observations. Schedule time to accompany

your mentor principal and/or his or her designee (such as an assistant principal) on 10 hours of daily

walk throughs during the eight weeks of the course. Be sure that most of this time involves observing

teachers interacting with students in settings other than lunch, recess, hallway passing time, or

before/after school. You may do one or more walk throughs with other principals in the district, perhaps

at other grade levels, if your mentor principal approves and assists you in arranging to do them.

PL 5016 FE 2 2D, 2F, 2I,

3E

15 Clinical Supervision – For this field experience you will experience three formal clinical supervisory

visits, consisting of a pre-conference, observation, and post-conference. Your mentor principal will

determine the teachers with whom you will work. Approximately five hours for each visit have been

allotted to plan, meet with the teacher for the pre-conference, observe, meet with the teacher for the post-

conference, confer with your mentor principal, and write up the results of the clinical supervisory

process. Use whatever supervisory instrument(s) would be used by the supervising principal in the

building where you complete your clinical supervision field experience. If your school does not specific

a supervisory form, figures 14.4, 14.5, 14.6, and 14.7 in the course text provide sample forms from

which to select. When you conduct your post conference for the third visit, use one of the four

approaches in Appendix b-2 in the Glickman, Gordon, and Ross-Gordon text. Base your selection on the

developmental level of the teacher you observed. Your role in the clinical supervision process will

develop over the three visits (see syllabus for full explanations/instructions) until your mentor principal

is observing you in the third visit.

PL 5035 FE 1 2B, 2C, 2H 2 Curriculum Leader Interview - Interview the administrator, perhaps a curriculum director or assistant

superintendent for curriculum, responsible for curricular matters in your school or school district, to learn

more about contemporary trends, issues, and implementation or assessment challenges.

PL 5035 FE 2 2B, 2H 5 Curriculum Delivery Survey - Plan, conduct, analyze, and share results for an informal survey of the

teachers in the school in which you plan to do your internship. You will ask them to identify favorite

teaching techniques, technology-enhanced methods, or instructional approaches used to deliver

classroom curricula and an approach about which they would like to learn more.

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PL 5035 FE 3 2C, 2E, 2G,

2H, 5A

8 ELL Curriculum Leadership - Spend a day shadowing and talking with an administrator in your school

or district who works with English Language Learners and families whose initial language was not

English. If a traditional full day is not possible, given your current teaching or administrative duties, you

may accumulate 8 hours of shadowing on more than one day, through administrator-supervised evening

or weekend interaction with ELL parents or students, or by shadowing more than one administrator.

PL 5035 FE 4 2B, 2C, 2E,

2G, 2H, 5A

10 Individualized Curriculum Collaboration – Collaborate with or observe teachers or administrators in

an aspect of curriculum planning, delivery/teaching, or evaluation of your choice. If at all possible, spend

some or all of these hours in a building other than your own and in a content area and/or grade level

other than that of your most recent teaching assignment. Some of the hours may be after school. For

example, if you are an elementary school teacher and are able to sit in on a curriculum planning or PLC

meeting at a middle school or high school, you may count this experience toward the 10 hours. Do be

sure to include actual classroom observation time in content areas and/or grade levels outside of your

own area of curricular expertise for part of the 10 hours.

PL 5050 FE 1 1A, 2A, 3D,

5B

10 Encouraging Teacher Leadership – Speak with your mentor principal and a second additional

administrator working in a school at a level different from yours regarding their beliefs about teacher

leadership and how they go about encouraging teacher leadership in their buildings. Be aware that

teacher leadership can mean very different things to different people and be respectful of possible

differences in your definition contrasted with that of the administrator you are visiting. Keeping the four

stages of supervision from PL 5016 in mind, there may be contextually driven reasons why teacher

leadership is enacted as it is in a particular building. You may wish to address that in your reflection on

this field experience component.

PL 5050 FE 2 1B, 1C, 1D,

1E, 6C

10 Data-Driven Decision Making – Speak with your mentor principal and one additional administrator

working in a school at a level different from yours regarding their use of data to make building-level

decisions. Conversations must be held face-to-face at the other school so that you have an opportunity to

tour a building at a level different from yours even if your own work schedule does not permit you to be

present to observe instruction. It would be ideal – but not required – if you were able to work in a few

hours of shadowing the administrator in his or her building during the school day to compare and

contrast the administrative role at that level with the administrative role at your current level.

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Field Experience Logs

You will use the NCU PL Program Field Experience Log form (see APPENDIX D) to track FEC hours.

Plan to have your mentor principal, or his/her designee, initial all FEC experiences so documented.

Remember that you must have fingerprint/criminal background check clearance on file with Northcentral

University before starting the field experience courses. Field experiences are included as course

activities/projects in all PL courses. Please note: You will complete one Field Experience Log for each PL

course, even if more than one kind of field experience is required for the course, and submit the log in the

last week of the course.

Field Experience Rubrics

Your developmental progress in completing and learning from field experiences is documented with field

experience rubrics. A common field experience rubric (see APPENDIX E) is also scored once in each of

the five courses in which field experiences are required. If satisfactory progress in field-based work is not

made for any reason, a request for evaluation of the need for a formal action plan may be initiated by a

course instructor, the mentor principal, the university supervisor (during the internship), or the NCU

program coordinator.

It is critical that you exhibit professional behavior while you are completing field experiences and also the

internship. You represent yourself as a beginning school administrative leader and also Northcentral

University to members of the educational community. It is important to be mindful of your role as a

professional and as an ambassador of our university.

CAPSTONE INTERNSHIP

A minimum of 240 hours of required, optional, and individually determined internship experiences, all ISLLC

standard aligned, are required in the capstone experience. The capstone internship experience spans 16 weeks. A

summary of all ISLLC Standards-aligned required and optional professional leadership internship experiences may be

found in APPENDIX F.

Roles and responsibilities for Interns:

• Take an active role in planning and implementing your Internship Action Plan..

• Be proactive and assertive in arranging time for conversations, direction, feedback

and coaching from your mentor principal and university supervisor.

• Document your progress toward competencies by revisiting your Internship Action Plan

and the Internship evaluation rubric on a regular basis.

• Seek support and advice as needed.

• Be professional, efficient, and dependable.

• Be responsible for completing internship activities and notifying appropriate people

of any obstacles that you cannot overcome alone.

• Be a reflective practitioner.

• Develop artifacts and upload them to your e-folio.

• Follow all university, state, district, and school policies for interns.

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Application and Placement for the Internship

Students must apply for their internship prior to the first week of PL 5023, the 8th

course in the M.Ed./

PLCS sequence. This works out to be approximately six months prior to beginning the internship. To be

admitted to the internship semester, requirements for satisfactory enrollment maintenance must be met (see

the Benchmark Matrix in APPENDIX G). The action research proposal must also be approved by the NCU

IRB in PL 5050, the course immediately preceding the internship (see the IRB proposal/ approval form in

APPENDIX H), in order to begin the Internship. Finally, a university supervisor must be available to

supervise the internship experience as indicated on the Internship Application form (see APPENDIX I).

Candidates are usually asked to assist in identifying and contacting potential supervisors. The supervisory

placement must be approved by the NCU School of Education, through the PLCS Coordinator’s office,

prior to the end of ED5023, preferably sooner.

Internship Components

The nine components of the full internship (PL 6010 and PL 6011) experience are:

1) Action Plan for the Internship

2) Action Research Project and Paper

3) E-folio Key Assessments

4) Experiences

Full-Day Shadowing

Required, Optional, and Individually Designed Experiences

5) Faculty Professional Development Initiative

6) Internship Logs

7) On-Line Seminars

8) Reflections

9) Supervision and Supervisory Contacts

All nine aspects of the internship are described below. Although the courses are graded as two separate 8-

week courses, and the internship evaluation rubric is completed at the end of each 8-week course, it may be

helpful to think of the internship in its entirety as a 16-week experience. The Arizona Department of

Education (ADE) requires an internship of no less than 15 weeks. The 16-week format fits easily into the

University’s 8-week delivery format and allows for contingencies such as days in which school is not in

session and illness or other emergencies.

Action Plan for the Internship

As stated in the ADE (2008) Statewide Framework for Internship Programs for School Leaders, the purpose

of a learning plan or action plan for the internship is to ensure that interns are working toward reaching

specific standards in competency-based activities that build skills through observing, participating, and then

leading. You will be demonstrating leadership level skills under a minimum of two ISLLC Standards, 2 and

6, through required internship projects – the action research project and the professional development

initiative – both of which will also result in one of the required artifacts posted to your e-folio.

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You will prepare your action plan (see APPENDIX J) for the first face-to-face meeting with your mentor

principal and your university supervisor, update it prior to the end of the first 8 weeks, and will submit the

final version during week 15 of the internship. The action plan is an Arizona Dept of Education requirement

as well as an NCU course requirement. Prepare and carry out action plans with your mentor principal’s

input and approval because they will involve school-based administrative and leadership activities.

Commit to a personal formative review of the working plan at the end of every week, update it with

everything that has been accomplished during that week, and save the revised plan as a working copy. You

may also wish to write your weekly reflection and submit your internship experience log (see APPENDIX

K) at this time. Keeping up with accomplishments on a weekly basis will make it easier for you to: 1) plan

the required ISLLC artifact submissions, 2) track and plan for your own use of time, 3) write a concise yet

informative weekly reflection, and 4) provide the revised action plan which will be required for the second

face-to-face meeting with your mentor principal and university supervisor in week 7 and the final completed

action plan copy – with a reflective summary addressing your ongoing commitment to personal life-long

learning - in week 15. The final action plan becomes part of the programmatic e-folio.

Action Research Project and Paper

You will prepare a proposal for your action research project in PL 5050 and have it approved by your course

instructor, the PL coordinator, and the NCU Institutional Review Board (IRB). You will implement the

project as soon as you begin your internship. By the time you begin the second 8 weeks of your internship,

the project will be well underway and may even be completed or close to completion. Enacting the building-

level action research project, focused on an aspect of PK-12 school improvement, provides you with an

opportunity to take on a leadership role under ISLLC standard 6 and possibly additional ISLLC standards,

depending upon your project. As you prepare to present your results and to write your

conclusions/recommendations/ implications for applied practice, think through the following items or revisit

them at this point in the action research process:

School goals addressed through your work with the action research project.

How your action research project could be a tool to help you assess organizational

effectiveness, promote organizational learning, and/or enact the school’s mission.

How you will take on leadership roles under ISLLC standard 6, and possibly more of the

ISLLC standards, to enact the leadership project.

What data will need to be collected and how it will be used to make educational decisions.

How results of the study will be used to facilitate school goals and/or promote continuous

and sustainable school improvement.

Ways to monitor and evaluate daily progress of the action research project.

All due dates for action research components, provided on the course assignment matrix.

Instructions for submitting final copies of the action research project to the NCU library.

Use the Glanz (2003) text to assist you in working through the steps associated with conducting the actual

action research project and writing it up, drafting sections as you work through the process.

The final action research project culminates in a paper that will be approximately 25-35 pages in length (not

counting appendices) and will consist of the following sections:

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Preliminary Components (4 pages)

Cover page

Acknowledgments (optional)

Abstract (100-150 words)

Table of Contents

Section I – Introduction (@ 5-6 pages)

Use your IRB-approved proposal as the basis for this section. The text refers to this section

as Reflection and Focus.

Background

Problem Statement

Research Question (and any subquestions)

Research Purpose

Hypothesis (if appropriate)

Delimitations (factors under control of research, involve conscious choices made)

and limitations (factors beyond the control of the researcher). Limitations are often

addressed in the discussion/conclusions/recommendations for practice section as

these can and often do arise during the project. Example: one of the research

subjects moves away.

Definition of key terms used in the action research project.

Section II – Literature Review (@ 6-8 pages)

Depending on the nature of the problem, the review of research literature may be organized

in one of four main ways:

Chronologically (tracing the history of an area of study, for example, using

technology to enhance instruction)

By important concepts in the research question. (For example, if the question was,

“Do third grade students in classes where students are given individualized

homework assignments perform better on chapter mathematics tests than children in

classes where each student is given the same homework assignments?” the action

researcher would want to read and report professional literature on concepts such

as: third grade achievement, pros and cons of individualized homework, pros and

cons of traditional homework, factors affecting elementary students’ progress in

math, and factors affecting elementary students’ performance on textbook-

determined assessments.

Pro-con/for-or-against. Using a similar example, if the research question were to

read, “Is there any academic value in assigning homework?” the researcher would

be seeking professional literature wherein the authors take positions in support of

homework or in opposition to homework.

By primary viewpoints associated with the topic. For example, the same research

question in the pro/con example could be approached by seeking professional

literature in which the authors were opposed to homework, believed in homework

every night for every student, or took a position midway between the two

dichotomous extremes and supported homework under some conditions such as not

on weekends, with time limits according to grade level, only if individualized, only

for enrichment, etc.

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Section III - Research Design and Methodology (@ 3-5 pages)

Describe, in detail, where the study is taking place and who will be involved in the study.

Outline the specific steps that will be taken to carry out the study. Think of this as

the “recipe” for the study. The steps must be so clear and so specific that another

action researcher could take over after reading this section and know exactly what

to do in order to carry out the action research project you had in mind. Or another

action researcher could carry out the exact same project, could replicate it, in his or

her school.

Section IV – Results (@ 5-7 pages)

Present what happened, what resulted, when you carried out your research “recipe”.

Be completely objective in this section. Describe the “what” of what happened.

Save any interpretation, analysis of what you found, discussion of why you think

the results came about until the next section.

You are encouraged to use tables, graphs, charts, or other visuals here.

Section V – Discussion/Conclusions/Recommendations for Practice (@ 4-5 pages)

Start by going back to your overriding research question and answer it - based on

your results.

This is also the place to insert limitations of the study. If anything unexpected

happened – research subjects moved away, one of three test dates was cancelled due

to bad weather, or any other factor beyond your control that may have impacted the

results of the study, mention it in this section.

Now is the time for interpretation. In this section you discuss why you think you got

the results you did. You may analyze what happened as the study unfolded. You

may write about anything you might do differently in a similar study or about

subsequent studies you would like to see done, based on what you found.

What conclusions have you made, if any?

The most important part – the “so what?” factor – is the recommendations for

practice. How could what you learned as a result of this action research study be

used to improve educational practice in the setting where the action research project

was carried out?

References

Appendices (if any)

One of the texts you will use for your internship courses contains a list of components of a research study

that is similar but not identical to the outline above. Be sure to use the five-section outline provided here.

(The main difference between the two outlines is that the text outline includes results in section III whereas

the results section is separate in our outline.)

Start each section at the top of a fresh page. Use section headings except for the first section: do not label it

“Introduction”, just begin writing. APA format calls for the paper to be double-spaced. Use Times New

Roman 12-point font and 1” margins for text. Be sure tables or other diagrams follow APA format, are

clearly labeled, and easy to read. You will be providing a 1-2 page update on the progress of your action

research project and paper in week 10. A simple way to provide this would be to convert the section outline

into the components of the left-side column on a three column chart. In the second column list the status of

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the step of the project in the left hand column. If the item has not yet been completed, list the anticipated

completion date in the far right column. You may also simply provide the update in narrative form. The

project is due in week 14, with any instructor-required edits made in week 15, and the final project posted to

your e-folio in week 16 of the internship.

Please see the Action Research Assessment Rubric in Appendix N.

E-Folio Artifacts – Program Portfolio

The required e-folio artifacts, comprised of signature assignments completed during program coursework

(ED and PL courses) and during the capstone internship, are aligned with the NCU School of Education and

M.Ed. Program Goals/TEAC claims as well as the ISLLC Standards:

ISLLC Standard

Artifact NCU M.Ed. Program Goals Artifact Source

1 - An education leader promotes the success

of every student by facilitating the

development, articulation, implementation,

and stewardship of a vision of learning that is

shared and supported by all stakeholders.

Philosophy of

Educational

Leadership

Discuss methods of

collaboration to build and

execute a shared vision (7).

Begun in PL 5050;

carried out in PL

6010/6011.


of every student by advocating, nurturing,

and sustaining a school culture and

instructional program conducive to student

learning and staff professional growth.

Faculty

Professional

Development

Initiative

Apply learning in a caring and

professional manner (5);

communicate effectively in a

variety of learning contexts

within a global environment

(6).

Planned in PL 5016;

carried out in PL

6010/6011.


of every student by ensuring management of

the organization, operations, and resources

for a safe, efficient, and effective learning

environment.

School Budget

Analysis

Apply educational leadership

principles and theories to real-

world educational problems or

case studies (1); effectively

use technology (3).

Constructed in PL

5013.


of every student by collaborating with

faculty and community members, responding

to diverse community interests and needs,

and mobilizing community resources.

Case Study:

Facilitating

Community Buy-

In

Apply educational leadership

principles and theories to real-

world educational problems or

case studies (1); accurately

integrate multiple perspectives

related to diversity (8).

Written in ED 5034.


of every student by acting with integrity,

fairness, and in an ethical manner.

Multicultural

Environment Plan

Accurately integrate multiple

perspectives related to

diversity (8).

Designed in ED 5023.


of every student by understanding,

responding to, and influencing the political,

social, economic, legal, and cultural context.

Action Research

Project Paper

Analyze educational issues

within a specialty area and

make decisions and/or

recommendations (2).

Proposal approved in

PL 5050; project

enacted in PL

6010/6011, assessed in

6011.

1-6 Final Internship

Action Plan

All 8 M.Ed. Goals/TEAC

Claims

Begun in PL 6010;

completed in PL 6011.

1-6 Final Internship

Evaluation Rubric


Claims

Initial evaluation in PL

6010; final in PL 6011.

1-6 Professional

Resume’


Claims

Produced in PL 6011.

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Six required e-folio artifacts, three of which are designed or begun in PL specialization

courses and enacted during the 16-week internship, will be produced and uploaded during

the second eight weeks of the internship, in PL 6011:

Professional Leadership Resume’ (part of the introductory pages to your e-folio)

Action Research Project (ISLLC 6) – Assessed by your course instructor.

Faculty Professional Development Initiative (ISLLC 2) - Assessed by your course

instructor.

Final Internship Evaluation (All 6 ISLLC Standards) – Completed by your

university supervisor, with input from your mentor principal and course instructor.

Philosophy of Educational Leadership (ISLLC 1) – Assessed by your course

instructor.

Final Internship Action Plan (All six ISLLC Standards)

Three components have already been produced in prior courses and were posted to the e-

folio in PL 6010 if not prior:

School Budget Analysis (ISLLC 3 – PL 5013)

Case Study Analysis: Facilitating Community Buy-In (ISLLC 4 – ED 5034)

Multicultural Environment Plan (ISLLC 5 – ED 5023)

Submitting Required Artifacts - The required artifacts for your e-folio in PL 6011 will be

submitted in weeks 13 (ISLLC 2 – Faculty Professional Development Initiative), 14

(ISLLC 6-Action Research Project), and 16 (ISLLC 1-Philosophy of Administrative

Leadership, resume’, and final evaluation).

If you would like a review of Taskstream posting processes or E-folio basics, you may

consult the tutorials linked in syllabi.

Experiences: ISLLC (see Appendix O) Standards-Aligned

A minimum of 120 internship experience hours is required for each of the two 8-week courses comprising

the 16-week internship. This works out to an average of 15 hours per week. Students who are already

serving as acting assistant/associate principals (AP) or principals will have no difficulty in exceeding this

minimum. Candidates who are currently teaching will need to plan ahead to make use of work days,

personal days, and track-out periods in the case of year-round schools, to be sure to get the rich range of

standards-driven experiences required in the NCU PL specialization.

Full-Day Shadowing Experiences: Mentor Principal and Diverse School - During the 16-week internship, a

minimum of one entire school day spent shadowing your mentor principal and a minimum of one entire

school day spent shadowing a principal in a school that is different from yours in regard to ethnic, socio-

economic, or linguistic diversity is required. You are encouraged to plan for and schedule your full-day

shadowing experiences as soon as you begin the internship. You are also encouraged to exceed the

minimum of one day shadowing in a PK-12 school setting different from the one you know best and/or

actually gain experience in another school in addition to observing.

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Required/Optional/Individually Designed Experiences - A set of potential work experiences for the

internship (see APPENDIX F) has been prepared and aligned with the ISLLC standards. ISSLC-aligned

experiences fall into three categories: 1) required experiences, 2) optional experiences, and 3) individually

designed experiences. (Please see the table linked here and included in the Internship Handbook.)

Verification of all internship experiences is provided by descriptions of the experiences on the internship log

and mention of the experiences in the weekly reflection.

Required Experiences – These experiences are required of all PL candidates.

Optional Experiences – Candidates will be able to choose from a list of experiences

aligned to each standard to help craft an internship experience that involves them in

all ISLLC standard areas and facilitates an internship tailored to individual interns

in specific school settings.

Individually Designed Experiences - The set of optional experiences is by no means

a self-limiting list. Candidates and their mentor principals are encouraged to include

school-specific experiences when drafting action plans. View the ISLLC standard

functions, listed above in this syllabus, for ideas on potential individually designed

experiences.

Actual experiences under all standards may take place at any time across the 16-week internship

experience. When this is most logically done will be determined by the needs of individual schools,

interns, and mentor principals. You will document these experiences using the internship experience log

(see APPENDIX K) which will be submitted to your course instructor on a weekly basis.

Faculty Professional Development Initiative

For the final project in PL 5016, you designed and proposed a professional development initiative for

faculty members in the school in which you work and/or will be completing your internship. By this point in

the internship, you will have carried out all or part of this professional development initiative (with your

mentor principal’s permission) or will have selected another professional development offering to organize

and manage.

This project was started during PL 6010, will be due in PL 6011 week 13, and will be posted to your e-folio.

Required components include:

An overview of the proposed professional development initiative, what need it is

intended to meet, and how that need was identified. (Appendix a timeline, by week,

leading up to the professional development offering(s)/activity(s) involved in the

initative.)

Any costs or release time needed for the initiative.

How the proposed structure of the activity is supported by adult developmental

theory.

How you pre-assessed individual needs in the area to be addressed (Consider

teachers’ developmental phases and the four approaches to supervision.)

How you structured the professional development initiative and how you took

individual developmental levels into account when planning. (Appendix a program

or outline of the professional development initiative.)

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A description of how the initiative was carried out. (Pictures or video clips are

welcome if your school or district permits media images of teachers to be used for

purposes such as this M.Ed. project.)

Outcome(s) of the initiative and how they were assessed.

A paragraph or two of reflection on what you have learned from planning and

carrying out the professional development initiative.

The resulting professional development initiative report will be approximately 7-10 pages in length, not

counting the APA cover page, the references, and appendices. Please use a minimum of three professional

references as you prepare the report and write it in Times New Roman 12-point font, double-spacing the

text, and using 1” margins.

Internship Logs

Experiences during the internship will be documented on the Internship Log, submitted every week as part

of the weekly reflection. A copy of the log form may be found in APPENDIX K. PL interns are required to

submit evidence of experience under all six ISLLC standards. A minimum of 20 hours of experience must

be documented under each ISLLC standard over the course of the full 16-week internship. The resulting 120

hours 20 hrs x 6 ISLLC standards) comprises half of the minimum 240 hours of direct standards-aligned

experience required during the 16-week internship. A minimum of 120 hours is required for each of the two

8-week courses comprising the 16-week internship. However, the minimum requirement of 20 hours’

experience under each specific standard may be met at any time during the 16 weeks of the full internship.

Internship Rubric

The internship evaluation rubric (see APPENDIX L) is directly aligned with the ISLCC standards and

functions as well as with leadership dispositions and skills drawn from School of Education and M.Ed.

program goals/TEAC claims. The rubric is completed by the mentor principal and the university supervisor

at the internship midpoint, for formative purposes, and in the final week of the internship, for summative

purposes. You are also encouraged to use the rubric for self-assessment and as a guide for specific

performance level attainment during the internship.

Minimum scores on the Principal Leadership Internship Evaluation Rubric are required for successful

completion of the internship courses. The rubric is scored once at the midpoint of the internship experience

(the end of the first eight weeks) and again at the end of the full sixteen week internship. Scores for both

rubrics are entered into the data system but only the final rubric is included in the programmatic e-folio. The

maximum rubric score is 152 points. A minimum of 60 points should be achieved by the midpoint. (If this is

not achieved, an Action Plan will be collaboratively developed for the student by the student, mentor

principal, and University supervisor, copied to the coordinator of the PL specialization.) A minimum of 96

points must be achieved by the final evaluation– with no components rated ‘not observed’ or ‘not yet

competent’ and no more than one component under each ISLLC standard, leadership skill, or leadership

disposition rated ‘developing competence’. It is also expected that a majority of the scores under ISLLC 2

and ISLLC 6 be rated as ‘leadership competence’.

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On-Line Seminars

On-line Principal Leadership seminars will be pre-scheduled, held on a monthly or bimonthly basis, and

facilitated by the PL program coordinator. Virtual attendance is required for M.Ed. PL students during the

internship; students at all phases of the PL specialization are welcome to be in attendance, as are mentor

principals. (Some of the seminars will be recorded in case a seminar has to be missed and to provide

professional development opportunities for PL faculty, mentor principals, and future students.) Part of the

seminar will usually be devoted to collaborative problem solving. The remainder of the seminar may

involve analysis of a case study, a virtual simulation, a guest presenter/ responder, etc. The goal is to make

the seminars a beneficial use of your time during the internship and to give students not yet at that point an

opportunity to hear about real-world challenges and how they can be met.

Reflections

Internship reflection emails are due to your university supervisor at the end of every week of the internship.

Minimum length is 2-3 paragraphs. Weekly length will vary according to what has taken place during the

week. For example, the reflection for a week in which three days involve a holiday break would probably be

much shorter than a week in which you were involved in a suspension hearing. Content of the reflections is

not scored as they are intended to be regular communications between you and your university supervisor.

Your meeting the requirement to submit weekly emails is assessed by your university supervisor on the

internship evaluation at the end of 8 weeks and 16 weeks.

Reflections differ from logs in that logs summarize how time was spent. Reflections explore how you think

or feel about events that took place, what you believe you have learned as a result, and how that learning

will influence your subsequent work as an educational leader. Suggested prompts to help you get started –

but by no means a definitive list – are provided below:

Share an insight gained.

Something that went well – and why.

Something that went wrong – and what would be done differently if a similar

situation were encountered.

What if…

A belief affirmed.

A problem and how .it was or was not yet solved.

A conflict and how it was or was not yet resolved.

Role-related challenges.

How theory and practice connected.

A research-based practice used and why.

A question to which you are seeking an answer.

Is a situation going to recur? If so, how do you prepare or build capacity to be ready

for future occurrences?

If a mistake was made, how can it be prevented from happening again?

Did you note a gap in your own knowledge? What could you do to remedy this?

What have I learned about myself as an educational leader this week in terms of my

developing strengths and areas to work on?

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Remediation Processes and Remediation Action Plans

If a candidate does not achieve a midpoint rubric rating of at least 15 points or if any other concern arises

during the internship, the university supervisor will call this to the attention of the PL program coordinator.

They will discuss whether or not intervention is needed prior to beginning the second eight weeks of the

internship experience. If it is determined that remediation is needed, at this point or at any point during the

second eight weeks of the internship, it will usually take one of the following forms. Success will be

determined in the following ways:

Remediation Action Plan Component Success Determined By:

Revision of e-folio assignment or project is needed

to reach mastery level, as determined by rubric.

Revised assignment or project is scored at satisfactory mastery level

by course instructor.

Required internship experiences not yet underway

by the midpoint of the internship and/or no

mention of them is made on the internship action

plan.

A revised action plan that includes the experiences is submitted to the

university supervisor. Weekly logs and reflections must provide

evidence that the revised action plan is being carried out.

Additional internship hours needed or needed

under specific standards.

A revised action plan that includes the necessary additional hours is

submitted to the university supervisor. Weekly logs and reflections

must provide evidence that the revised action plan is being carried out.

Preponderance of rubric components rated

‘developing’ at the midpoint evaluation, a rubric

score of 15 is not attained by the midpoint, or a

rubric score of 24 is not attained by the final

evaluation in week 15.

If mentor principal and university supervisor agree that more time will

serve the purpose of supporting the intern’s role development process,

the internship may be extended, pending approval by the program

coordinator and any resulting financial arrangements agreed to by the

intern.

Action Plan concerns at the 7-week point. The revised action plan must contain components targeting a

successful completion of the internship. Weekly logs and reflections

must provide evidence that the revised action plan is being carried out.

Illness of intern during the 16-week internship. The Arizona Department of Education requires a 15-week internship

experience. If an intern will need to miss more than a week for

medical or other unanticipated reasons of an emergency nature, a plan

can be put in place to extend the internship by a couple days or weeks

to allow for a 15-week experience. If more than two weeks must be

missed, a leave of absence will be needed.

Medical or personal complications requiring a

leave of ab

sence

If the intern is not able to continue in the internship for medical or any

other reasons, the situation would be handled as it would be should

this happen during any other NCU course and the details of a leave of

absence plus re-entry plan would be determined and agreed upon by

the intern, mentor principal, and program coordinator.

Supervision and Supervisory Contacts

You will be supported during your internship by your Mentor Principal, your University Supervisor, and the

Instructor of the two 8-week PL 6010/6011 courses comprising the 16-week internship:

Mentor Principal – Your mentor principal has daily supervisory responsibility for overseeing your

internship experiences. He or she also has the final word on what can and cannot be done in his or her

school and will work with you on the logistics of carrying out your action research project. (If the NCU

candidate is already a working principal, completing the internship experience on-the-job in their own building, the

licensed mentor principal from another school or the central office could assist with providing experiential options in

the case any conflict of interest issues should arise.) It is hoped that the work invested in serving as your mentor

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will be balanced by the assistance to your mentor principal and the service to the school that you will

provide. You will probably have several on-the-run conversations or email exchanges during the week but

schedule a regular time to talk uninterrupted with your mentor principal on a weekly basis. Conversations

need not be long. You may also wish to forward your mentor principal a copy of your weekly action-plan-

in-progress. Your mentor principal will join you and your university supervisor for three on-site visits

(during or as close as possible to weeks 1 and 8 in PL 6010; week 11 in PL 6011); will join you, your

university supervisor, and your course instructor for the four-way email exchange (with optional conference

call/Skype visit if needed) in week 4, and for the final 4-way conference call or Skype meeting to discuss

your final internship evaluation in week 15.

If you are a teacher, assistant/associate principal, or a full-time student, the mentor principal will probably

be your building principal. If you are already a PK-12 principal working in a private school and/or under a

provisional license, your mentor principal may be a licensed principal from a nearby school or a building-

certified administrator at the central school district office level.

It is understood that Mentor Principals may change jobs during the course of the candidate’s principal

preparation degree program. If this should occur, NCU requests that you assist the student in locating a

school administration professional who is able and willing to assume the role of the candidate’s Mentor

Principal.

Mentor principals must hold a minimum of a master’s degree in educational leadership, school

administration, or a similar area and be a certified, practicing PK-12 school principal. Mentor principals

sign a letter of agreement as part of the application process. The mentor principal agrees to provide support

and guidance to the PL candidate in the completion of all required field experiences and during the 16-week

internship - including required, optional, and individually determined internship experiences.

The mentor principal completes the field experience rubric and provides a copy to the course instructor by

the start of the last week of each PL course. The mentor principal is available to meet with the university

supervisor at predetermined times of mutual convenience during the internship. The mentor principal also

completes an internship evaluation rubric at the midpoint and end of the 16-week internship.

The Arizona Department of Education (2008) suggests seeking mentor principals with the

following characteristics:

• Demonstrates effectiveness as school leader

• Models continuous learning and reflection

• Encourages open communication

• Ability to handle the unexpected with professionalism

• Follows district and board policies

• Builds confidence in intern

• Expresses an interest in being a mentor

• Is culturally competent

• Demonstrates generosity in sharing ideas and resources

• Provides introductions and networking opportunities for intern

• Instills a sense of trust and support

• Willing and able to devote dedicated time to the intern on a regular basis

• Listens well and serves as a sounding board

• Is accepting of differences

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Mentor Principals agree to support interns by doing the following:

• Welcome intern to the district.

• Socialize the intern to the community and school culture.

• Help intern decide on the sequence of developmental activities most appropriate for

the internship (creating the action plan), given the intern’s needs and the district’s and

school’s needs.

• Provide coaching for skill development.

• Facilitate/design opportunities for completion of internship activities.

• Engage in conversations about activities and daily events; promote self reflection and

problem solving.

• Help intern form relationships with people in the district.

• Observe intern on a regular basis.

• Allocate time for frequent, regular contacts with intern.

• Provide emotional support to intern.

• Model leadership competencies and make one’s leadership choices transparent.

• Track intern progress against standards.

• Consult with university supervisor and/or program coordinator.

• Facilitate leadership in the intern without telling the intern what to do.

• Assist intern in developing the e-folio.

• Assist intern in gaining entry to other settings or schools, as needed.

• Listen to intern with sympathy without necessarily condoning or condemning what

may seem to be ineffective or inappropriate actions.

• Make sure that the intern gets a thorough picture of the duties of the principal.

University Supervisor – Your university supervisor is an experienced school administrator who is

contracted by the University to be the local connection between your school and the University. In most

instances your university supervisor will also be your course instructor for PL 6010/6011 and ideally for

PL5050. Your supervisor will be responsible for working with you to schedule all supervisory contacts.

This involves making three on-site supervisory visits (in weeks 1, 8, and 11); scheduling a 4-way email

exchange (and optional conference call/Skype visit) with you, your mentor principal, and your course

instructor in week 4, and scheduling the 4-way final evaluation meeting, conference call, or Skype meeting

in week 15.

University supervisors provide developmental supervision for interns by doing the following:

• Meet with interns at the start of the internship to identify needs, explain internship

procedures, and help to set expectations.

• Meet with mentor principals and interns to discuss the initial Internship Action Plan,

suggest revisions as needed, and help decide on the sequence of developmental

activities most appropriate for the internship, given needs of the intern, school, and

district.

• Observe intern as scheduled.

• Attend monthly seminars for interns.

• Maintain contact with interns.

• Provide emotional support to interns.

• Provide feedback to interns.

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• Consult with mentor principals, support them in their work with interns, and provide

constructive feedback.

• Assist interns in developing e-folios.

• Track intern progress against standards.

• Evaluate interns and assign grades, with input from mentor principals.

• Help evaluate internship program effectiveness.

• Uphold all university, district, and state requirements for interns.

Course Instructor – Your course instructor will work with you on writing your action research project,

submitting your required ISLLC artifacts and weekly reflections, and making sure all necessary

components are uploaded to your electronic portfolio. He or she will also be included in the

email/Skype/conference call check-in during week 4; will be copied on your action plan in weeks 1, 7, and

15; and will participate in your final evaluation meeting, conference call, or Skype meeting in week 15.

The NCU Principal Leadership supervision model calls for one professional to act as university supervisor

and as course instructor. In cases where this is not possible, for instance if the only available university

supervisor is an experienced K-12 superintendent who does not hold a doctorate in the field, the on-site

university supervisor and course instructor could potentially be two different professionals. You will have

an opportunity to evaluate field personnel (mentor principal and University supervisor on the same

leadership skills and dispositions on which you are assessed in all field experiences and the internship

after your 16-week internship has ended (See APPENDIX M). You will also evaluate your course

instructor, using the same NCU course evaluation as is used in other courses.

Submitting Artifacts and Documents

The following documentation is submitted to your university supervisor: weekly reflections; action plans

in weeks 1, 7, and 15. Your university supervisor and PL course instructor are both copied on the action

plans in week 1, week 7, and in week 15 when the final plan showing the accomplishment of all

requirements should be completed. Unless otherwise specified, any formative working drafts of the action

plan from other points in the internship are shared only with your mentor principal. (Your university

supervisor is also invited to monthly on-line seminars but his or her attendance is not required: it is a

courtesy invitation and may be considered professional development for purposes of maintaining his or

her own certification.)

The following documentation is submitted to your PL 6010 course instructor: action plan in weeks 1, 7,

and 15; action research components; internship logs; ISLLC-aligned artifacts; philosophy of educational

leadership. Again, if your university supervisor is also your course instructor, as intended, submission of

documentation will be simple as it will all go to one person.

Your mentor principal is available to support and guide you as well as to have final authority over what

you may do in his or her building in regard to educational leadership activities and experiences. He or she

is not responsible for any grading or paperwork other than contributing to the midpoint and final

evaluations of your internship work.

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PROGRAM TEXTBOOKS

At the time this Handbook was posted/went to press, the following list of textbooks was in use for PL and

ED courses. Do not purchase texts until you confirm they will be needed when registering for your courses.

However, if you should find low-cost or no-cost books as listed below you may choose to obtain them.

Alexander, K. & Alexander, M.D. (2012). American Public School Law (8th

ed). Independence,

KY: Wadsworth.

Glanz, J. (2003). Action research: An educational leader’s guide to school improvement

(2nd

ed.). Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon.

Glatthorn, A.A., & Jailall, J.M. (2009). The principal as curriculum leader: Shaping what is

taught and tested (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Glickman, C. D., Gordon, S. P., & Ross-Gordon, J. M. (2014). SuperVision and instructional

leadership: A developmental approach. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Kowalski, T. (2011). Case Studies on Educational Administration (6th

ed). Upper Saddle River,

NJ: Pearson.

Nieto, S. & Bode, P. (2012). Affirming Diversity: The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural

Education. NJ: Pearson.

Noll, J. (2012). Taking sides: Clashing views on educational issues. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Rubin, R., Abrego, M., & Sutterby, J. (2012). Engaging families of ELLS: Ideas, resources, and

activities. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.

Sergiovanni, T. J. (2009). The principalship: A reflective practice perspective (6th ed).New

York, NY: Allyn and Bacon.

Sorenson, R. D. & Goldsmith, R. M. (2012). The principal’s guide to school budgeting (2nd

ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

A copy of the ISSLC Standards and Functions may be found in APPENDIX O.

If you have questions regarding any aspect of this Handbook or any component of the NCU M.Ed. program

in Educational Leadership with a specialization in PK-12 Principal Leadership, please contact the PLCS

Coordinator, Dr. Mary Goggins Selke, at [email protected] or the School of Education Dean, Dr. Cindy

Guillaume, at [email protected].



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APPENDIX A FORM A (Please complete the online version of the form, available from NCU

Admissions.)

Northcentral University School of Education

Letter of Reference (PART I) and Experience Verification (PART II)

M.Ed., Specialization in PK-12 Principal Leadership (Certification Preparation)

Candidate Name:___________________________ School:____________________________________

Job Title:__________________________________ Years in Most Recent Position: _______________

Total Years of Successful Full-Time Teaching Experience (all schools/districts):_________________

PART I - Applicants to the M.Ed./PLCS must provide a supportive recommendation from their current (or most recent) supervising principal or superintendent, addressing the following attributes. Please download this form; type or paste responses into the matrix below, expanding the cells as needed; and upload the form as an attachment.

# Candidate Attributes NO – Not Observed

1 2 3 4

1 Aptitude for school leadership

Rating:______

Too soon to tell, still developing as a teacher

Demonstrating teacher leadership in grade level or content area

Demonstrating educational leadership in specific projects or areas

Already demonstrating educational leadership skills

Optional Explanation::

2 Ability to solve problems collaboratively or autonomously

Rating:_______

Developing skills in both problem solving approaches

Competent with autonomous approaches; developing collaborative skills

Competent with collaborative approaches; developing autonomous skills

Already competent with both approaches

Opt ional Explanation:

3 Working style

Rating:_______

Difficulty handling complex situations and multiple tasks simultaneously

Difficulty handling complex situations or multiple tasks simultaneously

Handles complex situations and multiple tasks simultaneously

Consistently handles complex situations and multiple tasks simultaneously

Optional Explanation:

4 Professionalism

Rating:_______

Not yet demonstrating commitment to professional ethics, integrity, and practices

Beginning to demonstrate commitment to professional ethics, integrity, and practices

Demonstrating commitment to professional ethics, integrity, and practices

Consistently demonstrating commitment to professional ethics, integrity, and practices


5 Time Management Rating:_______

Working to account for time limits, be prompt, meet or beat deadlines

In some instances plans to account for time limits, be prompt, meet or beat deadlines

Usually plans to account for time limits, prompt, meets or beats deadlines

Plans to account for time limits, prompt, meets or beats deadlines


6 Use of Technology

Rating:_______

Avoiding technology to support educational practice.

Beginning to use technology to support educational practice.

Using technology to support educational practice.

Seeking innovative technology to support educational practice.


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Principal or Superintendent Providing Recommendation:______________________________________ Signature: ______________________ Date:_____________ Phone:__( )________________________ PART II - Verification of at least three years of successful full-time PK-12 teaching experience, by your current or most recent supervising principal or superintendent (or HR office) may also be provided separately, on school or district letterhead, or by using the same form that will be used to verify this experience after completion of the M.Ed./PLCS if applying for Arizona PK-12 Principal licensure. (The AZ form may be found at: http://www.azed.gov/educator-certification/files/2011/09/verification-teaching-experience.pdf )

School (Most recent 1st)

and Location

Beginning Date

(month/year)

Ending Date

(month/year)

Grade Level(s) and/or Content Areas Taught

Principal, Superintendent, or HR Personnel Verifying Information:___________________________ Signature: ______________________ Date:_____________ Phone:__( )______________________

7 Written Communication Rating:

Working toward professional, organized, error-free written communication.

Usually professional and organized with minor mechanical errors in written communication.

Professional and organized, with mostly accurate mechanics in written communication.

Professional and well-organized with accurate mechanics in written communication.


8 Is there anything else you would like NCU to know about the applicant’s readiness for a Principal Preparation Program?:



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APPENDIX B – COURSE SCHEDULE OPTIONS – M.Ed./PLCS

Option 1 – Approximately 1 year and 10 months

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 38 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48

EDU 5000-8 ED 5034-8 PL 5035-8 PL 5016-8 PL 5004-8 ED 5001-8

49 50 51 52 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44

ED 5022

PL 5013 ED 5023 PL 5050 PL 6010 PL 6011

Option 2 – Just over 2 years

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 38 40 41 42 43 44

EDU 5000 ED 5001 ED 5034 PL 5035 PL 5016

45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38

PL 5004 PL 5013 ED 5023 ED 5022 PL 5050

39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 1 2

PL 6010 PL 6011

* Candidate Schedule Planning: If the course pair of PL 5035 and PL 5016 fall during a summer vacation when planning the program

schedule, and summer school supervision/ curriculum work is not possible, the course pair of PL 5035 and PL 5016 may be exchanged for

the course pair of PL 5004 and PL 5013. Up to three weeks may be built in between all courses except PL6010/PL6011 which must be

completed in a 16-week block.

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APPENDIX C FORM B (Please complete the online version of the form, available from NCU Admissions.)

Northcentral University School of Education Mentor Principal Agreement

Name:________________________________ School: ______________________________________

School Address/City/State/Zip:__________________________________________________________

School Phone:___________________________Cell Phone (optional):__________________________

Graduate Degree(s):_______________ Degree Granting School(s):____________________________

Administrative Certification(s)/ST(s)/YR(s) (You may attach a certificate copy.):________________

By signing the Mentor Principal Agreement you commit to the following:

Preparation Responsibilities:

Participate in an hour-long, on-line Mentor Principal meeting with the Coordinator of the M.Ed./PLCS

within the first two months of the candidate’s beginning EDU 5000, the first course in the program.

Meetings are held monthly, on a different evening each month, usually at 7:00 pm ET.

Field Experience Responsibilities:

Oversee and sign off on the administrative candidates’ field experiences.

Facilitate the completion of standards-aligned course-imbedded field experiences.

Schedule uninterrupted time to communicate with the candidate on a regular basis (biweekly minimum).

Complete each course-specific field experience rubric and provide a copy to the course instructor by the start of the

last week of each PL course.

Internship Responsibilities:

Oversee and sign off on the administrative candidates’ 16-week internship.

Facilitate the completion of required and optional standards-aligned internship requirements.

Support the candidate in planning and carrying out the action research project. Action research projects are

school improvement oriented; approved by the mentor principal, course instructor, and the NCU

Institutional Review Board (IRB) in the course preceding the internship, and completed during the

internship.

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Review weekly action plan-in-progress documents as requested by the intern.

Participate in Supervisory Conferences: Schedule uninterrupted time to talk about internship progress on a

weekly basis.

Participate in Formative Conferences: Meet with your intern and the university supervisor for three on-site

visits (during or as close as possible to weeks 1 and 8 in PL 6010; week 11 in PL 6011) and participate in

one four-way email exchange (optional conference call/Skype if needed) in week 4.

Participate in Summative Conference: Contribute to the meeting, conference call, or Skype meeting to

discuss the final internship evaluation with the intern, and university supervisor/course instructor in week

15.

Complete an internship evaluation rubric at the midpoint and end of the 16-week internship and provide a copy to

the NCU supervisor.

The Arizona Department of Education provides the following role guidelines for Mentor Principals:

• Welcome intern to the district and socialize the intern to the community and school culture.

• Help intern decide on the sequence of developmental activities most appropriate for

the internship [creating the NCU action plan], given needs of the intern and the school/district.

• Provide coaching for skill development and provide overall support to the intern.

• Facilitate/design opportunities for completion of internship activities.

• Engage in conversations about activities and daily events; promote reflection and problem solving.

• Help intern form relationships with people in the district.

• Observe intern on a regular basis and allocate time for frequent, regular contacts with intern.

• Model leadership competencies and make one’s leadership choices transparent.

• Track intern progress against standards [via NCU the evaluation rubrics].

• Communicate with university supervisor and/or program coordinator as needed.

• Facilitate leadership in the intern, as much as possible without telling the intern what to do.

• Assist intern in developing the e-folio.

• Assist intern in gaining entry to other settings or schools, as needed.

• Listen to intern with sympathy without condoning or condemning apparently ineffective actions.

• Make sure that the intern gets a thorough picture of the duties of the principal.

Mentor Principals are invited to complimentary CEU-granting professional development offerings, such as

bimonthly Principal Leadership seminars, and have access to the NCU on-line library through their NCU

email accounts.

By signing this agreement I commit to providing support and guidance to the NCU Principal Leadership

candidate in the planning and completion of all required course-embedded field experiences; the action research

project; and the required, optional, and individually determined internship experiences. I will also provide input to

the course instructors of PL-prefix courses wherein field experiences are embedded and to the NCU supervisor

during the Internship by scoring the rubrics developed for these purposes.

Mentor Principal Signature:____________________________________ Date:______________

Mentor Principal Printed Name:_________________________________

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APPENDIX D Field Experience Log – NCU Principal Leadership Program

Principal Candidate Name, Email, and Phone__________________________________________________________________

Date Day Time

In *

Time

Out *

Description of Experience(s) ISSLC

Standard(s) &

Functions

Site and

Contact Phone

Principal (or

Designee)

Initials

* Round to nearest .25 hour.

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APPENDIX E Common Components: Field Experience (FE) Evaluation Rubric The common components of the Principal Leadership Field Experience Evaluation Rubric are scored five times: once for every PL course in which required field experiences are included.

A rating of more than one “not yet competent” on the common component strands or course-specific field experience component strands in the first two PL courses (PL 5035 and 5016)

and any “not yet competent” ratings in the third, fourth, or fifth PL courses (PL 5004, 5013, and 5050) will trigger an evaluation for an Action Plan.

Competence Levels: Not Yet Competent

0 Points

Developing Competence

.25 Points

Basic Competence

.50 Points

Advanced Competence

.75 Points

Leadership Dispositions

Commitment to professional ethics,

integrity, and standards of practice.

Not yet demonstrating

commitment to professional

ethics, integrity, and standards

of practice.

Beginning to demonstrate


ethics, integrity, and standards of

practice.

Demonstrating commitment to

professional ethics, integrity,

and standards of practice.

Consistently demonstrating


ethics, integrity, and standards

of practice.

Demonstrated respect for diverse cultures

and backgrounds

Working toward demonstrating

respect for students, teachers,

and/or families from different

backgrounds.

Demonstrating tolerance for

diverse students, teachers, and

families.

Demonstrating respect for

diverse students, teachers, and

families.

Demonstrating ability to

interact respectfully and

effectively with diverse

students, teachers, and families.

Leadership Skills

Ability to solve problems in

administrative practice

Not yet taking initiative to

attempt problem solving.

Beginning to take initiative to

solve practice-generated

problems.

Beginning to approach problem

solving collaboratively or

independently as needed.

Approaching problem solving

collaboratively or

independently as needed.

Apply educational leadership principles

and theories in practice, with emphasis on

the ISLLC functions aligned with field

experiences in this course.

Beginning to identify

principles/ theories that may

inform practice examples.

Identifying principles/theories

that may inform practice

examples.

Identifying principles/theories

and how they inform practice

after practice examples take

place.


principles/ theories and how

they inform practice as it takes

place (reflection in action).

Effective written communication. Working toward professional,

organized, error-free written

communication.

Usually professional and

organized with minor

mechanical errors in written

communication.

Professional and organized,

with mostly accurate mechanics

in written communication.

Professional and well-

organized with accurate

mechanics in written

communication.

Numeracy skills Working to process, analyze,

explain, and use admin. data.

Beginning to analyze or use

administrative data.

Analyzing and using


Beginning to explain as well as

analyze and use admin. data.

Oral communication. Working toward professional,

easily understood, grammatical

oral communication.

Usually professional and easily

understood with minor oral

grammar errors.

Professional and usually easily

understood with mostly correct

oral grammar.

Professional and easily

understood with correct oral

grammar.

Use of technology Avoiding common

technological applications to

enhance administrative

practice.

Beginning to use common


enhance administrative practice.

Using common technological

applications to enhance

administrative practice.

Beginning to seek innovative

technology applications to


practice.

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APPENDIX F Principal Leadership Internship Experiences

ISSLC Standards Alignment to Optional Experiences, Required Experiences, Required Internship E-Folio Components ISLLC Standard Optional Internship Experiences Required Internship

Experiences

Required E-folio

Artifacts ISLLC 1 - An

education leader

promotes the success

of every student by

facilitating the

development,

articulation,

implementation, and

stewardship of a vision

of learning that is

shared and supported

by all stakeholders.

Drafting or revisiting/revising a school vision and/or mission and/or

goals.

Analyze the areas of fund raising that are conducted by various

organizations in the building and how the money is spent to achieve

the vision of the school.

Facilitate focus groups associated with school improvement planning.

Attend or lead PLC meetings – in an area or grade level outside your

teaching focus or content area(s) of expertise.

Revisit and revise your

working Philosophy of

Educational Leadership.

Philosophy of

Educational

Leadership

(Begun PL 5050;

revised PL 6010/6011)

Added to e-folio

during PL 6011.

ISLLC 2 - An

education leader


of every student by

advocating, nurturing,

and sustaining a

school culture and

instructional program

conducive to student

learning and staff

professional growth.

Coach adults, especially those with much more or less experience.

Conduct clinical supervisory processes (if you are permitted to do so

in your school).

Participate in supervisory walk-throughs. (Be sure to maintain and

analyze acquired data, follow up with teachers as needed, etc.)

Work with teachers in the planning and/or delivery of instruction.

Work with the administration processes associated with high stakes

standardized tests.

Facilitate efficient use of instructional planning time to improve

student achievement.

Assist in the implementation of project-based learning.

Conduct data analysis of student achievement for the purpose of

Demonstrate leadership

level skills by planning

and coordinating a

professional

development initiative

for a small or large

group of faculty

members.

(Leadership level skill

demonstration is an ADE

requirement.)

Faculty Professional

Development

Initiative

(Plan written in PL

5016; carried out in

PL 6010/ 6011)

Added to e-folio

during PL 6011.

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informing professional development for teachers.

Work with budget planning or allocation of funds for professional

development based on data analysis .

Do an analysis of the previous year’s professional development

budget, how funds were disbursed, how outcomes were measured.

Connect data with best practices when recommending budget

allocations. ISLLC 3 - An

education leader


of every student by

ensuring management

of the organization,

operation, and

resources for a safe,

efficient, and effective

learning environment.

Facilities management – shadow a head custodian for all or part of a

day

Ride a bus route before or after school. (And don’t sit up front.)

Supervision at during or after school events – augment safety; prevent

or counter bullying.

Re: student safety, evaluate supervision in open areas such as parking

lots, hallways, cafeterias, lounges, lobby areas, etc.

Review safety and work with plans for all drills, fire, intruder,

tornado, etc including communication with parents, police, media,

counseling, etc.

Analyze student achievement data for the purpose of informing

acquisition of materials and supplies.

Review an entire fiscal

year budgeting process-

can be from a year or

two prior-at the building

level. (If you have the

opportunity to view

budgets for a building

that differs from yours

in regard to

demographics and/or

building level, do so to

compare and contrast

the two.)

School Budget

Analysis

(PL 5013)

Added to e-folio

during PL 6010.

ISLLC 4 - An

education leader


of every student by

collaborating with

faculty and

Special Needs Students, IEPs, MFEs, etc.

Communication: Internal and External – systems, what and to whom

and when, software used?

Devote a minimum of

20 hrs to working with

parents and other

external community

members, either one-on-

Case Study Analysis:

Facilitating

Community Buy-In

(ED 5034)

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community members,

responding to diverse

community interests

and needs, and

mobilizing community

resources.

Attend a school board meeting.

Participate in a presentation at a school board meeting.

Represent the school at a civic or community meeting.

Develop or expand systems and services to help your school reach out

to English Language Learners and their families. Potential options

include but are not limited to: review of programming model(s),

teacher methods, funding allocations, ways to facilitate students’

academic and social successes, ways to create a welcoming school

culture. Tip: Use your Rubin, Abrego, &Sutterby (2012) text as a

resource.

one or in groups. Added to e-folio

during PL 6010.

ISLLC 5 - An

education leader


of every student by

acting with integrity,

fairness, and in an

ethical manner.

Identify your own skill areas of strength and challenge.

Develop a personal vision and mission statement for you work as a

school principal. Why are you in this field?

What questions do you ask yourself before making a difficult decision

especially when ethics are involved?

Practice what Donald Schon would call “reflection in action”.

Learn to distinguish situations requiring immediate attention from

those that would benefit from time and reflection.

Know when to ask for help or a second opinion, and from whom.

What educational leadership positions – in additional to school

principal-would you be interested in? Entering the profession as an

assistant/associate principal is more common and the job skills are

different for this role. Spend time shadowing or working with an AP.

Devote a minimum of

20 hrs to working with

students, parents, and

teachers whose cultural

background is different

from yours. (You may

use hours from your

required out-of-building

shadowing experience to

meet this requirement.)

Multicultural

Environment Plan

(ED 5023)

Added to e-folio

during PL 6010.

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Plan for your own continuing professional development. ISLLC 6 - An

education leader


of every student by

understanding,

responding to,

and influencing the

political, social,

economic, legal, and

cultural context.

Integrating School Law in Policy Decisions: Facilitating a Policy

Change (The proposal was written in PL 5004 – candidates have the

option to implement all or part of it in 6010/6011)

Have a conversation with a school or school district attorney, asking

what best advice would be given to a beginning school administrator.

Possible topics

If local elections are coming up, learn the education-related positions

of all candidates.

Whether or not elections are imminent, learn the education-related

positions and voting records of elected officials.

Augment the connections between local businesses and your school.

Draft a budget for materials and supplies to support teaching based on

data analysis

Analyze previous year’s materials and supplies budget

Analyze previous year’s federal budget allocations by title area

Discuss with central office leadership how they plan to allocate

budget dollars for specific schools

Write or manage the budget component of a grant or mini grant

Participate in planning or expenditure of funds for a competitive grant

Examine a large federal or state grant such as Race to the Top;

participate in any part of the process that includes planning or

expending grant dollars.

Demonstrate

collaborative leadership

level skills by carrying

out the action research

project, focusing on

school improvement at

the building level.

(Leadership level skill

demonstration is an ADE

requirement.)

Action Research

Project Paper

(Begun in PL5050,

continued in PL 6010,

and completed in PL

6011)

Added to e-folio

during PL 6011.

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APPENDIX G - Benchmark Matrix - M.Ed. in Educational Leadership, Specialization in PK-12 Principal Leadership

Benchmark Checkpoints: Program Admission, Enrollment Maintenance, Degree Candidacy, Certification Candidacy

Assessment Points: Program Admission Enrollment Maintenance Degree Candidacy AZ Principal Certification

Criteria:

Program entrance (Prior to

beginning EDU 5000.)

At the end of each course End of the Capstone Internship Upon completion of all degree

requirements, including internship

Coursework and/or Program/Specialization-Related Requirements

Applications PLCS application form with all

required Admission docs.

Register for courses on time. A completed application for

graduation.

A completed AZ (state) PK-12 Principal

certificate application with fee.

Certification Valid, unencumbered, AZ or other

state teaching certificate (Alt. path

program ok if degree requirement met.)

Maintain a valid, unencumbered

teaching certificate .

Have maintained a valid, unencumbered

teaching certificate.

Meet all requirements and apply

for Arizona (state) PK-12 Principal

Certificate.

Degree/

Coursework

Transcripted baccalaureate or MAT

from a regionally accredited college or

university

Complete course projects and

assessments at a graduate level of

work.

All course requirements completed

for degree/specialization.

Earned M.Ed./PLCS degree from

Northcentral University.

E-folio Plan to purchase required materials for

e-folio completion (Taskstream)

Complete coursework

components of the e-folio.

Complete and upload all components of

the e-folio.

NCU maintains e-folio data as evidences

of learning under the 6 ISLLC standards.

GPA Undergraduate (or MAT) GPA of 2.5

or better.

Maintain graduate GPA of

3.0 or better.

Complete all program course

requirements with a GPA of 3.0 or

better :AZ requirement.

GPA of 3.0 or better in M.Ed. with PL

specialization.

Interviews Discuss degree program plans with

Admissions counselor, Enrollment

Specialist, Advisor, etc.

Regular meetings with mentor

principal, advisor, and supervisor

as scheduled or requested.

Successful internship exit conference

with mentor principal, university

supervisor, and course instructor.

(Prepare for employment-focused

interviews.)

Recommendations Supportive recommendation form

completed by current or most recent

principal or superintendent.

No concerns re: progress

brought to program coordinator

or Dean by program faculty.

Recommendation for degree by

program coordinator and Dean.

Paperwork for Principal

Certification signed by certification

officer at NCU.

Supervision Signed letter of agreement from a

qualified mentor principal.

Qualified university supervisor

and Internship course instructor

identified by end of ED 5023.

Satisfactory completion of supervised

internship as determined by final scores

on the Internship Evaluation Rubric.

Verification of successfully completed

internship that meets or exceeds State

requirements.

Arizona Department of Education Requirements

Fingerprint/Criminal

Background Check

Clearance

Documented meeting of your State’s

and/or district’s fingerprint/criminal

background check requirements.

Maintain school or district-

required security clearance.

Have maintained school or district-

required security clearance.

A photocopy of a current Arizona IVP

fingerprint card must be submitted

with the Application for Certification.

AZ State Tests/

Requirements

Statement of Intent for AZ-approved

SEI training; AZ Constitution exam

(or college course) ; U.S. Constitution

exam (or college course).

Work toward completion of any

conditional admission entry point

requirements regarding SEI,

AZ or US Constitution.

Completion of any conditional

admission entry point requirements

regarding SEI, AZ or US Constitution.

Passing score on the Arizona

Principal Licensure Examination.

Teaching

Experience

At least 3 years of successful

full-time PK-12 teaching

experience.

Three years of verified (official

letterhead from district superintendent)

full-time teaching in grades pK-12.

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APPENDIX H NCU Institutional Review Board IRB Administrative Expedited Review Request

M.Ed. Program – Principal Leadership Specialization, School of Education Title of Research Project: _________________________________________________________________ Student Investigator Name: ____________________Email:__________________Phone:_______________ Indicate the date of on-line CITI Human Subjects Training completion_______:________________________ School Site for Internship:_________________________________________________________________ School Mailing Address: ________________________________School Phone:_______________________ Mentor Principal Name:_____________________Email:___________________Phone:_________________ Principal Investigator’s Statement of Responsibility As the principal investigator, my signature verifies that I have successfully completed the CITI On-Line Human Subjects Training in Education and have read and understood the University Policy and Procedures for the Use of Human Subjects in Research. All research enacted for this project will be conducted exactly as outlined in the attached proposal. Any change to this protocol will be submitted to my course instructor, my mentor principal, my specialization coordinator, and the IRB for approval prior to implementation. Investigator:___________________________________________________Date:_____________________ (Signature of principal investigator) (date)

Faculty/Staff Sponsor Signatures: As faculty sponsors, these signatures verify that we have reviewed this proposal. The Mentor Principal and PL Coordinator will continue to support the candidate’s action research work, to be joined by the assigned University Supervisor and Internship course instructor once the candidate begins the capstone internship. The action research project will be conducted during the two 8-week courses of the internship.

Mentor Principal:_________________________________________________________________________ PL 5050 Instructor:______________________________________Instructor’s Email:___________________ Principal Leadership Specialization Coordinator:________________________________________________ Coordinator Email:_______________________ Phone:____________________Fax:__________________ ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS TO THE IRB ARE CONSIDERED SIGNED VIA AN ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE.

Upon obtaining the Mentor Principal’s signature, submit the proposal to the PL 5050 Course Instructor to forward to the PL Specialization Coordinator who will forward it to the IRB representative working with M.Ed. PL proposals. All proposal documents must be in one email attachment file. *************************************************************************************************

For IRB office use only Review Decision and Feedback: Approved:_____ Approved with Revisions to be Monitored by Instructor:_____ Revise and Resubmit:_____ IRB Reviewer: _____________________Signature: ___________________________Date:_____________

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PL Action Research Proposal Template/Outline

Topic:

Overriding ISLLC Standard and Connection of the Topic to Your Specialization:

Background: [Background puts the topic in a context for a reader and targets the focus, makes the topic

much more specific Do use third person – ‘the author’ – if referring to yourself or your school.]

Problem Statement: [Problem statement gets very specific and puts a spotlight on an area to explore,

seek new information on, help solve, or clarify.]

Research Question: [Ask a very specific, focused question that you have the time, resources, and interest

to answer.]

Research Purpose: [Explain exactly what you want to find out and why you want to know, how it may

help you make a decision or recommendation as an educational leader.]

Proposed Data Collection Method: [Explain what you will do to collect data and how you will analyze

the data. If you are using a pre-existing test or data collection instrument you may include a hyperlink to

the instrument and/or information about it but do not need to appendix a copy of the instrument. If your

data collection instrument will be self-designed – for example a survey or questionnaire - explain how you

will construct the survey, emphasizing the protection of human subjects.]

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Letter of Implied Informed Consent

Date:

To: _____(faculty members and/or parents)____________

From: _______[NCU M.Ed./PL graduate student|_______________

As you may know, I am working toward my master’s degree in Principal Leadership at

Northcentral University. One of my course requirements is to conduct an action research project

during my administrative internship semester. These projects are designed to help explore the

effectiveness educational practices and to find out if something new would work better. Trying

new approaches to leadership and instruction is an important part of an educational leader’s job.

Action research helps us to formalize the process a bit. It helps us focus on the reasons for trying

something new and what steps to take. It also helps us understand the research results and how to

use them to help make schools better for students.

My research project is going to explore_____________________________. The main question I

am asking is______________________. The purpose of my project is

to_________________________.

When I write about the project, the identity of our school and the teachers or students in the

study will be kept completely confidential. Pseudonyms will be used. Any grades or test results

will be reported in my research project in ways that protect the identity of individuals. Nobody

reading my project, even my professors, will be able to connect specific information with a

particular student or teacher.

Participation in this research project is completely voluntary. You are free not to participate or to

stop participating at any time. If you have any questions about my research project or your

child’s or your child’s teacher’s participation, please contact me. I am looking forward to

conducting my action research project. I hope it helps me find more ways to make our best

school practices even better.

Sincerely,

M.Ed.

Candidate:_____________________________________________________Date:________________

_

Email

Address:_______________________________________________________Phone:______________

Candidate’s

Principal:______________________________________________________Date:________________

Email

Address:_______________________________________________________Phone:______________

NCU Principal Leadership Specialization Coordinator:________________Date:__________________

Email

Address:_______________________________________________________Phone:______________

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APPENDIX I

Northcentral University School of Education Internship Application

Name:___________________________________ NCU Student Number ___________________

Internship School Site:______________________________________________________________

School Address/City/State/Zip:_______________________________________________________

School Phone:______________________________Your Cell Phone (Optional):_______________

Mentor Principal (signed NCU agreement on file):______________________________________

NCU-Contracted University Supervisor:_______________________________________________

(NCU Supervisors need to go through a hiring and preparation process which can take 2 months or

more. Be sure to select a proposed Internship supervisor well in advance of beginning ED 5023. This

form must be submitted prior to beginning ED 5023.)

Date to Begin PL 610 (Select a Monday):_______________________________________________

Date to Begin PL 611 (Select a Monday):_______________________________________________

(You may allow up to three weeks between PL 610 and PL 611.)

Mentor Principal Signature:_____________________________________________ Date:_______

NCU Supervisor Signature:______________________________________________ Date:______

Candidate Signature:___________________________________________Date Submitted:______

NCU PL Coordinator Signature:__________________________________________ Date:______

Candidates are responsible for obtaining signatures and emailing the form to the NCU Dean’s Office.

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APPENDIX J NCU Principal Leadership Internship Action Plan

Candidate:______________________________________ Email:_____________________________ Phone:____________________________ Candidate Signature:_____________________ Mentor Principal Signature:___________________ University Supervisor Signature:________________________

Week ISLLC 1 ISLLC 2 ISLLC 3 ISLLC 4 ISLLC 5 ISLLC 6 Action Research Professional Dev

Initiative

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Total

Number

Hours

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Instructions:

Complete the Action Plan template by writing the required, optional, and school-specific ISLLC Standards-aligned experiences in the

planning matrix. It will also be helpful to plan for the specific tasks pertaining to your action research project.

Download the Action Plan matrix and expand the cells as needed. When completing the Action Plan for PL 6010, weeks 1-8 must be

included in the plan. (Drafting weeks 9-16 are optional at this point but encouraged.) When completing the Action Plan for PL 6011,

include what has been accomplished in weeks 1-8 and what is planned for weeks 9-16. The Action Plan is a work-in-progress and it is

ok to revise it from week to week. You will probably accomplish some tasks sooner than anticipated or need more time with a specific

task. You may also have on-the-job opportunities for experiences that cannot be pre-planned. (For example, your principal is out of the

building for a district administrative meeting, leaves you as administrator in charge, and the local fire marshal appears to conduct an

unannounced fire drill.)

It is suggested that you draft an initial electronic copy of the action plan and devise a code for it, such as your initials, the plan, and the

week (MGSActionPlanWeek1). Commit to a weekly review of the working plan at the end of every week, update it with everything that

has been accomplished during that week, and save the revised plan as the second draft (MGSActionPlanWeek2). Keeping up with

accomplishments on a weekly basis will: 1) make it easier for you to plan the required ISLLC artifact submissions, 2) help you track and

plan for your own use of time, and 3) make it much easier for you to provide the Action-Plan-to-date which will be required for the

second face-to-face meeting with your mentor principal and university supervisor in week 7. You are also required to upload a

completed Action Plan to your e-folio at the end of your internship.

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APPENDIX K Weekly Internship Experience Log – NCU Principal Leadership Program

Candidate Name, Email, and Phone____________________________________________ Mentor Principal Initialed______ Date Day Exp

Hours*

Description of Daily Experience(s) ISSLC

Standard(s) &

Functions/Hrs

Mo

Tu

We

Th

Fr

Wk

End

* Round to nearest .25 hour. (Weekend hours are not required but time spent in leadership tasks such as student supervision, committee

meetings, supervision work involving weekend instructional programs, etc. may be counted toward required hours.)

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APPENDIX L Northcentral School of Education PK-12 Principal Leadership Internship Evaluation Rubric This rubric is scored once at the midpoint and again at the end of the full sixteen week internship. Scores for both rubrics are entered into the data system but only the final rubric is

included in the programmatic e-folio. The maximum rubric score is 152 points. A minimum of 60 points should be achieved by the midpoint. A minimum of 96 points must be achieved

by the final evaluation– with no components rated ‘not observed’ or ‘not yet competent’ and no more than one component under each ISLLC standard, leadership skill, or leadership

disposition rated ‘developing competence’. It is expected that a majority of the scores under ISLLC 2 and ISLLC 6 be rated as ‘leadership competence’ in the final version. Students will

also be encouraged to use the rubric for self-assessment and reflection purposes.

ISLLC 1 - An education leader promotes the success of every student by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is

shared and supported by all stakeholders.

Comments:

Composite ISSLC 1

Score:_____

Not

Observed

Not Yet Competent

0


1

Basic Competence

2

Advanced Competence

3

Leadership Competence

4

1A - Collaboratively

develop and implement a

shared vision and mission.

Score:_____

Little or no

documented work with

vision or mission

statements.

Analyze vision and/or

mission statements.

Independently draft

or revise all or part of

a school vision and/or

mission.

Collaborate with faculty

to revise or develop all or

part of a school vision

and/or mission.

Collaborate with faculty and

other stakeholders to revise

or develop all or part of a

school vision and/or mission.

1B - Collect and use data

to identify goals, assess

organizational

effectiveness, and

promote organizational

learning.

Score:_____

Little or no assessment

of organizational

effectiveness, propose

organizational goals,

or promote an

organizational vision

of learning.

Work with data to assess

organizational

effectiveness, propose

organizational goals, or

promote an organizational

vision of learning.

Work with data to

assess organizational

effectiveness,

propose org. goals,

and promote an

organizational vision

of learning.

Work with data to

collaboratively plan for

the improvement of org.

effectiveness or set

organizational goals and

articulate a shared vision

of learning.

Work with data to

collaboratively plan for the

improvement of

organizational effectiveness,

set organizational goals, and

articulate a shared vision of

learning.

1C - Create and

implement plans to

achieve goals.

Score:_____

Little or no work with

creating or

implementing

learning-focused

school goals.

Assist with the

implementation of plans to

achieve grade-level,

content area, or school

goals.

Collaboratively

create/revise or assist

with implementation

of plans to achieve

grade-level, content

area, or school goals.

Collaboratively create

/revise and assist with

implementation of plans

to achieve grade-level or

content area goals.

Collaboratively create/ revise

and assist with

implementation of plans to

achieve school-wide goals.

1D - Promote continuous

and sustainable

improvement.

Score:_____

Little or no work

engaging faculty in

plan(s) for contribut-

ing to ongoing content

area/grade level or

schoolwide

improvement.

Engage faculty in plan(s)

for contributing to short-

term content area/grade

level or school wide

improvement.

Engage faculty in

plan(s) for

contributing to

ongoing content

area/grade level or

schoolwide

improvement.

Facilitate identification of

individual strengths and

engage all/most faculty in

plan(s) for contributing to

ongoing content

area/grade level

improvement.

Facilitate identification of

individual strengths and

engage all/most faculty in

plan(s) for contributing to

ongoing content area/grade

level and schoolwide

improvement..

1E - Monitor and evaluate

progress and revise plans.

Score:_____


monitoring or revision

of schoolwide or grade

level/content area

Assist with monitoring or

revision of content

area/grade level

improvement plan(s).

Assist with

monitoring or

revision of

schoolwide

Contribute to

development of ways(s)

to monitor or revise

schoolwide improvement

Contribute to development of

ways(s) to monitor and revise

schoolwide improvement

plan(s).

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improvement plans. improvement plan(s). plan(s).

ISSLC2 - An education leader promotes the success of every student by advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student

learning and staff professional growth.

Comments:

Composite ISLLC 2

Score:_____

Not Yet Competent

0


1

Basic Competence

2

Advanced Competence

3


4

2A - Nurture and sustain a

culture of collaboration,

trust, learning, and high

expectations.

Score:_____

Work with faculty,

staff, and students

does not usually

demonstrate

expectations for trust,

learning, and high

expectations.

Work with faculty, staff,

and students in ways that

usually demonstrate


learning, and high

expectations.

Consistently work

with faculty, staff,

and students in ways

that demonstrate


learning, and high

expectations.

Collaborate with faculty,

staff, and students to

develop a culture of trust,

learning, and high

expectations.

Collaborate with faculty,

staff, students, and families

to develop and sustain a

culture of trust, learning, and

high expectations.

2B - Create a

comprehensive, rigorous,

and coherent curricular

program.

Score:_____

Little or no work

assisting faculty with

curricular selection or

implementation.

Make recommendations to

faculty regarding curricular

selection or

implementation.

Collaborate with

faculty to make

decisions regarding

curricular selection or

implementation.


to make decisions

regarding curricular

selection and

implementation.

Collaborate with faculty to

make research-based

decisions regarding curricular

selection and

implementation.

2C - Create a personalized

and motivating learning

environment for students.

Score:_____

Little or no active

involvement or

support in the creation

of personalized,

motivating

environments for all

students.

Support faculty and staff in

the creation of

personalized, motivating


students in a grade level or

content area.

Support faculty and

staff in the creation

of personalized,

motivating


students, schoolwide.

Actively work for the

creation of personalized,

motivating environments

for all students in a grade

level or content area.

Actively work for the

creation of personalized,

motivating environments for

all students, schoolwide.

2D - Supervise

instruction.

Score:_____

Little or no experience

with walk-throughs,

clinical supervision,

and subsequent

follow-up.

Conduct routine walk-

throughs and/or 3-step

clinical supervisory visits,

working to improve

subsequent follow-up with

teachers.

Conduct routine

walk-throughs or 3-

step clinical

supervisory visits,

subsequently

following up with

teachers.


throughs and 3-step

clinical supervisory visits,

subsequently following up

with teachers after walk-

throughs or clinical

supervisory visits.


throughs and 3-step clinical

supervisory visits, following

up with teachers after both

kinds of supervision.

2E - Develop assessment

and accountability

systems to monitor

student progress.

Score:_____

Little or no

involvement with

assessment and/or

accountability systems

to monitor student

progress.

Support the

implementation of

assessment and/or

accountability systems to

monitor student progress.

Develop, revise,

and/or recommend

ways to implement

assessment and/or

accountability

systems to monitor

student progress.

Collaborate with teachers

to develop/ revise or

implement assessment

and/or accountability

systems to monitor

student progress.

Collaborate with teachers to

develop/ revise and

implement assessment and/or

accountability systems to

monitor student progress.

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2F - Develop the

instructional and

leadership capacity of

staff.

Score:_____

Prefer models that

confine curricular

leadership to school

administrators.

Support curriculum-

focused leadership roles if

requested by faculty.

Suggest curriculum-

focused leadership

opportunities for

faculty that build

upon individual

strengths.

Support faculty in

curriculum-focused

leadership roles that build

upon individual strengths.

Recruit faculty for

curriculum-focused



2G - Maximize time spent

on quality instruction.

Score:_____

Little or no active

involvement with

faculty in the

identification or

implementation of

instructional practices

Collaborate with faculty in

the identification or

implementation of

effective instructional

practices

Collaborate with

faculty in the

identification and

implementation of

effective instructional

practices


in the identification or

implementation of

effective, research-based



the identification and

implementation of effective,

research-based instructional

practices.

2H - Promote the use of

the most effective and

appropriate technologies

to support teaching and

learning.

Score:_____

Little or no observed

support for effective

technology-enhanced

instructional practice.

Support faculty in the

identification or

implementation of

effective, technology-

enhanced instructional

practices

Support faculty in the

identification and

implementation of


enhanced



in the identification or

implementation of


enhanced instructional

practices


the identification and

implementation of effective,

technology-enhanced

instructional practices.

2I - Monitor and evaluate

the impact of the

instructional program.

Score:_____


monitoring and

evaluating

instructional impact.

Monitor or evaluate the

impact of instruction.

Monitor or evaluate

the impact of

research-based

instruction.

Monitor and evaluate the

impact of research-based

instruction.

Implement transparent

processes to monitor and

evaluate the impact of

research-based instruction.

ISLLC 3 - An education leader promotes the success of every student by ensuring management of the organization, operation, and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective

learning environment.

Comments:

Composite ISLLC 3

Score:_____

Not Yet Competent

0


1

Basic Competence

2

Advanced Competence

3


4

3A - Monitor and evaluate

the management and

operational systems.

Obtain, allocate, align,

and efficiently utilize

human, fiscal, and

technological resources.

Score:_____

Little or no direct

involvement with the

management human,

fiscal/budgetary, or

technological

resources

Direct involvement with

the management of one of

the following: of human,

fiscal/budgetary, and

technological resources.

Direct involvement

with the management

of two of the

following: of human,


technological

resources.

Direct involvement with

the management of

human, fiscal/budgetary,

and technological

resources.

Direct involvement with the

management of human,


technological resources;

extensive work in one or

more areas.

3B - Promote and protect

the welfare and safety of

students and staff.

Score:_____

Needs to take a more

active role in knowing

and following safety

policies and

Knows and follows safety

policies and procedures.

Take an active role in

assuring that

everyone in the

building knows and


conducting safety drills

and assuring that

everyone in the building


conducting and following up

on safety drills and assuring

that everyone in the building

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procedures. follows safety

policies and

procedures.

knows and follows safety


knows and follows safety


3C - Develop the capacity

for distributed leadership.

Score:_____

Prefer models that

confine leadership

roles to school

administrators.

Support leadership roles

that build upon individual

strengths if requested by

faculty or staff.

Suggest/provide

leadership

opportunities for

faculty that build

upon individual

strengths.

Support faculty or staff in



Support faculty and staff in



3D - Ensure teacher and

organizational time is

focused to support quality

instruction and student

learning.

Score:_____

Little or no evidence

of support for policies

regarding use of

uninterrupted

instructional time

Know school and/or

district policies pertaining

to use of instructional time.

Support formal

policies and informal

practices to make

maximal use of

instructional time.

Work to implement

formal policies and

informal practices to

make maximal use of

instructional time.

Work to implement formal

policies and informal

practices to make maximal

use of instructional time and

minimize interruptions.

ISLLC 4 - An education leader promotes the success of every student by collaborating with faculty and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs,

and mobilizing community resources.

Comments:

Composite ISLLC 4

Score: _____

Not Yet Competent

0


1

Basic Competence

2

Advanced Competence

3


4

4A - Collect and analyze

data and information

pertinent to the

educational environment.

Score:_____

Little or no evidence

of skills re data

collection and

analysis.

Developing skills re data

collection and analysis.

Work with faculty to

collect and analyze

data.

Collaborate with

administration and faculty

to collect and analyze

data.

Collaborate with

administration and faculty to

collect, analyze, and make

instructional decisions based

on data.

4B - Promote

understanding,

appreciation, and use of

the community’s diverse

cultural, social, and

intellectual resources.

Score:_____

Maintain the school

isolated from the

community.

Cooperate when

approached by community

members.

Invite community

members to the

school for special

programs or

occasions.

Bring community

opportunities to the

attention of teachers and

students.

Organize opportunities for

reciprocal involvement

between school community

members and community

personnel.

Build and sustain positive

4C - elationships with

families and caregivers.

Score:_____

Interaction with

families and

caregivers ineffective

or erratic.

Interact cooperatively with

families and caregivers.

Interact positively

with families and

caregivers.

Take initiative to interact

positively with families

and caregivers.


positively and assist families

and caregivers.

4D - Build and sustain

productive relationships

Interaction with

community partners

Interact cooperatively with

community partners.

Interact positively

with community


positively with


positively and assist

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with community partners.

Score:_____

ineffective or erratic partners. community partners. community partners.

ISLLC 5 - An education leader promotes the success of every student by acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner.

Comments:

Composite ISLLC 5

Score:_____

Not Yet Competent

0


1

Basic Competence

2

Advanced Competence

3


4

5A - Ensure a system of

accountability for every

student’s academic and

social success.

Score:_____

Not involved with

systems of

accountability for

student learning.

Support the concept of

systems of accountability

for student learning.

Monitor systems of

accountability for

student learning.

Involve all faculty in

carrying out systems of

accountability for student

learning.

Involve all faculty in carrying

out and planning or

evaluating systems of

accountability for student

learning.

5B - Model principles of

self-awareness, reflective

practice, transparency,

and ethical behavior.

Score:_____

Demonstrate behaviors

associated with only

one or none of four

areas: self-awareness,

reflective approaches

to practice,

transparency, and

professional ethics.


associated with two of four


reflective approaches to

practice, transparency, and


Demonstrate

behaviors associated

with three of four


reflective approaches

to practice,

transparency, and



associated with self-

awareness, reflective

approaches to practice,

transparency, and


Consistently demonstrate

behaviors associated with

self-awareness, reflective

approaches to practice,

transparency, and

professional ethics-even in

difficult situations.

5C - Safeguard the values

of democracy, equity, and

diversity.

Score:_____

Demonstrate

behaviors not

associated with

democracy, equity,

and diversity.


associated with democracy,

equity, or diversity.

Demonstrate

behaviors associated

with democracy,

equity, and diversity.


behaviors associated with

democracy, equity, and

diversity.


behaviors associated with and

actively advocates for

democracy, equity, and

diversity.

5D - Consider and

evaluate the potential

moral and legal

consequences of decision-

making.

Score:_____

Need to apply

knowledge of school

law and consider

precedent being set or

followed when

considering courses of

action.

Apply knowledge of

school law or precedent

being set or followed when


action.

Apply knowledge of

school law and


followed when

considering courses

of action.

Consistently apply

knowledge of school law

and precedent being set or

followed when


action.

Consistently apply

knowledge of school law and


followed when considering

courses of action, and knows

when to seek additional legal

advice or counsel.

5E - Promote social

justice and ensure that

individual student needs

inform all aspects of

schooling.

Score:_____

Rarely base schooling-

related decisions on

what is in best

interests of students as

individuals or as a

community of

learners.

Base some schooling-

related decisions on what is

in best interests of students

as individuals and as a

community of learners.

Base schooling-

related decisions on

what is in best

interests of students

as individuals and as

a community of

learners.

Base most schooling-

related decisions

primarily on what is in

best interests of students



Base all schooling-related

decisions primarily on what

is in best interests of students



ISLLC 6 – An education leader promotes the success of every student by understanding, responding to, and influencing the political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.

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Comments:

Composite ISLLC 6

score:_____

Not Yet Competent

0


1

Basic Competence

2

Advanced Competence

3


4

6A - Advocate for

children, families, and

caregivers.

Score:_____

Minimal support for

needs of children,

families, and

caregivers in the

school community.

Support needs of children,

families, and caregivers in

the school community.

Advocate for the

needs of specific

subgroups of children

in the school

community; support

needs of families and

caregivers.

Advocate for the needs of

all children in the school

community; support the

needs of families and

caregivers.

Advocate for the needs of

children, families, and

caregivers in the school

community.

6B - Act to influence

local, district, state, and

national decisions

affecting student learning.

Score:_____

Appear uninformed

regarding policies and

practices affecting

student learning.

Support local and/or

district policies and

practices affecting student

learning

Act to influence local

and/or district

policies and practices

affecting student

learning.

Act to influence local

and/or district policies

and practices affecting

student learning within

state and/or national

context.

Collaborate to influence local

and/or district policies and

practices affecting student

learning within state and/or

national context.

6C - Assess, analyze, and

anticipate emerging trends

and initiatives in order to

adapt leadership

strategies.

Score:_____

Rarely keep up with

local and national

news pertinent to

education and no

ongoing plan for

professional

development.

Keep up with local and

national news pertinent to

education and have an

ongoing plan for

professional development.

Keep up with local

and national news

pertinent to

education, reference

professional

association resources

or conference info,

and follow ongoing

plan for professional

development.



education, reference

professional association

resources and conference

information, and follow

an ongoing plan for




education, use professional

association resources and

conference information to

inform practice, and follow

an ongoing plan for


7 Leadership Dispositions – Aligned with School of Education and M.Ed. program goals.

Comments:

Composite School/M.Ed.

Leadership Dispositions

Score:

_____

Not Yet Competent

0


1

Basic Competence

2

Advanced Competence

3


4

7A - Commitment to

professional ethics,

integrity, and standards of

practice.

Score:_____

Not yet demonstrating

commitment to


integrity, and

standards of practice.

Beginning to demonstrate

commitment to



practice.

Demonstration of

commitment to


integrity, and

standards of practice.

Consistent demonstration

of commitment to



practice.

Consistent demonstration of


ethics, integrity, and

standards of practice, even in

difficult situations.

7B - Demonstrated Demonstrated Observable respect for Demonstrated ability Demonstrated ability to Demonstrated ability to

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respect for diverse

cultures and backgrounds

Score:_____

tolerance for diverse

students, teachers, and

families.

diverse students, teachers,

and families.

to interact effectively

with diverse students,

teachers, and

families.

interact respectfully with

diverse groups of

students, teachers, and

families.

interact respectfully with

diverse groups of students,

teachers, families, and

community members.

8 Leadership Skills – Aligned with School of Education and M.Ed. program goals.

Comments: (Include requirement of weekly email/reflection communication.)

Composite School/M.Ed.

Leadership Skill

Score:_____

Not Yet Competent

0


1

Basic Competence

2

Advanced Competence

3


4

8A - Ability to solve

problems in

administrative practice

Score:_____

Not yet taking

initiative to attempt

problem solving.

Beginning to take initiative

to solve practice-generated

problems.

Beginning to approach

problem solving

collaboratively or

independently.

Approach problem

solving collaboratively

or independently as

needed.

Approach problem solving

collaboratively or

independently as needed and

know when to seek advice.

8B - Apply educational

leadership principles and

theories in practice, with

emphasis on ISLLC

functions.

Score:_____


principles/theories that

may inform practice

examples.

Can identify

principles/theories that

may inform practice

examples.

Can identify

principles/theories and

how they inform

practice after practice

examples take place.


principles/theories and

how they inform practice

as practice examples

take place (reflection in

action).

Can identify

principles/theories and how

they inform practice as

practice examples take place

(reflection in action).

8C - Use of technology

Score:_____

Avoid common

technological

applications to


practice.

Begin to use common

technological applications

to enhance administrative

practice.

Use common tech

applications to


practice.

Beginning to seek out

innovative technological

applications to enhance

administrative practice.

Seek out innovative



practice.

8D - Oral communication

Score:_____

Working toward

professional, easily

understood,

grammatical oral

communication.

Usually professional,

usually easily understood,

minor grammar errors.

Professional, usually

easily understood,

mostly correct

grammar.

Professional, easily

understood, correct

grammar.

Professional, easily

understood, correct grammar;

able to adjust oral

communication style to fit

preferred style of audience.

8E - Effective written

communication

Score:_____

Working toward

professional,

organized, mechanical

error-free written

communication.

Usually professional and

organized, minor

mechanical errors.

Professional,

organized, mostly

accurate mechanics.

Professional, well-

organized, accurate

mechanics.

Professional, well-organized,

accurate mechanics; able to

write in a variety of styles.

8F - Numeracy skills

Score:_____

Working to process,

analyze, explain, and

use administrative

data.

Analyze or use


Analyze and use


Beginning to explain as

well as analyze and use


Explain, analyze, and use


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APPENDIX M NCU Principal Leadership Internship - Field Personnel Evaluation

The Field Personnel Evaluation Instrument is completed by the intern at the end of PL 6010 and PL 6011 and submitted to the office of the PL program coordinator. If

concerns are noted at the midpoint of the 16-week internship, especially if the candidate’s ability to complete internship requirements is at stake, the PL program

coordinator (or his/her designee) will hold problem-solving conversations with the mentor principal and/or university supervisor.

Quality of Support and Role Modeling Provided to the Administrative Intern

By the Mentor Principal

Minimal Adequate Strong Consistently Strong

Leadership Dispositions Commitment to professional ethics, integrity, and standards of practice.

Demonstrated respect for diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Leadership Skills Ability to solve problems in administrative practice.

Apply educational leadership principles and theories in practice.

Use of technology

Oral communication.

Effective written communication.

Data-focused numeracy skills

Comments:

Quality of Support and Role Modeling Provided to the Administrative Intern

By the University Supervisor

Minimal Adequate Strong Consistently Strong

Leadership Dispositions Commitment to professional ethics, integrity, and standards of practice.

Demonstrated respect for diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Leadership Skills Ability to solve problems in administrative practice.

Apply educational leadership principles and theories in practice.

Use of technology

Oral communication.

Effective written communication.

Data-focused numeracy skills

Comments:

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APPENDIX N - Northcentral School of Education PK-12 Principal Action Research Evaluation Rubric Strands from the first part of this

rubric are used to score the Action Research Proposal in PL 5050; the full rubric is used to score the final Action Research Project in PL 6011. Not

Observed Not Yet Competent

0 Points


.25 Points

Basic Competence

.50

Developed Competence

.75 Points

Advanced Competence

1 Point

Preliminary Components (comments):

Action Research Project

Cover Page

Cover page does not

follow PL 5050

proposal template.

Cover page follows PL

5050 proposal template

with one error.

Cover page follows PL 5050

proposal template.

Abstract Inaccurate

information included

or so much

information provided

there is no need to

read the paper.

Presents accurate

information, <100 or

>150 words.

Presents accurate

information, 100-150

words.

Presents accurate

information, overviews

key findings and/or

unique design aspects,

<100 or >150 words.

Presents accurate

information, overviews key

findings and/or unique design

aspects, 100-150 words.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

missing or lists

components out of

order.

Page numbers in the

document do not align

with page numbers in the

Table of Contents.

Accurate and well-

organized, with

headings for the main

sections and most of all

rubric components

included.

Accurate and well-

organized, with a

minimum of all rubric

components included.

Accurate and well-organized,

with headings for the main

sections and a minimum of

all rubric components

included.

Section 1: Introduction - Reflection and Focus (10 points – Week 2) (comments):

Topic Unrelated to

education or PK-12

schooling

Unrelated to PK-12

schooling but related to

education

Related to specific PK-

12 school(s)

Related to leadership in

specific PK-12 school(s)

Related to leadership and

student achievement in

specific PK-12 school(s).

Background History and current

context missing or

vague.

Provides history or

current context of

problem or issue.

Provides history and

current context of

problem or issue.

Provides history and

current context, informed

by literature base or local

data.

Provides history and current

context, informed by

literature base and local data.

ISLLC Standard

Connection

ISLLC Standard(s)

not mentioned or not

aligned to the project.

ISLLC Standard(s)

mentioned but alignment

to the project is vague.

ISLLC Standard(s)

indirectly aligned to the

project.

ISLLC Standard(s)

directly aligned to the

project.

ISLLC Standard(s) and

function(s) are directly

aligned to the project.

Problem Does not involve a

gap in the education

knowledge base,

proposed course of

action, or

Involves a theoretical gap

in education knowledge

base or malfunction.

Involves a theoretical

gap in PK-12

knowledge base or PK-

12 malfunction.

Involves a specific gap in

PK-12 knowledge base,

proposed course of action,

or PK-12 malfunction to

overcome.

Involves a specific gap in

PK-12 knowledge base,

proposed course of action, or

PK-12 malfunction to

overcome, related to student

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malfunction. achievement.

Question Question is not

specific, focused, or

do-able in 8-10

weeks.

Question is phrased as a

statement rather than a

question.

Question meets one of

the three criteria.

Question meets two of the

three criteria.

Question is specific, focused,

and do-able in 8-10 weeks.

Purpose Purpose does not

include a research

goal, reason for

study, or what will be

done with the results.

Purpose is vague or not

phrased as a complete

statement.

Purpose meets one of

the three criteria.

Purpose meets two of the

three criteria.

Includes research goal, why

this study, and what will be

done with the results.

Hypothesis (if appropriate) Hypothesis missing

when a hypothesis

would be appropriate

to the study.

Hypothesis provided

when a hypothesis is not

appropriate to the study.

Type of hypothesis

(null or directional) not

identified but narrative

and narrative doesn’t fit

the research P-Q-P.

Type of hypothesis (null

or directional) not

identified but narrative

fits the research P-Q-P.

Stated as a null or directional

hypothesis and narrative fits

the research P-Q-P.

Delimitations Delimitations not

applicable to the

study or not

addressed.

Vague description of

choices made or avoided

in regard to focus of study

Description of one or

more key choices made

or avoided in regard to

focus of study

Clear description of most

key choices made or

avoided in regard to focus

of study.

Clear description of all key

choices made or avoided in

regard to focus of study.

Definition of Key Terms Definitions missing

or inaccurate.

One or more key

definitions missing.

Key definitions

provided.

Key definitions provided

and all or most are drawn

from professional

literature with APA

citations..

Key definitions provided and

all or most are drawn from

professional literature with

APA citations.

Section 2: Literature Review (10 points – week 3) (comments):

Organization Method Organization method

inaccurately applied

or not apparent.

Organization method does

not fit one of the four

organization methods.

Organized by

chronology, concepts,

pro-con, or primary

viewpoints.

Organized by chronology,

concepts, pro-con, or

primary viewpoints and

identified as such.

Organized by chronology,

concepts, pro-con, or primary

viewpoints and identified as

such, with smooth transitions

between sections.

Resources >12 resources, less

than 50% journal

articles or books, and

remainder relies upon

sources that are not

professional papers

or e-sources.

>12 resources, less than

50% journal articles or

books, or remainder relies

upon sources that are not

professional papers or e-

sources.

<12 resources, 50% or

more journal articles or

books; remainder are

professional papers or

e-sources.

12 resources, 50% or

more journal articles or

books; remainder are

professional papers or e-

sources.

>12 resources, 50% or more

journal articles or books;

remainder are professional

papers or e-sources.

Summary of Key Points Summary of key

points missing or

Missing points important

to the project.

Most key points

summarized.

Most key points

summarized in one

All key points summarized in

one paragraph.

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difficult to identify. paragraph.

Section 3: Research Design and Methodology (10 points – week 2) (comments):

Subjects and Site Subjects and site not

specifically

described.

Subjects or site

described.

Subjects and site

described.

Subjects and site

specifically described.

Subjects and site described

specifically enough for the

study to be replicated.

Method Method inaccurately

labeled, applied, and

described.

Method accurately

labeled, applied, or

described.

Method accurately


described.

Method accurately


specifically described.

Method accurately labeled,

applied, and described

specifically enough for the

study to be replicated.

Process All three required

components missing

or difficult to

identify.

Addressed one of the

three required

components.

Addressed two of the

three required

components.

Addressed what data to

collect, what will be done

with results, and how it

will be done.

Addressed what data to

collect, what will be done

with results, and step-by-step

instructions clear enough to

facilitate replication.

Section 4: Results (10 points – week 14) (comments):

Findings Findings/results

vague, inaccurate, or

omitted.

Findings/results vaguely

or subjectively described.

Findings/results

specifically, objectively

described.

All findings/results

specifically, objectively

described and well-

organized.

All findings/results

specifically, concisely,

objectively described and

well-organized.

Tables, Charts, Diagrams Tables/charts/

diagrams contain

inaccurate

information or data.

Tables/charts/diagrams

used where one or two

sentences of narrative

would suffice.


not provided in APA

format.


used but key data pieces

not highlighted.


showcase key data pieces that

answer research question.

Section 5: Discussions, Conclusions, Recommendations (10 points – week 14) (comments):

Research Question(s) Not specifically

answered or not

addressed in this

section.

Answered in the narrative

but difficult to find or

incomplete answer.

Answered in the

narrative.

Specifically answered. Specifically answered in one

sentence followed by

explanatory paragraph(s).

Limitations Factors beyond

researcher control

vaguely addressed or

not addressed.

Factors beyond researcher

control missed.

Factors beyond

researcher control

mentioned.


control described.


control described with

possible reasons for their

impacting the study.

Interpretation Interpretation

inaccurate or missing.

Interpretation is vague or

not based on results.

Interpretation addresses

one of the three

components.


two of the three

components.


research goal, why this study,

and what will be done with

the results.

Conclusions Conclusions vague or Conclusions described Conclusions described Conclusions described Conclusions described with

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missing. with incorrect alignment

to results.

without alignment to

results.

with alignment to results. clear, accurate alignment to

results.

Recommendations for

Practice

Recommendations do

not involve a gap in

the education

knowledge base of

practice, proposed

course of action, or

malfunction.

Recommendations

address a theoretical gap

in education knowledge

base of practice or

malfunction.

Recommendations

address a theoretical

gap in PK-12

knowledge base of

practice, or PK-12

malfunction.

Recommendations

address filling a gap in

PK-12 knowledge base of

practice, proposed course

of action, or PK-12

malfunction to overcome.

Recommendation address

filling a gap in PK-12

knowledge base of practice,

proposed course of action, or

PK-12 malfunction to

overcome, related to student

achievement.

Supporting Components (5 points – week 14) (comments):

References Reference list

incomplete (does not

includes all work

cited in the project or

includes work not

cited) and not in

accurate APA format

with >5 errors.

Reference list incomplete

(does not includes all

work cited in the project

or includes work not

cited) or not in accurate

APA format with >5

errors.

Reference list complete

(includes all work cited

in the project) and in

accurate APA format

with three to five errors.


(includes all work cited in

the project) and in

accurate APA format with

one or two errors.


(includes all work cited in the

project) and in accurate APA

format.

Appendices Not included though

mentioned in the

paper or included to

expand page count.

Not included though

inclusion would have

supported the study.

Included if needed but

not referenced in Table

of Contents.

Included if needed;

referenced in Table of

Contents.

Included if needed;

accurately labeled in APA

format, referenced in Table

of Contents.

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APPENDIX O ISLLC Standards and Functions

ISLLC Standard 1

An education leader promotes the success of every student by facilitating the development,

articulation,

implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by all

stakeholders.

Functions: A. Collaboratively develop and implement a shared vision and mission.

B. Collect and use data to identify goals, assess organizational effectiveness, and promote

organizational learning.

C. Create and implement plans to achieve goals.

D. Promote continuous and sustainable improvement.

E. Monitor and evaluate progress and revise plans.

ISLLC Standard 2

An education leader promotes the success of every student by advocating, nurturing, and

sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff

professional growth.

Functions:

A. Nurture and sustain a culture of collaboration, trust, learning, and high expectations.

B. Create a comprehensive, rigorous, and coherent curricular program.

C. Create a personalized and motivating learning environment for students.

D. Supervise instruction.

E. Develop assessment and accountability systems to monitor student progress.

F. Develop the instructional and leadership capacity of staff.

G. Maximize time spent on quality instruction.

H. Promote the use of the most effective and appropriate technologies to support teaching and

learning.

I. Monitor and evaluate the impact of the instructional program.

ISLLC Standard 3

An education leader promotes the success of every student by ensuring management of the

organization, operations, and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.

Functions:

A. Monitor and evaluate the management and operational systems.

B. Obtain, allocate, align, and efficiently utilize human, fiscal, and technological resources.

C. Promote and protect the welfare and safety of students and staff.

D. Develop the capacity for distributed leadership.

E. Ensure teacher and organizational time is focused to support quality instruction and student

learning.

ISLLC Standard 4

An education leader promotes the success of every student by collaborating with faculty and

community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing

community resources.

Functions:

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A. Collect and analyze data and information pertinent to the educational environment.

B. Promote understanding, appreciation, use of the community’s diverse cultural, social, and

intellectual resources.

C. Build and sustain positive relationships with families and caregivers.

D. Build and sustain productive relationships with community partners.

ISLLC Standard 5

An education leader promotes the success of every student by acting with integrity, fairness, and

in an ethical manner.

Functions:

A. Ensure a system of accountability for every student’s academic and social success.

B. Model principles of self-awareness, reflective practice, transparency, and ethical behavior.

C. Safeguard the values of democracy, equity, and diversity.

D. Consider and evaluate the potential moral and legal consequences of decision-making.

E. Promote social justice and ensure that individual student needs inform all aspects of

schooling.

ISLLC Standard 6

An education leader promotes the success of every student by understanding, responding to, and

influencing

the political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.

Functions:

A. Advocate for children, families, and caregivers.

B. Act to influence local, district, state, and national decisions affecting student learning.

C. Assess, analyze, and anticipate emerging trends and initiatives in order to adapt leadership

strategies.