The Academy | University of Michigan -- Flint
Program Summary
Introduction
The University of Michigan –- Flint-based Urban Principals Academy (The Academy) provides university-based urban principal preparation and professional development that (1) enhances the personal and professional growth of practicing principals of high-needs urban schools, transforming them into school leaders who visualize successful student learning for all children, understand the work necessary to achieve it, and have the skills to engage with others to make it happen and, (2) identifies teachers and others with high potential for urban school leadership, stimulates their interest in educational administration, and provides them with integrated, job-embedded experiences and coursework and ongoing support as educational leaders in an era of No Child Left Behind.
Theory of Change
Leadership is about change. Successful school leaders in the future -particularly in chronically underperforming urban and rural schools where the needs are the greatest - must possess different skills and characteristics than the school leaders of the last decade. Since new and unexpected challenges constantly confront principals in schools, the development the learning experiences of aspiring and practicing principals should reflect preparation for the unexpected. The Academy’s transformational leadership model develops the principal’s ability to serve as a potent change agent, inspiring others to think and perform in new ways, resulting in significant positive effects on teacher satisfaction, effectiveness and overall school and student performance.
Definition of Leadership
"Leadership is about learning together, and constructing meaning and knowledge collectively and collaboratively. It involves opportunities to surface and mediate perceptions, values, beliefs, information, and assumptions through continuing conversations; to inquire about and generate ideas together; to seek, to reflect upon and make sense of work in light of shared beliefs and new information, and to create actions that grow out of these new understandings. Such is the core of leadership" (Lambert 1998).
Mission Statement
The Academy seeks to identify, recruit, train and support highly-qualified individuals to serve as educational leaders who find authority and effectiveness in their personal, interpersonal, and professional competencies, not in formal positions and who lead in efforts to coordinate the energy and work of all stakeholders so that all children in high needs urban and rural schools are well served.
Costs
The Academy has an annual budget of approximately $221,000 provided by the NCLB grant. The University of Michigan – Flint contributes office space and equipment. Selected general operating costs include Personnel ($20,000), Travel ($7,750), Supplies ($19,600), Contractual ($90,925), Indirect Costs ($10,907), and Training Stipends ($74,000). The grant provides a 50% tuition reimbursement (approximately $8,000 per individual) for participants in a three-year Master in Public Administration with a Concentration in (Urban) Education degree and a 65% tuition reimbursement (approximately $700 per individual) for participants in either of two graduate level courses aligned with State of Michigan administrative recertification requirements. The grant also allows aspiring and practicing principals from within the program’s seven district target area to attend periodic professional-development workshops and leadership dialogues at no cost.
Licensure
The program assists with the Michigan Board of Education and Michigan Department of Education continuing education re-licensure requirement.
Standards
Curricula for both aspiring and practicing principals are guided by standards adopted by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) through the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLCC). The curriculum also reflects standards set forth by the Michigan Board of Education.
Measuring K-12 Student Success
The Academy program will be successful if its curricula and activities measurably within a three-year period improves the academic performance of children in schools led by Academy participants. The performance measure is the Michigan Educational Performance Assessment (MEAP). The purpose of the MEAP tests is to accurately measure students’ achievement in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. The tests are based on Content Standards developed by Michigan educators and approved by the Michigan Board of Education.
Contact
Mike Kiefer, Project CoordinatorOffice of the Dean
University of Michigan – Flint
444 French Hall
Flint, MI
mikekiefer@umflint.edu | (810) 424-5221 (phone) | (810) 766-6891 (fax)
More Information
View all links for The Academy
Disclaimer
e-Lead provides information on professional-development programs for school leaders that have submitted detailed information and that also meet certain standards-based criteria. Programs listed at the e-Lead website are not endorsed by either the Institute for Educational Leadership or Temple University's Laboratory for Student Success.