Program Update: The LEDE program is on a temporary admissions pause while in an exciting redesign phase. The LEDE team is looking forward to aligning the strong equity and instructional leadership foundations of LEDE with an expanded focus on the evolving needs of our diverse school districts and communities.
We will be working to more clearly align our program to the needs of the communities we serve, with an explicit emphasis on preparing educational leaders committed to dismantling inequitable opportunity structures, and engaging community to envision alternative possibilities rooted in equity and justice.
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A Principal Preparation Program that Honors Your Work as a Teacher Leader
Many of the instructional leadership skills that are so central to principal success are developed over time as teachers take on challenging responsibilities in their schools. This is especially so as teacher leaders support teaching and learning beyond their classrooms.
This understanding is the foundation for our principal preparation program that UW Bothell offers in partnership with a number of regional school districts, the Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession, and the UW Center for Educational Leadership.
With new thinking about how to coordinate teachers’ on-the-job learning and university preparation, the program supports teacher instructional leaders and helps them document their learning so that it contributes to requirements for both the Master of Education degree and the Residency Administrator (Principal-Certification).
Are you a candidate for LEDE?
If your work as a learning-focused teacher leader has led you to the place of imagining broader influence at the school level, then the LEDE program is designed to provide the platform and preparation for your next career step.
Who is Eligible?
This program welcomes applications from educators with the following:
- A Washington Continuing Teacher Certificate
- Minimum of three years of teaching experience (at the time of application)
- Teacher instructional leadership experience:
- Formal experience as a teacher leader who has worked outside of the classroom supporting instructional practice (Examples may include: Teachers on Special Assignment; Instructional Coaches; Content Consultants; New Teacher Mentors), or
- Well-documented informal teacher instructional leadership responsibilities
- District and/or School level support and endorsement of your leadership as evidenced in recommendations or formal endorsement
How is LEDE organized?
LEDE is a two-part program that:
- Balances e-learning, face-to-face seminars, and clinical practice.
- Meets on Saturdays to allow for a commuter and work-friendly schedule.
- Meets and exceeds all five state licensure content requirements through a novel curriculum design.
- Is led by an accomplished university faculty and key educational leaders from the field.
LEDE Part 1 launches in autumn quarter with two seminars on personal leadership and leadership for curriculum and teaching.
Early Start Option: To best support candidate success in Part 1, the LEDE Program implements a 2-credit preparatory option that begins Summer quarter. For those applicants who may be just short of the pre-requisite instructional leadership experience for direct Autumn quarter admission to Part 1, the Early Start summer option provides guided support experiences and instructional leadership development to applicants who have some, but not extensive, teacher leadership experience. The Early Start option consists of one 2-hour evening orientation, and two full-day Saturday sessions. Early Start admission is determined by review of the completed Supplemental Application.
After the introductory Autumn quarter, LEDE candidates then proceed to the Teacher Leadership Network and continue to meet as a cohort or with smaller professional learning groups and work at their own pace with a set of performance tasks that relate directly to the work of instructional and personal leadership in schools. Learning supports are available from UW Bothell, professional development organizations, and school districts. Candidates complete between 200-400 hours of supervised internship in a school under the guidance of an accomplished mentor.
Periodic progress review and meetings across year 1 provide feedback and assistance. Almost half of the program’s course and internship requirements can be completed as a teacher leader in Part 1.
As a performance-based program, candidates may take from one-to-three years to complete Part 1 at no additional cost.
LEDE Part 2 begins with an intensive three-day summer institute in July. Part 2 is a capstone year that combines three seminars on the topics of leading schools as responsive public institutions, as continuously renewing organizations, and as inclusive communities.
LEDE candidates meet as a cohort on 10 Saturdays and regularly with a small professional learning group and continue to self-direct their work through a set of performance tasks that relate directly to the responsibilities of directing the resources and leading the learning agenda for school. Candidates complete an additional 400 hours of supervised internship in a school under the guidance of an accomplished mentor. Candidates may continue their internship placement from Part 1, or seek a new internship site in Part 2. Candidates complete Part 2 in one year.
A Performance-based Program. A series of structured and practical performance tasks integrate learning from seminars, e-learning, and clinical practice. Through these tasks, candidates document both practical experience and conceptual understandings related to all certification standards and UW Bothell master’s degree requirements.
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What are the next steps?
- Review the LEDE application page for details and requirements.
- Contact a LEDE Advisor for initial information. You may be referred to a member of the LEDE faculty for further questions.
Michele Graaff
425-352-5274
mgraaff@uw.edu
- Contact your district and principal to ensure support for your application.
- Complete a Supplemental Application: 1. Complete the online Pre-Application to determine experiential readiness to a) apply for direct admission to fall quarter, or b) to determine if the summer preparatory (Early Start) quarter would be right for you. You will receive feedback on this initial review within 2 weeks.
- With guidance from the advisor and LEDE application page, complete the UW Graduate School Application and the other necessary supporting documents.
Deadlines:
Applicants should apply by May 15th in order to determine Early Start Summer quarter or direct Autumn quarter admissions.