Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in Teacher Leadership

Program Advisor: Renee Whitmer, email: brwhitmer@valdosta.edu, phone: 229-249-2786

Department of Teacher Education Website

General information about this program (Majors & Degrees)

For more information on the Education Specialist ED.S in Teacher Leadership click this link

ADMISSION DEADLINES

• Fall Semester: July 1
• Spring Semester: November 1
• Summer Semester: April 1 

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Online Graduate Application

Hold a master’s degree or higher from a regionally-accredited institution - Transcripts of coursework completed in-residence at VSU will be obtained by the Graduate School.

Have a cumulative graduate GPA of 2.75 or higher.

Hold a clear renewable (Induction, Professional, Advanced Professional, or Lead Professional Teaching certificate, leadership certificate, service) certificate at the bachelor's level 4 or higher. Individuals with certification from states other than Georgia must provide documentation of the appropriate certificate. Eligibility will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Official transcript from your master's degree-granting school and from any graduate coursework.

• Transcripts of coursework completed in-residence at VSU will be obtained by the Graduate School
• A cumulative graduate GPA of 2.75 or higher is required.
• EDUCATOR CERTIFICATION
  • Must hold a clear renewable (Induction, Professional, Advanced Professional, or Lead Professional Teaching certificate, leadership certificate, service certificate at the bachelor's level 4 or higher.  Individuals with certification from states other than Georgia must provide documentation of the appropriate certificate.  Eligibility will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
  • Have at least one year of successful classroom teaching experience as a certified educator

Superintendent Recommendation

• Submit the Superintendent Recommendation for Enrollment and Support document. The document should provide verification that your school superintendent or superintendent's designee:
  • Supports your decision to pursue the degree
  • Recommends you for participation in this program
  • Agrees to provide the necessary resources for successful completion of the degree requirements, including time and access to teachers and stakeholder groups so that candidate can observe, mentor, conduct research, and provide professional learning, among other things.
• Submit the Superintendent Recommendation for Enrollment and Unified Partnership of Support document.  The document will provide verification that your school superintendent or superintendent's designee:

• • Recommends candidate of participation in this program.
  • Agrees to provide the necessary resourses for successful completion of the degree requirements, including time and access to teachers and stakeholder groups so that candidate can observe, mentor, conduct research, and provide professional learning, among other things.
  • Mentoring by a leader who is actively employed in a leadership position in the P-12 school or LUA and who has been trained to be a leader mentor.
  • Access to work alongside and/or observe one or more leader mentors at the elementary, middle, high school, and central office levels.
• Submit a passing score on the Georgia Leadership Ethics for Educators Assessment (Test 380).

Distance Learning Exemption of the VSU Medical Form

• The VSU Medical Form must be completed and signed by the student/applicant.
• This form must be received prior to enrollment, NOT prior to admission.
• Applicants who are currently enrolled, and those who attended VSU in the past, are not required to resubmit the Medical Form

Verification of Lawful Presence 

(For applicants who believe they qualify for in-state tuition or a residency waiver.)

• This is not required for individuals who do not qualify for in-state tuition or a residency waiver.
• This must be received prior to enrollment (if applicable), NOT prior to admission.
• Citizenship documentation is needed for any applicant who wishes to be considered for in-state tuition.
• Check out a complete list of accepted documents and residency information here.

Unless otherwise indicated above, all required documents must be received on or before the admission deadline for your file to be reviewed. It is the applicant's responsibility to allow adequate time for document delivery and to en-sure receipt of documents. Please allow at least 7-10 days for delivery by mail.

IMPORTANT PROGRAM INFORMATION

• Students seeking the dual certification option for Teacher Leadership and Educational Leadership Tier I must successfully complete all 10 courses proscribed in the dual certification curriculum. No post master's work will be accepted. Dual-certification students must also pass both the GACE Content Educational Leadership (Test 311) and GACE Content Teacher Leadership (Test 313) to be eligible for certification in both fields. Graduates have one year after graduation to attempt and pass the Teacher Leadership test.

• The dual certification program is a performance-intense program that involves two clinical practice experiences where certification candidates apply their knowledge within field-based settings. For the educational leadership Tier I certification preparation, candidates complete a field portfolio and complete 250 clock hours within LEAD 7930. Candidates synthesize, apply, practice, and develop the skills identified in the educational leadership standards through field experience activities embedded in the LEAD 7930 course. These experiences include observing and working alongside one or more leader mentors at the elementary, middle, high school, and central office levels. In addition to a school-based leader mentor, candidates receive EPP support through opportunities to interact with program staff and other candidates for reflection, feedback, and support related to their performances in the field.

• For teacher leadership certification preparation, field experiences occur within courses with the prefix “EDET”, and candidates complete task-based activities across four different grade levels. They receive intensive support by a school-based mentor experienced in instructional leadership. Candidates complete an Individualized Growth Plan (IGP) collaboratively with their Candidate Support Team to set achievement goals and complete mock portfolio tasks in preparation for the performance-based Teacher Leadership GACE Content test.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

• Call Us: 229-333-5694 
• Email Us: gradschool@valdosta.edu 
• Visit Us: Converse Hall (Main Campus), Third Floor, Suite 3100

For additional program details contact the Program Advisor: Renee Whitmer, email: brwhitmer@valdosta.edu, phone: 229-249-2786.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

1. No more than 9 semester hours of post-master’s academic work may be transferred from another institution into the program.  Transfer credit will be evaluated after admission by the department upon entry.  To be eligible, credit must be no more than seven years old at the time of admission unless otherwise approved by the program.
2. The maximum time allowed for completion of the education specialist degree is seven calendar years.  No work completed more than seven years prior to degree completion will be accepted toward the degree, except with special permission from the student’s major professor and the Dean of the Dewar College of Education and approval from the Dean of the Graduate School.
3. To graduate from this program, a student must have a cumulative institutional graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Graduation Requirements Page

RETENTION, DISMISSAL, & READMISSION POLICIES

1. Earning grades below “B” in graduate courses will result in the following consequences:
2. Students admitted Fall 2011and thereafter will be dismissed from the Graduate School if they accumulate three or more academic deficiency points unless otherwise indicated by individual program policy. A grade of “C” (although it may be credited toward a degree) equals one deficiency point. A grade of “D,” “WF” or “F,” or “U” (none of which will be credited toward a degree) equals two deficiency points.
3. Candidates admitted BEFORE Fall 2011 and receiving two grades below “C” (“D”, “F”, “WF”,“U”) will be dismissed from the program. One grade below a "C" results in a warning.

Retention, Dismissal, & Readmission Policies Page