Educational Leadership Department
Kevin Mack, chair
Cornish Hall, Room 1213
(607) 753-2444
Fax: (607) 758-5007

Overview

Expand your capacity to envision district-wide impact and improvement in education as you learn to integrate theory and practice to effectively develop schools and other learning communities. If you hold a master’s degree and permanent or professional teaching certification in New York, you can advance your career in educational leadership by choosing the school district leader C.A.S. program at SUNY Cortland.

Program Highlights

Under the direction of our expert educational leadership faculty, you’ll investigate critical topics in finance, special education, curriculum and organization. You’ll also explore important legal issues, the elements and value of strategic supervision and key qualities for guiding a school district. This program will prepare you for New York state’s School District Leader Assessment.

Culminating Experience

In addition to completing an internship in educational leadership, you’ll participate in a culminating seminar that merges your classroom and practical experiences.

Career Potential

With your successful completion of the school district leader C.A.S. program, you’re well prepared for the responsibilities of positions such as subject and content area supervisor, director of athletics and physical education, director of special education, curriculum coordinator, superintendent or central office administrator.

To further enhance your marketability in the work force, we strongly suggest you apply, if qualified, for the dual school building leader/school district leader degree.

Admission Requirements

To be considered for the Educational Leadership program, you must include, in addition to the completed graduate school application, the following materials:

1. Certification and Degree: Proof of permanent or professional New York state teaching certification for the school building leader (SBL) and school district leader (SDL) programs and an official transcript showing the master’s degree already conferred.
2. Resume: An updated resume with a minimum of three references with current telephone numbers.
3. Recommendations: Three Candidate Recommendation Forms, which are available as part of the online application. These recommendation forms must be completed by practicing school leaders who support your candidacy. Once completed by the reference, the forms should be returned to you in a signed and sealed envelope to insure confidentiality. They should be included in the submitted packet. Please note the following:
   1. If you are from the teaching field, you must have one form from an administrator in your district’s central office, a second form from your immediate supervisor and a third form from a practicing educational administrator of your choice.
   2. If you are from a non-teaching, non-traditional background, you must have one recommendation form from your current organization’s chief executive officer, one form from your immediate supervisor and a third form from an educational supervisor/administrator of your choice.
4. Essay: A written essay (one-to-two pages only, word processed, double-spaced with 12-point type) that addresses the following question: What is your vision of the school leader in American public schools of the 21st century?
   1. This essay is due with all other application materials and becomes part of the application file; this paper should not be handed in at a separate time.
   2. This paper should be well written in the form and quality that a future school leader would proudly provide a superintendent and/or board of education for review. A rubric for this essay is available as part of the online application.

This completed packet, along with the Admissions application, is to be submitted to the SUNY Cortland Admissions Office. Once the application is complete, it will be scheduled for review by the Educational Leadership Department faculty committee.

Apply for the school district leader C.A.S.