After three years of development, the last one and half with Boston College, this long-awaited program began in August, 2000. The new program, collaboratively developed by faculty of Boston College's Lynch Graduate School of Education and a sub-committee of the Massachusetts Elementary School Principals' Association's Professional Development Committee, addresses the national agenda for improving and renewing the preparation of educational leaders. The program includes a robust and dynamic combination of academic courses, continuous field-based leadership development for school renewal, and action research for the improvement of learning for all children. This program combines theory and practice to develop leadership around instruction, diversity, collaboration, and change. The Development Committee has defined the special features of this new program.
Participants use their place of employment as a learning laboratory.
Participants define a dissertation topic early in the program with the potential for completing it by the end of the three-year program or shortly thereafter. Participants learn in a cohort group. Clusters of the cohort work with field mentors on their various projects including the dissertation. Participants meet on Saturdays and one Friday per month. The program focuses on school renewal to promote quality learning for all children.