Program description

View 2007-2008 Schedule

Mission

The Urban Leadership Academy (ULA) seeks to provide high quality professional development opportunities to assist school leaders in creating high performance schools, and to enhance teaching and learning in an era of rapid political, social, economic, cultural, and educational change.

Goals

• To provide high quality professional development through nationally known programs and scholars that address current needs of the urban school leader.
• To develop a mentor program for providing technical assistance and support to current and prospective urban school principals.

Assumptions

• A critical needs will exist for professional development programs to adequately prepare urban educators for effective school leadership in the 21st century.
• Collaborative initiatives that expand knowledge and share information between urban school districts, the College, and the Department of Educational Policy and Administration will be necessary and desirable.
• ULA programs will be collaboratively planned by the College faculty/staff and designated representatives of participating school districts.
• Professional development programs will provide a continuum of options that emphasize the knowledge, skills, and values relevant to urban school leadership.
• Evaluation of the ULA program will be ongoing and provide data for continuous planning and decision-making.
• School district partners, the College, and the Department of Educational Policy and Administration will share staff and funding responsibilities for ULA.

Audience

Superintendents, principals, assistant principals, full-time intern principals, teacher leaders, and other district and school leadership personnel.

Anticipated participant outcomes

Participants will expand their leadership knowledge and skills through:

• Access to national and local scholars, and educational policy decision makers
• Interactive discussion of current and future trends impacting school leadership
• Activities that provide strategies for critical analysis, reflection, creative problem solving, and policy development related to school leadership and management
• Networking with colleagues

ULA Advisory Council

The ULA Advisory Council is composed of partnership school district leadership staff, including associate superintendents, principals, and teacher leaders. It also includes representative faculty and leadership staff from the Department of Educational Policy and Administration. The Advisory Council assists in the selection of ULA program content relevant to school leadership. Program formats include:

• Topical courses
  translating current research and theory into practice
• Colloquia series
  leading-edge content in a compressed format
• Topical workshop sequence
  practical application of strategies and techniques
• Summer leadership institute
  annual institute for metro-area educational leaders.

ULA partnership school districts

• Minneapolis Public Schools
• St. Paul Public Schools
• North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale Public Schools
• Mounds View Public Schools
• Spring Lake Park Public Schools
  
  Staff from non-member school districts may attend ULA events for a fee. Fees usually range from $90 (half day) to $150 (full day) per person.

Continuing education units (CEUs)

Pre-approved administrative CEUs are available to participants.

View 2007-2008 schedule

For additional information about ULA, please contact:
Vanessa Abanu at 612-626-5123 or steel012@umn.edu.