School Building Leadership and School District Leadership, AC
Advance your career and step into a school leadership position with the skills and knowledge to make a lasting impact in education with our fully online school building leadership (SBL) and school district leadership (SDL) certification program.
Excel in Leadership
Designed for working professionals, this New York State-approved program offers a flexible online curriculum, allowing you to earn your certification while working. The program emphasizes trust, diversity, equity, inclusion and relationship-building, while equipping you with expertise in leadership theory, instructional strategies, management, community engagement and ethical decision-making.
Thirty Years of Innovative School Leadership Programming
The University at Buffalo's Graduate School of Education celebrated the 30th anniversary of its Leadership Initiative for Tomorrow’s Schools (LIFTS) program. Established in the early 1990s by UB Distinguished Professor Stephen L. Jacobson, LIFTS was created to address the shortage of qualified school leaders in Western New York. By collaborating with local superintendents and focusing on developing essential leadership skills, the program has become a model for educational leadership training across New York State and beyond.
Points of Distinction
Ethical and Community-Centered Leadership: The program emphasizes ethical decision-making and reflective leadership while fostering strong community and stakeholder engagement, ensuring graduates can build collaborative partnerships that drive student success.
Flexible Online Learning: The program is entirely online, offering courses with a combination of synchronous and asynchronous sessions that allow you to study at your own pace and schedule, while also connecting with your professors and professional peers. This format is ideal for working professionals who balance their studies with other responsibilities.
Experienced Faculty: Learn from experienced educational leaders and educational administration faculty members. Faculty bring real-world insights and current research into the classroom, ensuring you receive relevant and practical education for leadership in today’s schools and districts.
Program Overview
| Academic credential granted | Advanced Certificates in SBL and SDL |
|---|---|
| Credentials required for admission |
|
| Credits required for completion | 36 |
| Time to completion | 2 years |
| Course delivery | Online |
| Application deadline | Summer admission only April 15 |
Graduates go on to become:
- principal
- assistant principal
- superintendent
- district-level leadership
Key Components
- Leadership Theory and Practice: Explore the principles of effective leadership and how they apply to both school building and district-level administration. Learn to develop and implement a strategic vision that drives improvement across schools and districts.
- Instructional Leadership: Gain expertise in curriculum design, instructional strategies, and assessment practices that promote high-quality teaching and learning. Learn how to support and evaluate teachers to ensure instructional excellence at both the school and district levels.
- School and District Management: Master the operational aspects of leadership, including budgeting, human resources, facilities management, and legal issues. Learn to manage the complex dynamics of both school buildings and entire districts.
- Community and Stakeholder Engagement: Develop skills to engage effectively with parents, community members, and other stakeholders. Learn strategies for fostering collaboration and building partnerships that support student success across schools and districts.
- Ethical and Reflective Leadership: Delve into the ethical considerations of educational leadership. Engage in reflective practices that enhance your ability to make sound, ethical decisions in both school and district leadership roles.
- Focus on Inclusion and Belonging: Engage with critical issues related to inclusion and belonging in education. Learn how to create and sustain inclusive environments that support the success of all students, particularly those from underrepresented and marginalized groups.
Summer One
- ELP 606 - Changing Social Contexts for Education Leaders
- ELP 625 - Studies in Educational Leadership
Fall One
- ELP 604 - Law and Public Education
- ELP 659 - Clinical Seminar
Spring One
- ELP 664 - Teacher Evaluation and Supervision
- ELP 629 - Human Resources and Labor Relations
Summer Two
- ELP 607 - School District Capacity Building
- ELP 658 - Clinical Seminar
Fall Two
- ELP 647 - Educational Planning, Budgeting, and Data Analysis
- ELP 681 - Curriculum & Instructional Leadership
Spring Two
- ELP 652 - Leadership for Policy & Inclusion
- ELP 635 - Leading an Effective School District
- Master's degree from an accredited institution
- Permanent or professional certificate in classroom teaching service or pupil personnel service
- Minimum three years of teaching experience
Submit your completed online application, which includes:
- Application fee: A $50 non-refundable application fee, submitted electronically through UB's ePayment system.
- Contact information for at least three individuals who will each be asked to provide an electronic recommendation letter.
- Unofficial transcripts from all colleges attended. (UB transcripts are automatically submitted for current UB students and alumni.)
- Diversity Statement: In a personal essay (double spaced) of no more than 500 words, please share how you, as an educator, respond to issues pertaining to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Be sure to include one or two specific examples from your current practice.
- Statement of education and career goals
Former/Maiden Name: Please provide us with your former/maiden name if you have one. When requesting transcripts, please ask the sending institution to indicate your current name and former/maiden name.
Admission Decision: The admission decision will be communicated to you as soon as review is complete. The decision is based on a number of factors and is the result of a thorough and deliberate process. All decisions are final and cannot be appealed.
In-State Residency Tuition
In order to qualify for the in-state residency tuition rate, you must provide residency documentation indicating you have lived in New York State (NYS) 12 months before your semester start date.
If accepted, you will need to upload three documents to qualify for the in-state tuition rate. See Required Documents for Residency Application for more information.
International Applicant Additional Requirements
- Official original proof of your degree
- A copy of your passport biographical page
- Official test scores—dated within two years of submitting your application—for either the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Academic Test, the PTE (Pearson Test of English) Academic, or DET (Duolingo English Test).
- TOEFL minimum score is 250 for computer-based test, 600 for paper-based test and 79 for internet-based test
- IELTS Academic Test minimum score is 6.5 overall
- PTE minimum score is 55 overall
- DET minimum score is 120 overall
- Financial documentation: International graduate applicants must document their ability to pay for all costs incurred while studying in the U.S.
- An official bank statement
All financial forms and supporting documentation with required signatures must be uploaded with your application and dated within one year of your intended enrollment date.
Revised federal regulations under 34 CFR §668 now require the University at Buffalo (UB) to determine whether or not academic programs leading to professional licensure meet the educational requirements for licensure in states where UB students reside.
As such this attestation outlines the responsibilities of both UB and students in our school building leadership and school district leadership program.
UB offers the school building leadership and school district leadership program which leads to the certificates of advanced study in school building leader (SBL) and school district leader (SDL) license in New York State. The program also adequately prepares students to take the New York State school leadership assessments upon program completion. Upon passing the exam, our graduates have the opportunity to obtain an SBL and/or SDL license in their home state.
However, students enrolling in the school building leadership and school district leadership program while residing outside of New York State should be aware that:
- UB cannot guarantee that this online program meets all the requirements for licensure in a student's state of residence or any state.
- If an online student seeks the certificates of advanced study SBL and SDL license in a state other than New York, it is the student’s responsibility to determine that state’s specific licensure requirements beyond the curricular requirements for UB’s school building leadership and school district leadership program, and to seek additional guidance from their home state’s licensing board. Students are also instructed to consult with the UB program director and department leadership for assistance with this process.
Disclaimer: The University at Buffalo cannot provide legal advice or guarantee professional certification or licensure eligibility in any state. Students are responsible for understanding and complying with all applicable state certification and licensure requirements. UB is not a state licensing authority and cannot guarantee that a student will be issued a professional license or professional certification in any state.
Per U.S. Federal Regulations, 34 CFR §668, and in compliance with the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA) Manual version 24.2, December 16, 2024, the University at Buffalo provides the above mandatory disclosures related to the educational requirements for professional licensure and certification for academic programs leading to professional licensure to meet the educational requirements for licensure in states where UB students reside. These disclosures do not provide any guarantee that any particular state licensure or certification entity will approve or deny your application. Furthermore, these disclosures do not account for changes in state law or regulation that may affect your application for licensure and occur after these disclosures have been made.