APEL Tier II (88 PLUs)

Program Overview

Middle Georgia RESA’s Alternative Preparation for Educational Leadership program (APEL) is a non-degree preparation pathway designed to prepare individuals to serve in education leadership positions in P-12 schools and school systems.

This post-baccalaureate program is designed for individuals who have not prepared as leaders in a traditional leadership preparation program.  The mission of Middle Georgia RESA’s APEL program is to equip districts and schools with highly qualified and experienced leaders who are able to demonstrate knowledge of leadership content, skills, and dispositions to positively impact teacher performance and student growth.

Tier II Course Description

Middle Georgia RESA’s Tier II – Alternative Preparation for Educational Leadership (APEL) program (Tier II) is a non-degree preparation pathway that leads to Tier II Advanced Level Leadership certification.  APEL prepares individuals to serve in advanced leadership positions that include P-12 school level principals or the equivalent, superintendents, or other LUA staff who supervise principals. Upon successful completion of this program, Middle GA RESA will notify the Georgia Professional Standards Commission that the candidate has met program requirements and is qualified for a professional Performance-Based Tier II certificate.

Candidates in Tier II programs must hold a level 5 Standard Professional Educational Leadership Tier I certificate or hold a valid, Standard Professional L or PL certificate in Educational Leadership.  During this Tier candidates will move from learning, doing, and revising stages of leadership development and growth to assuming more proactive and efficacious approaches to personal growth and leader effectiveness.

Tier II will be completed by candidates who are employed by a regionally accredited LUA in a Tier II level leadership position full time or part-time for at least a half day, every day, over a twelve (12) month period.  During this time, candidates will be engaged in substantial, sustained, standards-based work. During the residency, Tier II candidates will be provided significant opportunities through guided practice to apply knowledge, develop skills, and refine dispositions identified in the program standards.

A Candidate Support Team (CST) will provide structured supervision and guidance to each candidate throughout the performance-based residency. This team will plan and guide appropriate opportunities that allow the candidate to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions reflective of current leadership research and program standards. The candidate support team shall be composed of the candidate, a trained and qualified leadership coach (provided by Middle Georgia RESA), a P-12 school-based leader and/or LUA mentor/coach with successful leadership experience at the building or system level relative to the candidate being mentored, and the Middle Georgia RESA collaborative director.

Residency experiences will require that candidates demonstrate the ability to lead, facilitate, and make decisions as P-12 school leaders. To support this process, candidates will be assigned substantial responsibilities that increase over time in amount and complexity. These experiences will require direct interaction and involvement with appropriate staff, students, parents, and community leaders. The vast majority of these experiences will require candidates to be engaged in leading rather than observing or participating. Multiple formative and summative measures will be used throughout the residency to measure candidate progress. Data from these assessments shall be shared with the candidate, instructors, mentors/coaches, and candidate support team in order to make informed decisions regarding candidate performance, program effectiveness, and EPP operations.

Tier II will require self-reflection, a critical analysis of strengths and growth areas, and a willingness to move beyond personal comfort zones. This work will be highly individualized depending on leadership aspirations and proven competency in meeting Georgia Educational Leadership Standards and Leadership Competencies identified in the Leader Keys Effectiveness System. Candidates, regardless of whether they are aspiring for district or school level leadership, will be exposed to a higher view of the educational terrain, gaining perspective from the district, state, and national levels.  In addition to honing skills and competencies developed in Tier I, candidates will be required to develop personalized plans for leading change in the areas that most impact student success.

Upon acceptance into the program, candidates will participate in a three-day Pre-Residency seminar that will provide an opportunity for collaboration among members of Candidate Support Teams and data analysis of schools and systems. Additionally, guest speakers will facilitate sharing of information related to state and national trends, legislative changes, and implications for the future of education.

Candidates will also attend twelve (12) monthly sessions where they will gain knowledge of effective research-based leadership dispositions and skills and practice skills that will be transferable to leading teams at the school or district levels. These four-hour, face-to-face sessions will be conducted twelve (12) times throughout the twelve (12) month Tier II period. These sessions, which will be planned and facilitated by the program provider, will include the participation of district and state leaders who have a proven record of outstanding success in the topic(s) of focus. It is the expectation that candidates will take this knowledge and experience back into the school setting as they lead teams, facilitate job-embedded practices, and participate in making decisions that support school improvement efforts. Additionally, candidates will attend training to receive certification in the Leader Keys Effectiveness System. Receiving certification in this area is required. 

Candidate Admission

Admission to this program is driven by the needs of each district; therefore, incumbent district and school leaders will play an integral role in the recruitment, identification, and selection of potential candidates.  Districts are encouraged to made recommendations based on a candidate’s past history of ability and performance, certification, and positional needs (at district or school level).

Once recommendations are made, candidates will participate in face-to-face interviews with an Admissions Team. This team will consist of a district level leader, a school-level leader, and the program provider facilitator. Both school and district level leaders serving on this team must be from the recommending district. The interview process will be used to discern if the candidate has appropriate professional dispositions that are congruent with effective transformational leadership and compatible with the mission, vision and values of the district and school. A rubric will be used to assess research proven dispositions that most support effective leadership.   The Admissions Team will make final determinations for acceptance into the program.

Admission to Tier II is open to those who have completed Tier I leadership certification or the equivalent. All candidates must meet the following criteria:

  1. Candidates must be employed in a leadership position in a LUA requiring professional performance-based leadership certification at Tier II.
  1. In addition, practicing educators seeking admission must:

(i)  Receive the recommendation of the employing LUA for participation in the program and assurance that the system will support the work of the candidate in the program;

(ii)   Hold a level 5 Standard Professional Educational Leadership Tier I certificate or hold a valid, Standard Professional L or PL certificate in Educational Leadership; and

(iii)  Provide references documenting evidence of successful performance in a leadership position that requires Tier I performance-based leadership certification.