Education Specialist in K-12 Education Leadership

The JIU School of Education’s Education Specialist (EdS) in K 12 Education Leadership degree program’s mission is to graduate successful and influential K 12 leaders who are critical thinkers—with exceptional knowledge, skills, and integrity—who are able to apply theory to the creative and innovative solutions of practical education problems. The EdS is designed to be of service to both students and the learning organizations and communities that graduates serve.

This degree program specialization aligns with the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) and Colorado Department of Education (CDE) professional standards and prepares students to become endorsed as principals and administrators.

Candidates who complete this program:

• demonstrate the ability to think critically about important education questions and problems concerning current K-12 education theories; systems of human inquiry and education research; public knowledge and public responsibility; leadership and the art of change management; the future of K-12 education and democracy; and K-12 education policy analysis for school leaders.
• demonstrate the knowledge (understanding), dispositions (beliefs, values, and commitments), and performance (processes and activities) necessary to be an effective education leader as explained in the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium’s “Standards for School Leaders” (see http://www.ccsso.org/content/pdfs/isllcstd.pdf).
• develop professionally meaningful synthesizing projects that demonstrate the ability to apply theory to the solutions of important education questions or problems.