By Gerard Flanagan, news writer/photographer/social media, Office of University Communications
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Campbellsville University’s School of Education has partnered with Central Kentucky Educational Cooperative (CKEC) to provide a Master of Arts in Educational Administration with principal certification program.
The program, which will be offered beginning this fall, is open to certified teachers who want to earn a master’s degree and a principal certification. The program will be offered as a Grow Your Own (GYO) program and will be administrated at CKEC in Lexington.
The School of Education is an affiliate member of CKEC, an educational cooperative that provides training and services to the member school districts.
“We have enjoyed a strong partnership with CKEC through the Option 7 program for LBD (special education) certification,” Dr. Lisa Allen, dean of the School of Education, said. “Several special education teachers are now working in schools in Central Kentucky as a result of that partnership.
“As affiliate members our faculty and students have the same professional development opportunities that the other member districts have. I believe the GYO program for administrator certification that we will be offering at CKEC may prove to be our strongest collaboration yet.”
School of Education faculty will co-teach the coursework along with administrators from CKEC member school districts.
“All course content and curriculum and assessment is the same as our traditional program, but instruction and clinical experiences are adapted to meet the needs of the students in schools and districts in Central Kentucky,” Allen said.
In January 2023, the School of Education will add its other administrative certification programs in partnership with CKEC: Supervisor of Instruction, Director of Pupil and Personnel, Superintendent and Director of Special Education.
“Candidates will be able to earn these certifications alone or as part of a master’s or an educational specialist degree (Ed. S.),” Allen said.
These certification programs will also be offered as GYO programs.
“At CKEC, we are very excited about our partnership with Campbellsville University’s School of Education,” David Young, CEO of CKEC, said. “Together, the opportunities we can provide for educators in CKEC districts are sure to have an impact on student achievement across the region.”
GYO programs are designed to eliminate barriers to candidate success and provide intentional, authentic field experience. GYO principal programs are developed through partnerships of school districts and universities who share responsibilities for recruiting, instruction, assessment, and developing social networks.
The School of Education has GYO programs in the following school districts: Taylor, Garrard, Casey, Logan, Mercer, Russellville Independent and Todd.
“Our GYO model provides candidates with relevant clinical experience within their own district with targeted action research aimed at solving issues that occur within their own districts,” Allen said.
“I think the benefit of these GYO programs for our candidates is that they are earning the credential, knowledge, and skill to be an administrator in the context of the needs of students and families in Central Kentucky. I believe the benefits of these programs for schools and districts is they are training future administrators within their district meet the specific needs in their districts.”
Allen said many graduates of the programs get jobs as administrators in their own district upon program completion or even during the programs as Option 6 candidates.
“While some program graduates accept administrator jobs in other districts, it also allows district leadership to prepare for future administrator openings proactively,” she said.
Allen said the programs emphasize servant leadership.
“Additionally, as servant leadership is a central tenet of all of our teacher, school counselor, and administrator programs, the GYO model with its field based instructional practice specific to the region will allow for greater application of servant leadership principles in authentic contexts,” she said.
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university that has enrolled up to 12,000 students yearly. The university offers over 100 programs of study including doctoral, masters, bachelors, associate and certification programs. The website for complete information is www.campbellsville.edu.