Program Description

The Teacher Leadership Program prepares educators to lead their colleagues as teachers. Graduates of the program will be able to earn a Service (S) certificate in Teacher Leadership. Coursework includes graduate semester hours in advanced topics such as assessment, professional development, coaching, curriculum, leadership, and data-driven instruction. Candidates also participate in a residency, which provides significant opportunities for candidates to synthesize and apply the knowledge and practice to develop the skills identified in the Georgia Teacher Leadership Standards 1-7 through substantial, sustained, standards-based work in authentic, embedded settings, planned and guided cooperatively by the program provider and school district personnel.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this program will be able to: 

1. Facilitate the design and implementation of sustained, intensive, and job-embedded professional learning based on identified student and teacher needs.  
2. Demonstrate the ability to work with stakeholders to promote the development of a school culture that fosters excellence and equity in teaching and learning and focuses on continuous improvement creating a sense of belonging and building a collaborative work environment.  
3. Describe best practices in curriculum practice and apply this knowledge to the alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to standards.  
4. Model best practices in pedagogy and serve as a mentor and coach for other educators.  
5. Work with others to design and implement assessment practices and analyze data for monitoring and improving teaching and learning through data-informed decision making.  
6. Access and conduct research and apply research findings to improve teaching and learning.
7. Collaborate with stakeholders to improve student learning and to guide positive change.

Students who successfully complete this program at the advanced level will be able to:

1. Design and implement a school-wide professional learning initiative that results in a documented improvement in teacher collaboration and student outcomes.
2. Leverage advanced disciplinary knowledge to create and evaluate an innovative educational intervention or curriculum that is suitable for adoption by at least one school or district.
3. Demonstrate distributed leadership serving on a project team within a research project for a school district, resulting in the evaluation or development of a new initiative that achieves significant improvements in teacher performance and/or student outcomes, with measurable success indicators.
4. Develop a research proposal that incorporates a robust theoretical framework, appropriate research methodologies (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods), and a clear plan for data collection and analysis.
5. Successfully conduct a study, including data collection, analysis, and interpretation, culminating in a final defense.

This program is a part of the Leland and Clarice C. Bagwell College of Education .

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Admissions, Enrollment, and Graduation Criteria

Admissions Criteria

The following are program-specific criteria beyond the general Graduate Admissions  requirements. To be considered for admission to this program, the following application materials must be submitted to the KSU Graduate Admissions Office:

• Clear Renewable Georgia Teaching Certificate 
• Earned Educational Specialist Degree (Ed.S)
• Clear and Renewable GaPSC Teacher Leadership Certification (only required for advanced track)
• Personal Reflections Statement - Can be uploaded into the online application. It would be best to address your research interests and provide a rationale for which KSU faculty you would like to be your dissertation advisor(s).
• Employment - Candidates are required to be employed as teachers or administrators in a traditional public school district, a charter school district, a charter school, or an independent school. By PSC regulation, candidates must be referred for admissions by their respective schools/districts, and Kennesaw State University must hold a Performance-Based partnership with the referring district. 
• Mentor Form - This program requires that you have a qualified mentor who meets the GaPSC Mentor requirements at each phase in your program. You can find the mentor requirements and form with instructions on the Graduate Admissions website for this program.
• Resume or Professional Vitae - Can be uploaded into the online application. Should document your education, years of teaching experience, current school and district, volunteer and service activities in which you have participated, and any leadership involvement. Resume MUST reflect at least THREE years of professional teaching or administrative experience prior to admission consideration. 
• Interview - An interview may be required. If so, you will be contacted by the program to set up an interview.

Admission Criteria for Unique Cases

Currently, there are no exceptions to the admission requirements.

Transfer Credit

There are seven (7) required courses that all Teacher Leadership candidates take in order to prepare them for the Teacher Leadership GACE and initial Teacher Leadership certification. Those courses are not transferable. For additional questions regarding course transferability, please contact the Teacher Leadership program coordinator.

Enrollment Criteria

This program does not have specific enrollment requirements. 

Graduation Criteria

Each student is expected to meet the requirements outlined in Academic Policy 5.0 PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS & GRADUATION .

• PSC Program Completion Requirement 

To graduate, candidates must comply with GaPSC Rule 505-3-.01; the EPP shall require candidates enrolled in the Ed.D. in Teacher Leadership (initial certification concentration) program to attempt the Teacher Leadership GACE. 

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Program Course Requirements