School Leadership Program:
Principal Licensure Strand

The Principal Licensure Strand is a specific array of courses and field experiences designed to, not only meet the licensing requirements of the Massachusetts Department of Education, but also help aspiring principals obtain the skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviors required of effective school leaders.

Students applying for the School Leadership Program must be enrolled in the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

The principal licensure strand has the following objectives:

• Provide experiences and build skills that stimulate the ongoing development of effective instructional leaders

• Celebrate the role and the influence of the principal on the learning community

• Capitalize on the unique resources of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and The Principals' Center, the first such professional development organization in the country

• Create and refine a specific array of courses and field experiences designed to help aspiring principals obtain the skills, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors required of effective school leaders

• Deliver the courses and experiences necessary for school leaders to meet the requirements of the Massachusetts State Department of Education and the Harvard Graduate School of Education

Gain Valuable Leadership Skills

The mission of the Concentration in School Leadership is to educate a new cadre of instructional leaders who will have the capacity, skills, and knowledge to:

• Create and sustain environments for children in grades K-12 that foster the learning and well-being of all children
  
  
• Establish and/or participate in a vibrant learning organization utilizing knowledge about curriculum, instruction, and learning combined with the tools and techniques of effective management
  
  
• Define, articulate, and implement an appropriate vision/mission statement and set of organizational goals to guide the school or nonprofit agency in the support of high levels of academic and social accomplishment for all children; and,
  
  
• Communicate effectively with multiple stakeholders and communities interested in children's well-being.

Common Questions

Who may apply to the principal licensure strand?
To be in Principal Licensure Strand you must be accepted into School Leadership Program.

What are the minimum requirements for admission?

• Admission to the School Leadership Program
• Four years of full-time teaching experience
• Valid teacher license

What are the completion requirements?
The School Leadership Program requires participation in and satisfactory completion of the following:

• The year-long School Leadership Seminar (A-328) to be taught by faculty from the Education Policy and Management, Teacher Education, and the Learning and Teaching Programs of the HGSE
  
• Seminar and Practicum in School Principalship, Instructional Leadership, and Supervision (T-330)
  
• Managing Financial Resources (A-027)
  
• One of the following: Schools and the Law (A-213) or Legal Issues Affecting Urban School in the Post-Brown Era (A-252)

How long do I have to complete the strand?
All students are strongly encouraged to attend summer classes prior to the fall semester. Two summer classes are available: (A252) Legal Issues Affecting Urban School in the Post-Brown Era and (A121) Teaching and Learning: Links Between Research and Practice. Students are also strongly to to select their practicum sites during the summer term.

If you are a full-time Ed.M. student, you should complete the strand within one academic year. If you are part-time, you should complete the strand within two years.

Doctoral candidates are encouraged to complete the strand during their two years of course work.

Does the Graduate School of Education find a
pre-practicum or practicum site for me?
No, but you will be provided with an extensive list of schools in the Greater Boston area from which to choose your site. You will receive more information about this during orientation and in your pre-practica course work.

Will my Massachusetts principal license be accepted in another state?
Massachusetts has signed reciprocity contracts under the Interstate Agreement with a number of states*. Reciprocity is not automatic. You will still need to apply for licensure in your home state or in a state where you will be seeking employment.

Please see the Harvard Graduate School of Education's Educator Licensure site at http://www.gse.harvard.edu/licensure or contact Denise Bowman in the Licensure Office at (617) 495-3578 for further information.

Are there any documents I should bring with me to HGSE?
Yes. You can facilitate a portion of the paperwork process by bringing copies of your teacher license and undergraduate transcripts (and graduate transcripts if you have a degree from another institution). You should also bring letters of experience from school principal(s) or school district(s) on official letterhead certifying you have a minimum of four years of full-time teaching experience at the level for which you seek licensure.

Once I have been accepted to the strand, what kind of support can I expect to receive?
Mary Grassa O'Neill, the Director of The Principals' Center is an invaluable resource for students in the strand. Mary regularly meets with students by appointment.

There is an administrative assistant for the principal licensure strand whose office is in The Principals' Center. Throughout your participation in the strand, the administrative assistant will be available to assist you during established office hours as well as by e-mail. She or he will maintain your paperwork file and submit your application packet to Denise Bowman who will then forward it to the Massachusetts Department of Education for principal licensure.

Denise Bowman in the HGSE Licensure Office also provides support and valuable information.