There are three major field experiences in the CAS Program in Educational Administration: EDA 885 Practicum in Educational Leadership (3 cr.), EDA 888 Administrative Internship (6 cr.), and EDA 896 Central Office Administration (6 cr.).
EDA 885 Practicum in Educational Leadership
The purpose of the practicum is to:
- Complete relevant leadership tasks to demonstrate competence and proficiency;
- Practice administrative skills under the guidance of a mentor or mentors;
- Explore administrative career paths;
- Practice job-seeking skills.
The practicum is a field experience while maintaining a normal work schedule. While enrolled in Practicum, a student can work with a single mentor or with multiple mentors. Likewise, a student can work in a single setting (e.g., elementary school) or in multiple settings (e.g., elementary school, high school, special education office, etc.). The mentor(s) must be certified school and/or district leaders in New York State and be employed full-time at the level of principal or higher.
The Practicum has three seminars and three product review sessions that supplement the work the student completes as part of the performance portfolio. The first seminar is held in the semester prior to the semester in which the student will undertake the Practicum and is considered the orientation and overview seminar. The other two seminars are scheduled during the semester the student is undertaking the Practicum. The three product review sessions are scheduled throughout the semester the student is registered for the Practicum in order for each student to review one-on-one with the University supervisor their progress with the competencies they have targeted for completion from the Field Experience Rating Document. The seminars are scheduled for three hours on a weekday evening, and the product review sessions are approximately 45 minutes to an hour per student.
EDA 888 Administrative Internship
The purpose of the internship is to:
- Assume the role of a school administrator;
- Strengthen leadership skills;
- Complete relevant leadership tasks to demonstrate competence and proficiency;
- Demonstrate readiness for employment as a school administrator;
- Refine job-seeking skills.
The internship is a field experience during which the student is expected to demonstrate proficiency in the remaining skills and tasks, as well as behaviors and attitudes, found on the Field Experience Rating Document.
During Internship, students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in the skills and tasks, as well as behaviors and attitudes, found on the Field Experience Rating Document. Students in Internship are required to complete 300 hours of direct field experience under the supervision of a Field Supervisor. EDA 888 is only offered during the Summer Session and teaching is not allowed while a student is serving as an administrative intern. Completion of internship hours must be consecutive; students can elect to participate in a part-time internship requiring 20 hours per week for 15 weeks (starting in May), or a full-time internship requiring 40 hours per week for seven weeks. Part-time internships must be approved by the Educational Administration faculty. There can be no “official” and “unofficial” field supervisor, and there can be only one (1) intern per one (1) field supervisor in any summer session.
The field supervisor must:
- Have New York State administrative certification;
- Be a building principal or a higher level (central office) administrator;
- Have at least two years of full-time experience in that job title.
The Internship has three seminars, two virtual visits, and one on-site visit to the school district in which the student is an intern. The seminars are scheduled for three hours on a weekday evening. The three site visits (two virtual and one on-site) are scheduled in consultation with the student, the field/site supervisor, and the University supervisor.
Applying for EDA888 Administrative Internship is an online process with a deadline of February 15 for submission of the application.
EDA 896 Central Office Administration
The purpose of Central Office Administration is to:
- Practice central office administrative skills under the guidance of practitioners;
- Explore central office administrative career paths;
- Prepare individuals to successfully assume central office administrative positions such as director of special education, assistant superintendent for instruction, and superintendent of schools;
- Understand the role, function, and relationships of assistant superintendents and superintendents;
- Understand the role, function, and relationships of the board of education.
Central Office Administration is a six-credit hour course combining direct instruction and field experiences in central office responsibilities. It builds heavily upon the competencies acquired during School Building Leadership preparation and provides grounding in the more global role of district-wide responsibilities. Course instruction is a hybrid model (both face-to-face instruction and online learning) that includes five Saturdays of face-to-face instruction (9 am-3:00 pm) distributed throughout the semester and requires completion of a set of field experiences (a total of 125 clock hours) under the guidance of a University professor and a mentor.
The student can work with a single administrator or with multiple administrators during the Central Office Administration field experience. Likewise, a student can work in a single setting (e.g., office of the assistant superintendent for instruction) or in multiple settings (e.g., personnel office, office of director of curriculum, office of the superintendent, special education office, etc.); however, the entire field experience must be at the central office level. The administrators must hold SDA certification and be employed full-time at the level of assistant superintendent or higher. The following titles are acceptable: Director of Special Education, Director of Personnel, Director of Human Resources; Director of Pupil Personnel Services.