The Teacher Leader specialty area is designed for teachers and individuals filling roles in areas including assessment, curriculum, technology, literacy, and grade or team coordination. Teacher leaders are essential to overcome student barriers to learning, especially those that emerge from high-need environments. Placing highly trained teachers who are prepared for systemic change and leadership in schools will help close the achievement gap, facilitate learning for all students, and develop equitable practices to meet the needs of diverse learners.

Instructional Leadership. Focuses on developing knowledge, dispositions and skill for creating and sustaining a learner-centered environment with an emphasis on the lives of students, parents, and the professional learning community.

Teacher Leadership and Assessment.  Focuses on teacher leader role in formal and informal assessment practices that will close achievement gaps and improve student learning.

Issues in Curriculum and Assessment. Focuses on understanding the relationship between assessments and curriculum decisions. Participants will explore the concept of standards and standard setting processes in relationship to levels of learning and in relationship to student performance.

Equity, Pedagogy, and Issues of Diversity. Exploration of the issues of diversity in contemporary society. A wide variety of issues will be examined such as, race, gender, class, language differences, and ability levels. Students will delve into the relationship of these issues to teacher recruitment, classroom instruction, equity pedagogy, professional development, educational policy, assessment, achievement gaps, and student learning. Students will be encouraged to think critically, read and write carefully, and view the issues from multiple perspectives. This course will prepare individuals to analyze equity pedagogy and diversity indicators at a school as well as propose strategies for equity pedagogy to meet the needs of diverse learners.

Ethics and Law. Exploration of the various theoretical and practical issues related to ethics in contemporary society. A wide variety of legal issues will be examined. Students will delve into the ethics of fiscal responsibility. Self awareness and bias training will enable the teacher leader to develop a more careful approach to the complexities of ethics in contemporary schools. Students will be encouraged to think critically, read and write carefully, and view the issues from multiple perspectives.

Action Research in the Content Area. Takes the classroom practitioner from theory to practice while improving the situation in which the practice is conducted. Participants will learn how to use action research methods as a means of collecting data that can inform and improve practice as well as be applied to their research projects. Topics will reflect current educational issues and areas of research.

Advanced Technology Integration. Emphasis on educational technology leadership, training, and instructional management. Topics include instructional techniques, evaluation and subjects, grade levels, and needs of diverse learners.
 
For both the P – 12 Administrative Leader and Teacher Leader programs, the primary emphasis will be the preparation of leaders who will facilitate leadership growth in others and will capitalize on the leadership capacity currently existing within schools and districts. The programs will prepare these leaders to deal effectively with enhancing the performance of students, focusing on using all data available, and carrying out the goals stated in their school or district Comprehensive School Improvement Plans (CSIP).