Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia
Department 505 - PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS COMMISSION
Chapter 505-3 - EDUCATOR PREPARATION RULES
Rule 505-3-.76 - Alternative Preparation for Educational Leadership Program
Universal Citation: GA Rules and Regs r 505-3-.76
Current through Rules and Regulations filed through September 23, 2024
(1) Purpose. This rule states specific content standards and requirements for approving Tier I and Tier II alternative preparation programs designed for the preparation of individuals to serve in educational leadership positions in P-12 schools and Local Units of Administration (LUA), and it is designed to meet recruitment and hiring needs in various areas of the state. This rule supplements requirements and definitions of terms in GaPSC Rule 505-3-.01 REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS FOR APPROVING EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROVIDERS AND EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS. Implementation guidelines accompany this rule.
(2) Definitions.
(a)
Alternative preparation is defined as a post-baccalaureate program designed for individuals who have not prepared as leaders in a traditional leadership preparation program. These preparation programs, which lead to an Educator Preparation Provider's verification of meeting requirements for Georgia certification, but not a degree, recognize candidates' earlier academic preparation and life experiences.
(b)
Certificate Levels are assigned to Georgia educator certificates based on the degree(s) an educator holds. See GaPSC Rule 505-2-.02 CLASSIFICATION.
(c)
The term leadership position refers to those positions requiring leadership certification as determined by the employing LUA for placement on the state salary schedule.
(d)
Tier I prepares candidates for entry level leadership positions that include P-12 school level positions below the principal and system level positions that do not supervise principals.
(e)
Tier II prepares candidates for advanced leadership positions that include P-12 school level principals or the equivalent, superintendents, or other LUA staff who supervise principals.
(3) Requirements.
(a) The standards and requirements set forth in this rule are intended to guide the development of an alternative preparation program in two phases of preparation (Tier I and Tier II). The goal is to ensure completers of each tier are able to demonstrate knowledge of leadership content, skills, and dispositions to positively impact teacher performance and student growth. Each tier includes a minimum one-year residency which provides opportunity for candidates to experience guided practice of skills in authentic leadership situations.
(b) To receive approval for the Alternative Preparation for Educational Leadership program, a Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC)-approved educator preparation provider (EPP) shall offer a preparation program described in program planning forms, websites, catalogs, and syllabi conforming to the Georgia Educational Leadership Standards, which are adapted from the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) published in 2015 by the National Policy Board for Educational Administration. Programs will be assessed at the standard level; elements listed under each standard give guidance regarding the breadth and depth of each standard and are adapted from PSEL. Although programs shall be designed upon the PSEL Standards and as required by Rule 505-3-.01, the Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards (TAPS) in relation to instructional leadership (see 505-3-.01 paragraph (3) (e) 4. (i)), EPPs are advised to consider additional standards in developing program curricula and clinical experiences at the appropriate level (Tier I or Tier II), such as the Learning Forward Standards for Professional Learning, Georgia Teacher Leadership Standards (GaPSC Rule 505-3-.72 TEACHER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM), the Model Principal Supervisor Standards, the evaluation standards comprising the Georgia Teacher Keys Effectiveness System (TKES) and the Georgia Leader Keys Effectiveness System (LKES), and the standards delineated in GaPSC Rule 505-3-.03 FOUNDATIONS OF READING, LITERACY, AND LANGUAGE. GaPSC and Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) rules are often focused on implementation of such standards; candidates shall complete preparation programs prepared to implement programs and processes that address such standards. Professional learning as described in the GaPSC certificate renewal rule (GaPSC Certification Rule 505-2-.36 RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS) and continuous improvement as described in GaDOE rules and processes shall be addressed in the leadership preparation curriculum and clinical experiences. Effective educational leaders:
1.
Develop, advocate, and enact a shared mission, vision, and core values of high-quality education and academic success and well-being of each student. Education leaders build consensus among all stakeholders to develop an educational mission, vision, and core values of what students should know and do as a consequence of their schooling, as well as what it means for students to become well-adjusted, contributing members of society. Building such a vision supported by core values can require reconciling possibly competing perspectives among all members of the school community. Based on this vision, leaders work with school and community members to establish the school's mission, and to plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate impact to promote continuous and sustainable improvement. Effective leaders:
(i) Using relevant data and in collaboration with school and community members, develop an educational mission, vision, and statement of core values for the school to promote student success and well-being.
(ii) In collaboration with members of the school and the community and using relevant data, develop and promote a vision for student success and well-being by articulating, advocating, and cultivating core values that define the school's culture, and stress the imperative of child-centered education; high expectations and student support; fair access, opportunity, and advancement for all students; openness, caring, and trust; and continuous improvement.
(iii) Utilize best practices to strategically identify, implement, and evaluate actions to achieve the vision, mission, and core values for the school.
(iv) Ensure core values support processes and procedures that allow all students access to the most effective teachers and an instructional program that will ensure they are college and career ready.
(v) Develop a systematic, inclusive, and comprehensive process to review, revise, and communicate the school's mission, vision, and core values, and respond to changing expectations and opportunities for the school, and changing needs and situations of students.
(vi) Develop shared understanding of and commitment to mission, vision, and core values within the school and the community.
(vii) Monitor communications and actions to build and sustain school and community alignment with the shared vision, mission, and core values.
(viii) Model and pursue the school's mission, vision, and core values in all aspects of leadership.
2.
Act ethically and according to professional norms to promote each student's academic success and well-being. Educational leaders are professionals who ensure personnel are equipped with professional understanding of the school's mission and the professional norms that must be followed to ensure student success and well-being. Leaders have an understanding of ethical principles to guide actions and decision-making, which must be within the boundaries of professional practice. Leaders foster the development of a school culture that nurtures understanding of professional conduct and ethics, and have a professional responsibility to take an intentional approach to ensure not only regulatory enforcement, but also ethics education, outreach, and prevention. Effective leaders:
(i) Act ethically and professionally in personal conduct, relationships with others, decision-making, stewardship of the school's resources, and all aspects of school leadership.
(ii) Act according to and promote the professional norms of integrity, fairness, transparency, trust, collaboration, perseverance, learning, and continuous improvement.
(iii) Place children at the center of education and accept responsibility for each student's academic success and well-being.
(iv) Safeguard and promote the values of democracy, individual freedom and responsibility, and fairness.
(v) Lead with interpersonal and communication skill, social-emotional insight, and understanding of all students' and staff members' backgrounds and cultures.
(vi) Provide moral direction for the school and promote ethical and professional behavior among faculty and staff.
3.
Strive for fairness of educational opportunity and responsive practices to promote each student's academic success and well-being. Education leaders create a school culture that values learner differences. Students are known, accepted, valued, and empowered to reach their full potential. The school's culture supports a climate in which students are healthy, safe, and supported. The culture defines high expectations, encourages trust, and expects all to be responsible participants; as a result, all students thrive. Effective leaders:
(i) Ensure that each student feels a sense of belonging, is treated fairly and respectfully, and is accepted and valued as an active member of the school community.
(ii) Recognize, respect, and employ each student's strengths, differences, and culture as assets for teaching and learning.
(iii) Analyze data to ensure that each student has equitable access to effective teachers, learning opportunities, academic and social support, and other resources needed for college/career readiness.
(iv) Develop and communicate expectations and codes of conduct to address student behavior in a positive and fair manner.
(v) Eliminate barriers associated with race, class, culture and language, gender and sexual orientation, and disability or special status.
(vi) Utilize a variety of strategies to examine and address assumptions and beliefs that may conflict with vision, mission, core values, and goals.
(vii) Incorporate knowledge of the social, cultural, leadership, and political dynamics of the school community to cultivate a positive academic learning environment.
(viii) Promote the preparation of students to live productively in and contribute to the varied cultural contexts of a global society.
(ix) Act with cultural competence and responsiveness in their interactions, decision making, and practice.
4.
Develop and support intellectually rigorous and coherent systems of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to promote each student's academic success and well-being. Effective educational leaders develop and support intellectually rigorous and coherent systems of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to maximize each student's growth and learning. Education leaders promote the use of rigorous curricula, which set high expectations for students and are aligned to academic standards. They seek to maximize student learning through authentic and differentiated pedagogy, systems of support, and effective assessment strategies that inform instruction. They develop and coordinate these systems in ways that create opportunities to personalize the academic program to meet individual student needs. The effectiveness of implementation and the impact of these systems on student learning are evaluated. Effective leaders:
(i) Promote the mission, vision, and core values of the school, embody high expectations for student learning, and align curriculum, instruction, and assessment with academic standards that are responsive to the needs of all learners.
(ii) Align and focus systems of curriculum, instruction, and assessment within and across grade levels to promote student academic success, love of learning, the identities and habits of learners, and healthy sense of self.
(iii) Promote instructional and assessment practice that is consistent with knowledge of learning, learner growth and development, effective pedagogy, and the needs of each student.
(iv) Guide the selection and implementation of evidence-based teaching strategies, curricular materials, educational technologies, and other resources appropriate to address all student populations.
(v) Ensure instructional practice that is intellectually challenging, authentic to student experiences, aligned to student strengths, and is differentiated and personalized.
(vi) Collaboratively model and promote with all stakeholders a culture of high expectations for all students.
(vii) Promote the effective use of technology.
(viii) Employ valid assessments that are consistent with knowledge of child learning and development and technical standards of measurement.
(ix) Monitor and evaluate the use of diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment to provide timely and accurate feedback to students and parents, and to inform instructional practices.
5.
Cultivate a welcoming, caring, and supportive school community that promotes the academic success and well-being of each student. Education leaders build a school culture and climate that supports students being known and valued. The learning environment is personalized so students feel encouraged to engage with others as active learners. In such an environment learners are willing to take chances in their learning since a support system has been built to reinforce student learning. Effective leaders:
(i) Build and maintain a safe, caring, and healthy school environment that meets the academic, social, emotional, and physical needs of each student.
(ii) Create and sustain a school environment in which each student is known, accepted and valued, trusted and respected, cared for, and encouraged to be an active and responsible member of the school community.
(iii) Provide coherent systems of academic and social supports, services, extracurricular activities, and accommodations to meet the range of learning needs of each student.
(iv) Promote adult-student, student-peer, and school-community relationships that value and support academic learning and positive social and emotional development.
(v) Cultivate and reinforce student engagement in school and positive student conduct.
(vi) Infuse the school's learning environment with the cultures and languages of the school's community.
6.
Develop the professional capacity and practice of school personnel to promote each student's academic success and well-being. Education leaders support the professional learning of effective, caring teachers and leaders who are able to work with students productively in the classroom and who can collaboratively lead a school or district. Building an effective staff requires careful personnel recruitment, selection, assignment of responsibilities, support, evaluation, and retention. Developing the professional skills of educators involves such activities as coaching, creating supportive conditions, and fostering a professional learning community. Effective leaders:
(i) Recruit, hire, assign, support, develop, and retain effective and caring teachers and other professional staff and form them into an educationally effective faculty in an equitable manner based on school needs, and local, state, and federal requirements.
(ii) Plan for and manage staff turnover and succession, providing opportunities for effective induction including mentoring of new personnel by carefully selected and trained mentors.
(iii) Develop teachers' and staff members' professional knowledge, skills, and practice through differentiated opportunities for learning and growth, guided by understanding of professional and adult learning and development.
(iv) Foster continuous improvement of individual and collective instructional capacity to achieve outcomes envisioned for each student.
(v) Deliver actionable feedback about instruction and other professional practice through valid, research-anchored systems of supervision and evaluation to support the development of teachers' and staff members' knowledge, skills, and practice.
(vi) Empower and motivate teachers and staff to the highest levels of professional practice and to continuous learning and improvement.
(vii) Recognize the achievements of highly effective teachers and others by developing the capacity, opportunities, and support for teacher leadership and leadership from other members of the school.
(viii) Promote the personal and professional health, well-being, and work-life balance of faculty and staff.
(ix) Address their own learning and effectiveness through reflection, study and improvement, maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
7.
Foster a professional community of teachers and other professional staff to promote each student's academic success and well-being. Education leaders promote each student's academic success and well-being by creating and supporting a professional community of teachers. Building a community of teachers and other professional staff includes creating effective workplace conditions, promoting collective engagement and responsibility, and mutual accountability. Creating professional communities of teachers and other professional staff includes job-embedded opportunities that promote collaborative examination of practice and focuses on improvement of programs and practices. Effective leaders:
(i) Foster supportive workplace conditions for teachers and other professional staff that promote effective professional development, practice, and student learning.
(ii) Empower and entrust teachers and staff with collective responsibility for meeting the academic, social, emotional, and physical needs of each student, pursuant to the mission, vision, and core values of the school.
(iii) Establish and sustain a professional culture of engagement and commitment to shared vision, goals, and objectives pertaining to the education of the whole child; high expectations for professional work; ethical and equitable practice; trust and open communication; collaboration, collective efficacy, and continuous individual and organizational learning and improvement.
(iv) Promote mutual accountability among teachers and other professional staff for each student's success and the effectiveness of the school as a whole.
(v) Develop and support open, productive, caring, and trusting working relationships among leaders, faculty, and staff to promote professional capacity and the improvement of practice.
(vi) Design and implement job-embedded and other opportunities for professional learning collaboratively with faculty and staff.
(vii) Provide roles, structures, opportunities, and norms to support collaborative examination of practice, collegial feedback, and collective learning.
(viii) Encourage faculty-initiated improvement of programs and practices.
(ix) Use data, including student performance data, to evaluate the impact professional learning has on the faculty and staff, the school/district, and student learning.
8.
Engage families and the community in meaningful, reciprocal, and mutually beneficial ways to promote each student's academic success and well-being. Education leaders build and sustain productive relationships with families and other community partners in the government, non-profit, and private sectors. They promote understanding, appreciation, and use of the community's cultural, social, and intellectual resources. They communicate regularly and openly with families and community partners, and seek their input and support for continuous improvement efforts. Effective Leaders:
(i) Are approachable, accessible, and welcoming to all families and community members.
(ii) Create and sustain positive, collaborative, and productive relationships with families and the community for the benefit of students.
(iii) Engage in regular and open two-way communication with families and the community about the school, students, needs, challenges, and accomplishments.
(iv) Maintain a presence in the community to understand its strengths and needs, develop productive relationships, and engage its resources for the school.
(v) Create means for the school community to partner with families to support student learning in and out of school.
(vi) Build and sustain mutually beneficial productive partnerships with public and private sectors to share resources and promote school improvement and student learning.
(vii) Create an environment that values differences, serves as a resource for families and the school community, and welcomes family engagement in school activities.
(viii) Understand, value, and employ the community's cultural, social, intellectual, and political resources to promote student learning and school improvement.
(ix) Advocate publicly for the needs and priorities of the school, district, students, families, and the community.
(x) Work with the community to collect and analyze data on economic, social, and other emerging issues that impact district and school planning, programs, and structures.
9.
Manage school operations and resources to promote each student's academic success and well-being. Education leaders are responsible for the effective, efficient, equitable, and ethical management of schools and districts. Their responsibilities include garnering and allocating resources, monitoring and addressing internal and external regulatory requirements, developing organizational policies and practices, and other administrative duties that maintain the continued viability of the school or district. Effective leaders:
(i) Institute, manage, and monitor operations and administrative systems that promote the mission and vision of the school.
(ii) Strategically manage staff resources, assigning and scheduling teachers and staff to roles and responsibilities that optimize their professional capacity to address each student's learning needs.
(iii) Seek, acquire, and manage fiscal, physical, and other resources to support curriculum, instruction, and assessment; student learning community; professional capacity and community; and family and community engagement.
(iv) Are responsible, ethical, and accountable stewards of the school's monetary and nonmonetary resources, engaging in effective budgeting and accounting practices.
(v) Protect teachers' and other staff members' work and learning from disruption.
(vi) Employ technology to improve the quality and efficiency of operations and management.
(vii) Develop and maintain data and communication systems to deliver actionable information for classroom and school improvement.
(viii) Know, comply with, and help the school community understand local, state, and federal laws, rights, policies, and regulations to promote student success.
(ix) Develop and manage relationships with feeder and connecting schools for enrollment management and curricular and instructional articulation.
(x) Develop and manage productive relationships with the central office and school board.
(xi) Develop and administer systems for fair and equitable management of conflict among students, faculty and staff, leaders, families, and community.
(xii) Manage governance processes and internal and external politics toward achieving the school's mission and vision.
10.
Act as agents of continuous improvement to promote each student's academic success and well-being. Educational leaders foster an environment among stakeholders where data are analyzed and used to continuously improve the academic and social success of the students, staff, and the community of learners. Leaders ensure a systematic and collaborative process that promotes a culture of school improvement and accountability. This plan, do, check, act process is created with input from all stakeholders. The leader uses current and relevant research and effectively gathers, analyzes, and interprets student data from multiple sources to promote a shared vision for instructional improvement that engages all stakeholders in decision-making that drives and sustains school improvement for each student. Effective leaders are willing to make difficult decisions and confront adverse situations to promote student academic success and well-being. Effective leaders:
(i) Use a systematic continuous improvement process to achieve the vision, fulfill the mission, and promote the core values of the school.
(ii) Create a continuous improvement culture within the school and community that promotes mutual commitment and accountability for student success.
(iii) Develop the capacity of staff to effectively lead strategic teams in a systematic process of school improvement.
(iv) Employ situationally-appropriate strategies for improvement, including transformational and incremental, adaptive approaches and attention to different phases of implementation.
(v) Build the capacity of staff to assess the value and applicability of emerging educational trends and the findings of research for school improvement.
(vi) Develop systematic processes of data collection, management, and analysis to determine root causes and inform the decision-making process.
(vii) Adopt a systems perspective ensuring alignment among improvement efforts and within all aspects of school organization, programs, and services.
(viii) Manage uncertainty, risk, competing initiatives, and politics of change with courage and perseverance, providing support and encouragement, and openly communicating the need for, process for, and outcomes of improvement efforts.
(ix) Develop and promote leadership among teachers and staff for inquiry, experimentation and innovation, and initiating and implementing improvement.
(c) In addition to meeting the standards listed above, program requirements must include the following:
1.
Tier I Program Admission.
(i) Non-educator candidates seeking admission to a Tier I program must:
(I) Receive from a LUA a recommendation for admission to the program and assurance the candidate works in a leadership position at least one-half day or more, each day;
(II) Hold, at a minimum, a master's degree from a GaPSC-accepted accredited college or university;
(III) Document five (5) or more years of successful leadership experience and related leadership training, preferably in an executive management, supervisory, or leadership role;
(IV) Provide references documenting evidence of successful performance in a leadership role;
(V) Exhibit professional leadership dispositions through an assessment, developed and/or adopted by the educator preparation provider; and
(VI) Provide evidence of experience in engaging employees in organizational development or professional learning opportunities.
(ii) Candidates currently employed as educators and seeking admission must:
(I) Receive the recommendation of a Georgia LUA for participation in the program and assurance the candidate works in a leadership position at least one-half day or more, each day;
(II) Hold a master's degree or a GaPSC Level 5 or higher professional type certificate; candidates who also have national board certification, the Teacher Leadership endorsement, Coaching endorsement or the Teacher Support and Coaching endorsement are ideal. The master's degree must have been earned from a GaPSC-accepted accredited institution.
(III) Provide evidence of successful teacher leadership experience;
(IV) Exhibit professional leadership dispositions through an assessment, developed and/or adopted by the educator preparation provider;
(V) Provide evidence of experience in engaging colleagues in professional learning opportunities; and
(VI) Provide evidence of successful teaching.
(iii) Upon admission, candidates accepted into the Tier I Alternative Preparation program are issued a Three (3)-Year Non-Renewable Leadership Certificate upon request from the employing LUA, which may be converted to a professional leadership certificate when requirements are met.
(iv) Candidates who enroll in a Tier I Alternative Preparation program must pass the Georgia Ethics for Educational Leadership Assessment prior to beginning program coursework.
2.
Tier II Program Admission.
(i) Candidates must be employed in a leadership position in a LUA requiring Performance-Based Professional Leadership Certification at Tier II.
(ii) In addition, practicing educators seeking admission must:
(I) Receive the recommendation of the employing LUA for participation in the program and assurance that the system will support the work of the candidate in the program;
(II) Hold a level 5 or higher Standard Professional Educational Leadership Tier I Certificate or hold a valid, Standard Professional L Certificate in Educational Leadership Tier II based on completion of a non-performance-based program; and;
(III) Provide references documenting evidence of successful performance in a leadership position that requires Tier I leadership certification.
3.
Candidate Support. All alternative preparation programs require structured supervision and guidance by a team of qualified mentors and coaches for a minimum of a twelve (12) month cycle during Tier I and a minimum of a twelve (12) month cycle during Tier II. The LUA shall provide a mentor with successful leadership experience at the Tier II level relative to the candidate being mentored. The alternative preparation program shall provide coaching by qualified individuals who demonstrate competencies in the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required for accomplished leadership. It is incumbent upon the program provider to ensure individuals providing developmental support (coach and mentor, for example) have successfully completed appropriate training.
4.
Program Requirements. The alternative preparation program shall develop a performance-based program addressing the following:
(i) Tier I Program.
(I) A Pre-Residency component shall address through courses, modules, seminars or other modes of content delivery, at a minimum school law, the Georgia Code of Ethics for Educators, and organizational leadership with a focus on teaching, learning, and using data in the school improvement process. The pre-residency Educational Leadership requirements are described in program approval documents submitted to the GaPSC as part of the program approval process for educator preparation programs;
(II) Residency requirements must be successfully completed while employed by a regionally accredited LUA or regionally accredited private school in a Tier I leadership position full-time or part-time, for at least a half day every day for a minimum of a twelve (12) month cycle. Residency requirements for Tier I include the following:
I. Candidates shall participate in carefully designed experiences in addition to completing appropriate coursework, during an extended residency [minimum of a twelve (12) month cycle], providing significant opportunities for candidates to apply the knowledge and guided practice to develop the skills and dispositions identified in the program standards through substantial, sustained, standards-based work in actual Tier I settings;
II. Candidates shall participate in a residency incorporating a continual assessment of candidate application of knowledge, skills, and leadership dispositions. Candidates' performances shall be planned and guided cooperatively by a candidate support team, throughout the program, to provide inclusion of appropriate opportunities to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions reflective of current leadership research and program standards. At a minimum, the candidate support team shall be composed of the candidate, a trained and qualified leadership coach, a P-12 school-based leader and/or LUA mentor/coach, and a supervisor from the approved program provider; and
III. The residency experiences shall provide candidates with substantial responsibilities that increase over time in amount and complexity, and involve direct interaction and involvement with appropriate staff, students, parents, and community leaders. The preponderance of experiences shall engage candidates in leading rather than observing or participating. Candidates shall demonstrate the ability to lead, facilitate, and make decisions as school leaders. Assessment of candidate performance shall be the responsibility of the approved program provider and shall include multiple formative and summative measures used throughout the residency to measure candidate progress in acquiring knowledge, demonstrating skills, and refining dispositions. Data from these assessments shall be shared with the candidate, instructors, mentors/coaches, and candidate support team in order to make informed decisions regarding candidate performance, program effectiveness, and EPP operations.
(ii) Tier II Program.
(I) Alternative preparation program advanced residency requirements shall be completed while employed by a regionally accredited LUA or regionally accredited private school in a Tier II level leadership position full-time or part-time, for at least a half day every day for a minimum of a twelve (12) month cycle. Residency requirements for Tier II shall include the following:
(II) Candidates shall participate in performances developed by the candidate support team based on individual performance assessment data, during an extended residency [minimum of a twelve (12) month cycle], providing significant opportunities for candidates through guided practice to apply knowledge, develop skills, and refine dispositions identified in the program standards while engaged in substantial, sustained, standards-based work in actual P-12 school/ system settings;
(III) Candidates shall participate in a performance-based residency incorporating a continual assessment of candidate application of knowledge, skills, and leadership dispositions. Candidates' performances shall be planned and guided cooperatively by a candidate support team, throughout the program, to provide inclusion of appropriate opportunities to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions reflective of current leadership research and program standards. At a minimum, the candidate support team shall be composed of the candidate, a leadership coach, a P-12 school-based leader and/or LUA mentor/coach, and a supervisor from the approved program provider; and
(IV) The residency experiences shall provide candidates with substantial responsibilities that increase over time in amount and complexity, and involve direct interaction and involvement with appropriate staff, students, parents, and community leaders. The preponderance of experiences shall engage candidates in leading rather than observing or participating. Candidates shall demonstrate the ability to lead, facilitate, and make decisions as P-12 school leaders. Assessment of candidate performance shall be the responsibility of the approved program provider and will include multiple formative and summative measures used throughout the residency to measure candidate progress. Data from these assessments shall be shared with the candidate, instructors, mentors/coaches, and candidate support team in order to make informed decisions regarding candidate performance, program effectiveness, and EPP operations.
5.
Certification Requirements. Upon admission, candidates accepted into the Tier II Alternative Preparation program are issued a Three (3)-Year Non-Renewable Leadership Certificate upon request of the employing LUA, which may be converted to a professional leadership certificate when requirements are met. If the Georgia Ethics for Educational Leadership Assessment was not passed upon enrollment in a Tier I program, it must be passed prior to beginning Tier II coursework. An educator working in a Tier II position who does not hold Tier I certification will be issued a Non-Renewable Professional Certificate in each tier. If the Tier I certificate is converted to a Standard Professional Certificate, the Non-Renewable Performance-Based Professional Certificate in Educational Leadership - Tier II may be extended for an additional three (3) years. While in the program, candidates shall demonstrate continual progress.
6.
Exit Requirements. Exit requirements for successful completion of the alternative preparation program at each tier shall provide candidates an opportunity to demonstrate a foundation of knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for work in leadership positions in P-12 schools and LUAs. Requirements for each tier shall include the following:
(i) Successful defense of their leadership work before the candidate support team;
(ii) A successful evaluation of the candidate's performance by the superintendent or the superintendent's designee; and
(iii) A passing score on the GACE content assessment for Educational Leadership for Tier I candidates; for Tier II candidates, a passing score on the Georgia Performance Assessment for Educational Leadership (PASL).
7.
Notification of Program Completion. Upon successful completion of all program exit requirements, the GaPSC-approved program provider shall notify the GaPSC that the candidate has met all program requirements and is qualified for a professional Performance-based Tier II certificate.
8.
Continuous Improvement as Part of the Program Approval Process.
(i) As part of the continuous improvement cycle required by GaPSC Program Approval Standards (2023), EPPs are advised to engage partner school districts in regularly reviewing program effectiveness. In addition, as a formative measure, EPPs are advised to engage in a mid-cycle review using peers and partners as reviewers; such reviews will have no regulatory consequences. Mid-cycle formative reviews will use a valid and reliable process such as Quality Measures.
(4) Eligible Program Providers. The Alternative Preparation for Educational Leadership program may be proposed by any GaPSC-approved EPP that can verify, through the program approval process, the ability to provide an alternative preparation program complying with the definitions, standards, and requirements of the Alternative Preparation for Educational Leadership program as delineated in this rule. The eligible provider shall create a preparation program for both Tier I and Tier II; however, a provider is not required to offer a Tier II program. GaPSC-approved educator preparation providers at LUAs, private schools, or charter schools shall offer an approved alternative preparation program only to those candidates employed by that LUA or P-12 school.
O.C.G.A. § 20-2-200.
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