Standards Board Recognizes Spalding University’s College of Education for first Principal Preparation Redesign Program in Kentucky
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (June 28, 2010) – On May 17, the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) voted to approve Spalding University’s proposal of a redesigned principal preparation program. EPSB is the Kentucky’s governing body for professional teacher/educator preparation and certification programs. Spalding University is one of more than twenty universities and colleges in the Commonwealth of Kentucky offering professional teacher/education preparation programs. The Kentucky legislature passed legislation (16 KAR 3:050) in April 2008 requiring all universities to “sunset” their principal preparation programs by December 2011 and to redesign their principals preparation programs around new guidelines outlined in the legislation. The redesign guidelines were a product of the Kentucky Cohesive Leadership System Principal Preparation Continuum which served as new regulations adapted by EPSB.
Given the changing expectations and responsibilities of the principal, the College of Education needed a more collaborative approach in principal preparation with local school districts in order to provide school leaders with current research practices, course content and field experiences tied to leadership standards, and a continuous assessment system which ensured leadership competency throughout the program. Dr. Beverly Keepers, Dean of the College of Education says, “At the heart of the College of Education redesigned program is the belief that an effective principal is one who can increase student achievement by guiding and supporting teachers while capably managing the school organization.”
The program redesign team led by Dr. Barna, Director of the Principal Preparation, Dr. Takona, Associate Dean, and Dr. Beverly Keepers, Dean, along with Dr. Lynne Wheat, Jefferson County Public School’s Director of Administrative Recruitment and Development mobilized a program redesign team that included university faculty, school teachers, principals from the local public and parochial schools, and other school district personnel to develop a unique research-based and comprehensive program envisioned to ensure that every child achieves academic excellence, develops critical thinking skills, and develops his or her potential and thus close the achievement gap.
In approving Spalding University’s redesigned Principal Preparation Program, Dr. Phil Rogers, Executive Director of the EPSB Board recognized the University as having taken the lead in the state-wide initiative to offer redesign principal program. In a formal letter to Dr. Keepers in recognition of Spalding University achievement in offering a redesign of an existing principal program, Dr. Marilyn Troup, Director of Educator Preparation, congratulated the University stating:
The EPSB would like to commend and congratulate Spalding University for being the first university to actually redesign an existing principal program. The partnership, collaboration, co-delivery, and mentoring process provide the foundation that separates the previous principal programs from the new redesigned principal program. We trust that the implementation of this proposal will provide districts with instructional leaders for the 21st Century Schools.
The College of Education is currently accepting applicants for the Principal Preparation program fall 2010 cohort. Interested applicants should contact Dr. Eric Barna, Director of the Principal Preparation program at ebarna@spalding.edu, or at 585-9911 x 2028. Scholarships for qualifying applicants are available for the fall cohort.
