Superintendent Certification

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Superintendent Certification

Drs. Pauline Sampson and Kerry Roberts
Drs. Pauline Sampson and Kerry Roberts

Superintendent Preparation Cohort Program
Stephen F. Austin State University

Graduate instruction is designed to assist professional, qualified persons to prepare for strong superintendent leadership roles. The Superintendent Certificate Program consists of 15 semester hours of courses and experiences that are built upon the Texas Professional Standards for the Superintendency.

Admission Requirements

How to apply:

Graduate School Application

Superintendent Application materials

Applicants should possess:

Master's degree from an accredited college or university
Mid-Management of Principal Certification
Passing score on Mid-Management or Principal ExCET
A composite score of minimum 800 on the verbal and quantitative section of the GRE, with scores of at least 300 on each section.
Three years of teaching experience

Applicants must submit:

All forms and credentials submitted respectively to the Department of Secondary Education and Educational Leadership and the Graduate School. The forms include the following.

Application to graduate school -- Submit online
$25.00 application fee payable to the SFA Graduate School
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) with a minimum 800 composite on the verbal and quantitative portions
Please send items #1 through #3 to:
Stephen F. Austin State University
Graduate School
P. O. Box 13024, SFA Station
Nacogdoches, TX 75962-3024

Superintendent Preparation Program

Application to the Superintendent Preparation Program (form enclosed)
A Professional Profile (instructions enclosed) or resume
List of six references
Please send items #1 through #3 to:
Dr. Pauline M. Sampson
Department of Secondary Education and Educational Leadership
P. O. Box 13018 – SFA Station
Nacogdoches, TX 75962-3018

Application Procedures

There are two options to consider to completing the Application to the Superintendent Certificate Program.

Option 1: Principal/Mid-Management ExCET score of 80 or higher, Graduate Records Examination score of at least 800 overall, no part less than 300 and Holistic Assessment by Faculty.
Option 2: Principal/Mid-Management ExCET score of 70-79, Graduate Record Examination score of at least 800 overall, within the past five years, no part less than 300, and Holistic Assessment by Graduate Faculty.

Program Structure

Cohort Membership
The Superintendent Certificate Program is offered in a cohort design that precludes self-selection into any required course related to the program of study. All students granted admission to the program will be members of a cohort and are expected to complete all course work as a member of the cohort for which they were admitted. In the event of withdrawal from the cohort program by a student, and upon election by the student to seek reentry to the program, a student will meet with Graduate Faculty Council for review and consideration of request for continuance in the program.

Courses
The fifteen (15) semester hour Superintendent Certificate Program consists of courses and experiences that are built upon the Texas Professional Standards for the Superintendency, developed by the State Board for Educator Certification in conjunction with a cross-section of community, business and school administrators. The Learner-Centered Curriculum focuses on:

Learner-Centered Values of Integrity, Fairness, and Ethics of Leadership
Learner-Centered Leadership and District Culture
Learner-Centered Communications and Community Relations
Learner-Centered Policy and Governance
Learner-Centered Curriculum Planning and Development
Learner-Centered Instructional Leadership and Management
Learner-Centered Human Resources Leadership for Staff Evaluations and Performance Through Staff Development
Learner-Centered Human Resources Leadership and Management
Learner-Centered Leadership and Management of Districts Physical Plant and Support Systems for Safe and Effective Learning Environment in Relation to Budget, Personnel, Resource Utilization, Financial Management and Technology
Learner-Centered Organizational Leadership and Management

Multi-cultural educational experiences and technology skills will be an integrated part of each course. The following courses will be taken in the sequence listed.

AED 511 The Superintendency – The preparation and qualifications of the successful school superintendent and the duties, responsibilities, and problems of the school superintendent.
AED 547 Public School Finance – The principles of school finance, budgeting and accounting procedures and problems of local administration.
AED 551 School Asset/Capital Management – Operation, maintenance, utilization and management of physical plant, property records, inventory control, and school building programs.
AED 594 Superintendent Seminar – Study of the Superintendency from both a theoretical and field-based perspective. A series of culminating scenarios that connects research based leadership practices with recognized proficiencies of leadership achievement.
AED 596 Internship for the School Superintendent – Three semester hours of individual study. Designed to give on-the-job training under the guidance of successful, experienced, practicing public school administrators and members of the university staff.

Mentors in the Field
Students, public school administrators, and professors build professional learning communities through mentor practices. The collaboration connects course work and applied skills in the field.

Individuals interested in this program should contact:

Dr. Pauline M. Sampson
Stephen F. Austin State University
P. O. Box 13018, SFA Station
Nacogdoches, Texas 75962-3018

Phone: 936-468-2908

E-mail: sampsonp@sfasu.edu

Professional Profile

This profile is to accompany the application to the Superintendent Preparation Program in the Department of Secondary Education and Educational Leadership. The Professional Profile consists of four dimensions:

A retrospective view of the applicant’s professional experiences over time and across specific areas of leadership.
1. College and University Years: Reflect on experiences related to becoming an educator that could include (but not be restricted to) organizations, classes, influential persons, etc.
2. Professional Experiences: Could include (but not be restricted to) experiences in the classroom, chairpersons positions, committee involvement, special assignments, project director, military experience.
3. Professional or Personal Honors: Could include (but not be restricted to) any honor received that was connected to your professional or personal experiences.
4. Professional Organizations: Could include (but not be restricted to) such experiences as chairperson, officer, committee member, delegate, etc. at the local, state, regional, or state levels.
A brief autobiographical sketch of the applicant.
A statement of professional goals.
A review of the applicant’s professional growth and development activities over the past three to five years, which may include formal education at the graduate or undergraduate level, professional development, technical training, or professional presentations.

The applicant should reflect on the four dimensions of the profile, selecting a narrative presentation format best suited to his/her style of writing and communication. The profile should convey a personal and professional history that assists the Principal Preparation faculty to know the person who is applying. To this end, there is not a preferred format or structure. In preparing the profile, the applicant should set the text in a typed, double-spaced format with an expected minimum of three to five pages. The professional profile should be submitted with the forms going to the Secondary Education and Educational Leadership Department.

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