Provides aspiring administrators with knowledge, skills, and demonstrated performances in the evaluation of teachers based on the Iowa Teaching Standards. Successful completion of this course completes the requirements for the evaluator approval certification, required for principals by the Iowa Department of Education. Restricted to IA PRIN students only.

Provides aspiring administrators with an understanding of the legal aspects of education with a focus on administration-related applications. Knowledge is acquired in the areas of education and the legal system, employee rights and obligations, student rights and discipline, tort liability, and public-private school-related legal issues. A particular emphasis will be placed upon the federal and state mandates in special education. Restricted to IA PRIN students only.

School, Family, and Community Relations provides aspiring administrators with knowledge, skills, and demonstrated performances to engage parents, families, and communities in supporting student achievement. The candidates will develop an action plan for increased parent/family/community engagement that addresses student learning. Restricted to IA PRIN students only.

Provides aspiring administrators the opportunity to focus on building level organizational issues that will enhance student achievement at the pre-school, elementary, middle school, and high school levels. Topics addressed include staffing patterns, schedule development, school budgeting, staff relations, and the components for creating a positive learning environment for students in both the general and special education programs. Restricted to IA PRIN students only.

Provides aspiring administrators with an understanding how a school can become a learning community to meet the needs of diverse learners. Specific needs of identified groups of learners are explored. Specifically the groups addressed are identified special education students, English language learners, students involved with 504 plans, and students identified as gifted and talented. Students engage in self-reflection to help gain an understanding of how their own actions impact and are interpreted in a diverse world.

Provides aspiring administrators with the knowledge, skills, and demonstrated performances in current curriculum instruction and assessment practices; the design and implementation of curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices; and their impact on student achievement. Restricted to IA PRIN students only.

Provides aspiring administrators with knowledge, skills, and demonstrated performances around the learning needs of young learners, adolescent learners, high school learners, and adult learners. Emphasis will be placed on factors impacting motivation, types of organizational change, research-based change models, and components of effective change leadership. Restricted to IA PRIN students only.

Provides aspiring administrators with an understanding of their leadership style through self-assessment; leadership theory and its application to the principal; its impact on achievement; leading in a culture of change; decision processing, decision making and systematic planning; and ethical practices.

This course provides independent reading and/or research, at the post-baccalaureate or master degree level, under the direction of a faculty member. Refer to the academic policy section for independent study policy. May be repeated for credit.

A course, on a special topic in the discipline at the post-baccalaureate or master degree level, offered on the basis of need, interest, or time lines. May be repeated for credit. See registrar's office current class schedules Web page for specific semester description.