Page 33 - 40thAnniversaryNJPSA

Dedicated to School

LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS

Every year, hundreds of jobs become available in New NJEXCEL was thus conceived and developed to provide
Jersey school districts that require principal or supervisor a comprehensive, thorough, and applicable program that
certification. Many of the talented and skillful leaders candidates could complete in an expedited manner and earn
who will take on these challenges are currently teachers, their certification in 12 to 18 months, while receiving practical
directors, or supervisors who have the experience, the knowledge and experience. Today, the program offers five
desire, the drive, and the ability to be the next generation unique models, taught in regional cohorts, and leads to
of educational leaders in our state. While they may certification for supervisor, principal, school administrator,
have a master’s degree, they do not have a master’s director of school counseling services, and teacher leader.
in educational leadership that includes the required
certification that they need under state law. In August 2002, the initial proposal was submitted to NJDOE
for NJEXCEL to be approved as a provider for candidates with
So, where can they go to get the principal and supervisor master’s degrees, supervisor certification, and supervisory
certification in as little as 12-18 months and not have to get a experience. This approval was granted in October 2002, and
second master’s degree? in January 2003, the first cohort began with 41 candidates in
what is now Model 1.
In 2002, Ellie Forster joined the FEA staff as Director
of School Leadership Programs and created NJEXCEL In April 2003, NJEXCEL submitted a proposal to NJDOE
(New Jersey Expedited Certification for Educational to expand its program to extend eligibility to teachers and
Leadership), an innovative, non-traditional principal educational specialists with appropriate master’s degrees and
certification program to address the crisis of a shortage of at least 10 years of public school teaching experience who
certified principals. are certified supervisors but not currently holding supervisory
positions and are not certified as supervisors. This proposal,
While there were many principal positions available, many and its subsequent approval, opened the door for Models 1,
educators did not want to go back to a traditional program 2, and 3.
at a college or university to pursue principal certification.