Principal Certification Track

National Aspiring Principals Fellowship

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Next Cohort Starts
August 2023
Duration
11 Months
Program Fee
$10,000*
*Reflects a $5,000 tuition discount for applicants who apply by June 2023

Program Overview

With cohorts that launch every January and August, the Fellowship Principal Certification Track is a rigorous, job-embedded, and blended learning experience designed to develop the most effective equity-focused principals in the country.
Residency Experience
Apply leadership best practices in your current role on campus from day one
Cohort-Based Development
Connect, network, and grow with like-minded peers
Expert Coaching
Gain actionable feedback and insights to guide leadership development every month

Participant Learning Outcomes

Create a school culture that promotes equity, inclusion, and excellence
Implement equitable systems and practices that enable data-driven decision-making and cycles of continuous improvement
Integrate personal leadership and instructional leadership practices to identify high-leverage priorities, build staff capacity, and meet the needs of every student
Effectively diagnose and develop plans for school-wide improvement and student achievement

Program Curriculum

Participants in the Fellowship Principal Certification Track embark on a comprehensive learning journey that includes 18 credit hours of coursework and is supported by job-embedded residency, individual coaching, and community building.

Introduction to Educational Administration & Supervision

  • Leadership Theories
  • Frameworks for Change Management
  • Governance and Political Frames

History of Urban Education

  • History, Race, Identity, and the Principalship
  • Equal Rights, Protection, and Education
  • Leadership Theories and the Principal as Disrupter

School Culture & Community Relations

  • School Culture and Adult Leadership School
  • Building Student Culture
  • Community Partnership
  • Culture and Communication

Curriculum Planning for Educational Leaders

  • The Instructional Core
  • Reaching Every Child
  • Professional Learning

Educational Resource Management

  • Recruitment, Onboarding, and Hiring
  • School Finance
  • Planning and Operations

Alumni Benefits

Graduates of the Fellowship Principal Certification Track will join a robust community of 6,000+ New Leaders alumni in all stages of their professional journeys. With ongoing and regular opportunities for community building, networking, and support delivered by a dedicated alumni engagement team, the Fellowship experience extends into the principalship and beyond.

Alumni benefits include:
Evidence-based resources and leadership tools
Affinity groups and mentoring
Resume development, interview preparation, and networking
Community building events in cities across the country
High-quality programming and learning opportunities
Opportunities for career advancement

Prospective Participant Profile

Prospective participants in the Fellowship Principal Certification Track should:

  • Embrace an equity-focused mindset
  • Show evidence of foundational instructional leadership knowledge and skills
  • Present a track record of success in driving student achievement gains

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Prospective Participants in the Principal Certification Track Are Expected to Have:

  • A valid teaching license and 2-3 years of teaching experience
  • A master's degree
  • A current role with access to a residency school site

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Explore Our January 2022 Cohort Participant Profile
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Admissions Timeline

August 2023 Cohort‍‍

  • ‍‍Applications open: March - June 2023
  • Participants notified: July 2023
  • Program Orientation: August 2023
  • Classes begin: August 2023

August 2024 Cohort

  • ‍‍Applications open: March - June 2024
  • Participants notified: July 2024
  • Program Orientation: August 2024
  • Classes begin: August 2024
Our institution was established on the belief that all disenfranchised people, particularly people of color, have access to higher education and better opportunities. The Fellowship will give CAU scholars the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to become principals and leaders in our nation's schools and diversify the higher education leaders’ pipeline.
George T. French Jr., Ph.D., President of Clark Atlanta University