Principal Leadership Institute (PLI)

The Principal Leadership Institute (PLI) was established at UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Education in 2000 to prepare leaders for San Francisco Bay Area urban schools. Students completing the program receive an M.A. in Education and a recommendation toward an Administrative Services Credential - Preliminary (Tier I) from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC). The Administrative Services Credential (ASC) authorizes service as a superintendent, associate superintendent, deputy superintendent, principal, assistant principal, dean, supervisor, consultant, coordinator, or in an equivalent or intermediate-level administrative position.

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Why PLI?

The PLI relies on strong relationships with Bay Area school districts and maintains active communication with districts in order to facilitate field experiences, receive feedback on the program, and ensure that there is a strong link between university coursework and urban school reality. The Principal Leadership Institute (PLI) assumes that administrators are instructional leaders first and foremost, and are able to work collegially with teachers to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Students in the PLI become familiar with the broadest possible range of reforms and understand the process of change in order to implement these reforms. Applicants must be committed to urban schools and students, with all the opportunities and challenges they represent. Those accepted are expected to enroll continuously in order to remain with their entering cohort.

The PLI includes conventional coursework as well as a structured practicum in the candidate's district. Most classes employ a problem-based pedagogical model in which graduate students are required to complete group and individual tasks that are designed to reflect the "real" life of their work in schools. All courses emphasize a theory to practice connection, and most courses are co-taught by instructors from the university and from practice. Often, persons from practice are invited to make presentations and/or provide feedback to candidates when they present. All students have a university field supervisor while participating in the program, chosen from our excellent staff of retired school principals.

The program is approximately 14 months. In the first seven week summer session, classes meet four days a week. In Fall and Spring, classes meet nights and weekends. The final summer classes meet four afternoons a week for four weeks. Although the program schedule is intensive, those completing the PLI indicate that the rigorous content and multiple experiences assure them of solid preparation for the role of administrator.

We expect that successful applicants have had substantial experience as teachers, both in urban and other kinds of schools. While urban experience is not a formal requirement, the application process looks for evidence of commitment to improving urban schools. The program focuses on preparation for positions in urban districts, and we expect that most of its graduates will work in urban districts.

Course of Study 2013-14

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