Continuing Professional Education for School and System
Leaders Program
Effective January 1, 2008, all school and system leaders (defined as
principal, assistant or vice principal, superintendent, assistant
superintendent, Intermediate Unit executive director, Intermediate Unit
assistant executive director, and Area Vocational-Technical School director)
must meet their Act 48 continuing professional education requirements in
programs that address the three core and six corollary PA leadership standards.
The Department offers a variety of courses at its eight regional sites, each of which is aligned to one or more of the leadership standards and is delivered by trained facilitators to cohorts of 25 to 35 experienced leaders. Each course requires advance readings and online work to prepare for the onsite training, as well as follow-up job-embedded activities. Instructional methods are varied and suitable for the adult learner.
Core and Corollary PA Leadership Standards
Core Standards:
- The leader has the knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically,
creating an organizational vision around personalized student success.
- The leader has an understanding of standards-based systems theory and design
and the ability to transfer that knowledge to the leader's job as the architect
of standards-based reform in the school.
- The leader has the ability to access and use appropriate data to inform
decision-making at all levels of the system.
Corollary Standards:
- The leader knows how to create a culture of teaching and learning with an
emphasis on learning.
- The leader knows how to manage resources for effective results.
- The leader knows how to collaborate, communicate, engage and empower others
inside and outside of the organization to pursue excellence in learning.
- The leader knows how to operate in a fair and equitable manner with personal
and professional integrity.
- The leader knows how to advocate for children and public education in the
larger political, social, economic, legal and cultural context.
- The leader knows how to support professional growth of self and others
through practice and inquiry.