School District Business Leader - CAS

Program Overview:

The program in Educational Leadership and Administration prepares students for careers in educational administration at either building or district* levels. Depending on students’ prior training, experience, and career goals, they may enter the program in pursuit of a Master’s of Science Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration and New York State certification as a School Building Leader. In every case, the program provides students with balanced preparation combining both theory and practice, culminating in an integrating field experience. Students are expected to work closely with a College advisor to ensure that the program of study and experience are both appropriate and meaningful for meeting individuals’ personal and professional goals.

*For those preparing for the New York State School District Leader certificate, additional course work is required: EDA 601 (3 credits) and EDA 602 (3 credits). In addition, New York State Education Law requires that students be in possession of a Master’s Degree and must have completed a total of 60 graduate hours (inclusive of their Master’s Degree hours) in order to be eligible for the School District Leader (SDL) certificate.

Program Contacts:

To email the chairperson of Education Leadership and Administration,

Dr. Claudia Lingertat-Putnam, Counseling

Program Webpage,

School District Business Leader C.A.S

Program Requirements:

The 24-credit certification-only program includes the following coursework:

EDA 505	Introduction to Educational Leadership & Administration	3
EDA 590	Seminar: Critical Issues in Educational Leadership/Administration	3
EDA 543	Personnel Administration	3
MBA 587	School Business Leadership Finance and Practice	3
MBA 588	Policy Analysis/Political Process	3
MBA 589	School District Leader: Finance and Practice	3
EDA 596	School Business Leader Internship 1	3
EDA 597	School Business Leader Internship 2	3

Note: Students who have not earned a Master’s Degree prior to admission into the SDBL program, in order to be recommended by the College for SDBL certification to the NYSED, must earn a total of 60 advisor-approved graduate credits functionally related to SDBL, including completion of a Master’s Degree in Educational District Business Leadership (M.Ed.) in which the above-referenced certification courses are embedded or the College’s M.B.A. (to which 9 M.B.A. credits from the certification requirements may be applied as fulfilling elective courses). See the admissions requirements below.

New York State Certification Test:

All students must successfully complete the written and performance components of the State assessment in School District Business Leadership in order to receive the New York State School District Business Leadership (SDBL) certificate.

Final Evaluation

The final evaluation of SDBL candidates is based on the following criteria:

Demonstrated competency in all additional course work; and
In accordance with New York State Education Law, the student will have completed a master’s degree and the student will have earned a total of 60 graduate hours inclusive of the master’s degree and the required program described above.

Internship/Field Experience/Service:

Required Courses:

EDA 596	School Business Leader Internship 1	3
EDA 597	School Business Leader Internship 2	3

Professional Accreditation:

The College of Saint Rose, sponsored by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet, Albany Province, is chartered by the Board of Regents of New York State. All of its degrees and programs are registered and its professional programs are fully approved by the Board of Regents through the New York State Education Department.

The College of Saint Rose is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (267-284-5000). The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

The specialized accrediting agencies noted below are recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation: Programs offered by The College of Saint Rose for the preparation of all school professionals, leading to initial and advanced certifications, are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Admissions and Financial Aid Information:

General Admission Information

Eligibility for admission to The College of Saint Rose graduate programs is typically based upon the following minimum requirements:

Submission of a completed application and a Statement of Purpose of approximately 300 words detailing the applicant’s goals for graduate study.
Evidence of the possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution through submission of official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended
Academic and professional qualifications for graduate study, as indicated by two letters of recommendation.
A grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale), overall and in the undergraduate major.
Other admission criteria specified by academic programs such as submission of resumes, writing samples, portfolios, test scores, and participation in interviews or admissions workshops.

Applicants to The College of Saint Rose are responsible for completing their applications by submitting all required components. Prospective students may wish to visit our website for online application options and downloadable forms.

See Graduate Admissions section for more information.

Financial Aid

The College of Saint Rose has long been committed to the premise that a quality education should be within the reach of qualified students. To this end, the College serves its student body through a comprehensive program of federal, state, and institutional financial aid. While the basic responsibility for financing education lies with the students and their families, scholarships, loans, and/or assistantships can supplement insufficient family resources. The amount of aid available through the College is limited and is awarded on the basis of academic merit. All financial assistance from the College is subject to adjustment if the recipients are later granted aid from other sources. Financial aid awards are contingent upon students’ maintaining good academic standing and satisfactory academic progress.

See Financial Aid section for more information.

Additional School District Business Leader Admission Information

Candidates from teaching and non-teaching backgrounds may apply for admission to the School District Business Leader (SDBL) program. The following are admissions requirements for applicants.

Applicants from the teaching professions:

Submission of the completed graduate studies application packet from The College of Saint Rose;
Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended;
Transcript review by program faculty for pre-requisite course work and experience (see below) for admission and/or for recommendation of certification upon program completion;
Verification of permanent or professional certification status, (Upon program faculty review, persons who have taught in private or parochial school settings for three or more years and are not certified to teach may still be accepted for admission if all other requirements are met.);
Verification of at least three years of approved teaching and/or administrative and/or pupil personnel experience in a school setting, (Exceptions to the three-year teaching requirement are made in special circumstances upon the recommendation of the educational leadership program faculty.);
At least two letters of recommendation, one from a school administrator which must attest to the individual’s good character and potential as a SDBL administrator, and one from a professional who is qualified to evaluate the applicant’s scholarship. It is expected that the school administrator who acts as a reference for the applicant will be willing to mentor the applicant throughout the applicant’s administrative program at The College of Saint Rose; and
Satisfactory performance on admissions interview.

Applicants from a non-teaching profession:

Submission of the completed graduate studies application packet from The College of Saint Rose;
Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended;
Transcript review by program faculty for pre-requisite course work and experience (see below) for admission and/or for recommendation of certification upon program completion;
Verification, as judged by the program faculty, of three years of exemplary, relevant prior service in a leadership position of a high performing organization in a non-teaching field;
At least two letters of recommendation, one from their current organization’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or unit head, and one from their immediate supervisor; and
Satisfactory performance on an admissions interview.

(Exceptions to the three-year teaching requirement are made in special circumstances upon the recommendation of the educational leadership program faculty.)

Review of applicants’ prior transcripts and application materials for both the certificate and master’s program will be conducted by Educational Leadership faculty. Deficiencies in pre-requisite course work and experience must be satisfied prior to the College’s recommending program completers for SDBL certification, and depending on the extent of deficiencies, may delay or preclude acceptance to the program. The competencies and course work to be assessed include:

Accounting course work (must be met for admission);
Finance and business course work (must be met for admission);
Finance and business experience (experience must be documented for admission);
Law course work (for recommendation for certification);
Technology course work or experience (for recommendation for certification); and
Demonstrated knowledge through course work or experience of public education and educational issues (may be demonstrated within admissions essay and interview).