Instructional Leadership Programs in Alabama: Results of a Survey of Alabama Association of Professors of Educational Leadership

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Stanley

A survey of faculty from 13 Alabama universities that offer Instructional Leadership certification (Class A/AA) captures how programs compare across the state. Conducted in winter 2015 after an AAPEL fall conference, the study maps program structures, expectations for residency, and faculty perceptions of strengths and challenges. Findings highlight wide variation in residency requirements while showing recurring similarities in overall structure, particularly by delivery model. Implications are discussed for future repeated administrations and further research questions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background and Program Redesign Mandates

Alabama Standards and Partnership Requirements

Certification Pathways Before and After Redesign

Discontinuation of Add-on Programs

Reduced-Hour Option (RHO) and ALSDE Approval

Purpose of the Study

Fall 2015 AAPEL Conference and Survey Development

Instructional Leadership Programs in Alabama: Results of a Survey of Alabama Association of Professors of Educational Leadership D. Keith Gurley University of Alabama at Birmingham Brenda Mendiola University of Alabama Abstract During a collegial conversation between faculty members who attended the annual fall conference of the Alabama Association of Professors of Educational Leadership, faculty members posed many questions about how the Instructional Leadership programs for which they worked compared across the state. In the winter of 2015, researchers surveyed faculty members from each of the 13 universities in Alabama that offer certification programs (Class A, Class AA) in Instructional Leadership. Survey results provide an overview of program structures across institutions and served to compile the answers to many of the questions posed during the faculty discussion. Faculty respondents provided feedback regarding program structure and expectations as well as perception data relative to program strengths and challenges. While many features of Instructional Leadership programs are similar, notably, structure and expectations of the residency required for the Class A certificate vary widely across institutions. Faculty perception data point to various program strengths, especially whichever delivery model (online v. face-to-face) their particular program has adopted. Implications for repeated survey administration are presented, as well as potential topics for future inquiry. Key words: educational leadership programming, preparation of educational leaders, leadership program comparison, leadership program survey, university-school partnerships During the 2007-2008 academic year, all 13 university-based educational leadership programs in Alabama redesigned their degree programs in compliance with a directive from the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) in order to align programming to the eight, newly adopted Alabama Standards for Instructional Leaders (ALSDE, 2016) . This mandate to redesign all principal preparation programs across the state, issued by the ALSDE, was consistent with many states across the United States during the time (Browne-Ferrigno, 2011) . Such mandated program redesigns frequently required institutions of higher education to establish and engage inactive partnerships with school districts in their service areas in terms of program design, development of field-based experiences for candidates, and other critical program components, in the interest of making principal preparation programs more relevant and responsive to actual conditions in the field (Gurley, Anast-May, & Lee, 2015; Kamler, Szpara, Dornisch, Goubeaud, Levine, & Brechtel, 2009; Martin, Ford, Murphy, & Muth, 1998; Martin & Papa, 2008; Smith, 2003; Whitaker, King, & Vogel, 2004) . Prior to the mandated redesign, many universities in Alabama offered an option for educational leadership students to gain building-level instructional leadership (Class A) certification in Alabama either through completing a traditional master’s degree program, or by completing a reduced-hour (typically 18 credits) certification-only program, often referred to colloquially as the administrative “add-on” program. These add-on programs were open to educators who already held a master’s degree in an educational area, but who wanted to add the instructional leadership credential to their certification. With the redesign directive, however, add-on certification programs in instructional leadership across Alabama were discontinued. All Alabama students who sought Class A certification in instructional leadership were required to earn a master’s degree. For many students, this resulted in earning a second master’s degree in education. On July 1, 2014, ALSDE notified universities that they again had the option of developing and offering reduced-hour programs (18-credit minimum), which would result in building-level certification (Clas

FAQs

When and why was the faculty survey conducted?

In winter 2015, researchers surveyed faculty because questions raised during the AAPEL fall conference needed consolidated answers about program structures and expectations across Alabama universities.

What changed in Alabama Instructional Leadership certification requirements after redesign directives?

Add-on certification programs for Class A Instructional Leadership were discontinued, and students were required to earn a master’s degree; later, a reduced-hour option became available with requirements aligned to all eight Alabama Standards.

How do residency requirements vary among institutions according to faculty perceptions?

While program structures and expectations share similarities, the residency required for the Class A certificate varies widely across institutions.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Stanley