Preliminary Administrative Services Program Standards

Preliminary Administrative Services Credential (PASC) Program Standard 1: Program Design and Rationale

PASC Program Standard 1 is met as follows:

The Administrative Services Credential (ASC) program includes coursework and field experiences that prepare candidates for various leadership roles, such as principal, assistant principal, and district-level administrator. The program's curriculum is grounded in research-based, best practices for instructional leadership and draws from established theories of organizational behavior, organizational learning and leadership studies and management. The program is aligned with California Administrator Performance Expectations (CAPE).

The Mills College at Northeastern University MA in Educational Leadership program’s curricula and pedagogy are firmly rooted in praxis (Bajaj, 2017)—combining both research and practice.  Candidates are required to construct models of leadership that they can apply to real life situations. The goal of the program is to develop reflective practitioners, a term coined by Donald Schön (Cameron, 2009; Schön, 2017) and reflective thinkers, as described by John Dewey (Dewey, 1986; Rodgers, 2002). 

Given the current socio-political challenges faced by school administrators, ASC students will acquire an understanding of systemic inequities in schooling and school systems as well as indialogic practices in the context of systemic change and whole-school transformation. Building on the foundations of critical adult learning theory (Brookfield, 2005; Merriam, 2018), educational leadership for equity and social justice (Capper, 2018; Cossier, 2009, McCready, 2009; Norguera, 2003) asset-based approaches in educational leadership (Skrla & Scheurich, 2001), and critical theory for instructional leadership  (Anyon, 1994; Delgado & Stefancic, 2012; Gabel & Connor, 2009; Ladson-Billings, 1998; Smiler, 2009; Tate, 1997; Wang, 2015), organizational learning theory for equity, diversity and social justice education (Capper, 2018), notions of community participation and capacity building as tool for whole-school transformation (Chin, 2018, Horsford, & Sampson, 2014; Warren et al, 2009) and distributed leadership (Diamond, 2013; Spillane & Diamond, 2007), the theoretical foundations of our program supports students in analyzing the impacts of historical, economic and socio-cultural contexts on instructional leadership, schooling and educational leadership within pre-K-12 school systems.  Application of theories, identification of concepts, and review of current research literature and exploration of documented experience with comparable problems are expected to be part of the training of the reflective administrator who continually builds an analysis and set of tools and processes to support systemic transformation in support of all learners.

From the beginning of their coursework through the completion of their final field experience, candidates continually work to clarify and deepen their educational philosophy and sharpen their educational vision. To develop a philosophy of education and a vision of excellence through their courses and field experiences, candidates read and understand contending philosophies and theories of education. Based on the work of critical adult learning theory (Brookfield, 2005) and critical media literacy (Keller & Share, 2005; Knox, 2019), the program identifies the curriculum development needs of adult learners including motivations to learn, becoming active in the learning process, and having the opportunity to integrate their past experiences with their present learning. The Mills College at Northeastern University’s MA in Educational Leadership, which is designed to meet the Commission on Teacher Credentialing’s standards for a Preliminary Administrative Services Credential, integrates the California Administrator Performance Expectations (CAPE) competencies into the program in two field experience seminars where students can practice their leadership, while demonstrating mastery of the CAPE standards.  

The MA in Educational Leadership program is designed with adult learning needs in mind, focused on the tenet that learning is greatest when it can be applied to situations of interest to the learner and when there is an immediate benefit. If adults see how the material is relevant to their own situations, their motivation to learn increases, and the instructor will have a more attentive audience. Motivation to learn originates from the adult learner’s expectations of the usefulness of the content. Thus, students grapple with real-life problems or cases and apply their learning to contexts they know and understand on an ongoing basis. Students learn to address the race-based “achievement gap,” sometimes referred to as the “opportunity gap,” that is a manifestation of the educational system’s inability to be successful and effective in educating children who come from high-poverty and working-class neighborhoods as well as children of color. This achievement gap plays a major role in perpetuating systems of inequity throughout students’ lives and the lives of the people who make up their families and communities. The achievement gap takes on greater significance for society at large when considered in the context of the changing demographics of the nation. As globalization continues to impact and transform the demographic makeup of local communities, there is a compelling need for school leaders to be culturally competent and draw upon that competence to provide effective leadership that counters marginalization and exclusionary processes.  

The program's coursework and assessments are designed to ensure candidates meet the California CAPE standards and are aligned with principles of adult learning, including experiential learning, self-directed learning, and reflective practices. The program includes coursework on educational theory, organizational learning theory,  distributed leadership frameworks and research as well as field experiences that allow candidates to apply their learning in real-world settings. The program's coursework and field experiences are designed to build upon each other and provide a coherent and integrated learning experience. The program includes multiple opportunities for candidates to participate in field experiences, engage in collaborative projects with peers, and receive personalized feedback from instructors and mentors. The program includes regular assessments, such as case studies, presentations, and written assignments, as well as summative assessments such as final papers and projects and the California Administrator Performance Assessment (CalAPA), to ensure candidates meet the CAPE.

Continue to Program Standard 2: Collaboration, Communication and Coordination

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