Through classroom application of course content, this course provides students with substantial practical experience as they master and implement preventive and positive classroom management strategies. In addition, students acquire both theoretical and practical knowledge about the relationships between school-wide systems and behavioral development, learning and achievement among students with diverse needs.

This course prepares students to implement a school-wide leadership initiative to improve a comprehensive range of literacy skills. Specific principles and theories of reading instruction are evaluated in relation to currently employed practice so teachers can immediately strengthen instruction. Students examine the scientific research base underlying different models of reading instruction. Special attention is given to curriculum mapping, alignment, and the development of an implementation plan to strengthen literacy.

This course reviews data related to the effectiveness of educational initiatives emphasizing evidence-based instructional design models used to assess and instruct students with diverse learning needs. Special attention is given to inclusion of traditionally underrepresented learner populations, i.e.; special education, LEP, economically disadvantaged, and ethnic minorities.

This course develops competencies in utilizing formative and summative assessment practices and data to inform and guide curriculum development and instruction. Classroom and school-based assessment tools provide teachers with the knowledge and skills required to meet the needs of diverse learners. Embracing assessment is the first step towards “data-based” decision-making in education.

This course enables students to become informed consumers of educational research and to develop skills that prepare them to carry out action research in their schools and classrooms. An emphasis is placed on providing students with knowledge that they can apply in determining whether particular research findings are relevant to their leadership and instructional practices and to distinguish between trustworthy and non-trustworthy research. Throughout the course, students identify the elements that scientifically-based research and action research share. Emphasis is placed on how research can become a vital and relevant tool for teachers and school leaders.

This course provides a foundation for developing relationships with stakeholders within the school community—students, faculty, parents, and the community at large—for the expressed goal of supporting student learning. A fundamental purpose of the course is to understand and implement strategies to develop essential partnerships between schools and the larger community to foster student learning and achievement.

This course assists students in establishing a framework for developing curriculum and instructional planning strategies which encompass multiple learning situations and variations in students' needs. Using a curricular framework, learners plan, evaluate, reflect on, and adapt curriculum experiences to build successful learning environments for all children.

This course focuses on the identification and implementation of research-based strategies to develop vibrant and meaningful professional learning communities (PLCs) with the primary goal of increasing student achievement. Students will learn about the importance of developing a common professional language that can be used to identify and solve both school management and instructional challenges. In addition, students will use converging research evidence in identifying the characteristics of effective PLCs and common obstacles to establishing them. This course also provides a solid foundation for establishing structures and routines that make a thriving professional learning community possible.

This course focuses on legal and ethical dimensions of school leadership with an emphasis on resolving conflicts in the school community. Students analyze legal cases and ethical dilemmas that relate to the role and responsibilities of the leader tasked with creating and maintaining an educational environment that protects and nurtures equity, fairness, tolerance, and respect.

Students explore research on school improvement strategies, structures, and processes; analyze leadership decisions and behaviors; and examine the implications of research and commonly used practices for managing organizational change. Students also use existing research and literature to uncover underlying assumptions about school reform efforts, to improve the accuracy of problem identification, issues of human and social capital, the need for professional learning, and the challenges of overcoming bureaucratic and cultural norms.

This course provides students with resource management strategies to identify the organizational needs of a school, leverage the unique strengths and talents of competent teachers, and build the instructional and leadership capacity of teams. Students also learn how to develop and implement assessment and evaluation strategies to document teacher performance and to guide decisions relevant to professional development and employment termination options.

This course identifies local, state, and federal sources for school funding and provides students with familiarity with state funding formulas and local budget guidelines. An emphasis is also placed on ensuring that aspiring leaders develop competencies essential to the allocation of resources toward teaching, learning, and school improvement priorities rather than simply monitoring facilities and accounts. Students will also have the opportunity to explore non-traditional funding sources such as grants, foundations, and community partnerships.

All EDL students are required to complete an Educational Leadership Internship. The internship is designed to guide aspiring leaders through structured and semi-structured, supervised leadership experiences focused on improving student performance. This 120-hour documented leadership experience is required for licensure and complements the more than 200 hours of embedded field-based applications integrated throughout the program. The Internship may be implemented throughout the duration of the EDL program with consent of the EDL Internship Coordinator.