School Leadership License Requirements

/Portals/0/TLA/Licensure/Licensure Documents/Dec 2015/Form 2 - outofstate 10-15.pdf Licenses available

  • District Leadership (superintendent)
  • Building Leadership (principal)

Regulations provide for an initial school leadership license (2 years) and a professional school leadership license (5 years).


Building or District Administrator Requirements

  • You must have five years of experience in a state-accredited school while holding a professional level teaching, school specialist or clinical license or a full vocational-technical certificate.
  • You must complete the appropriate approved graduate level school leadership program and hold a graduate degree to qualify for a school leadership license.
  • Contact the licensure officer, at the college or university, for a plan of study (Institutional Contact List), including entry requirements into the program. You should not start the program unless you meet the experience requirements described above
  • Complete all program and degree requirements:
    • Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 or above in your graduate coursework is required.

Complete a School Leadership content test:

School leadership exam administered through Educational Testing Services.
For information on testing: https://www.ets.org/praxis/ks/requirements

                                        THEN

  1. Apply for and receive an initial school leadership license.
  2. Complete a performance assessment:
        A year-long approved mentoring program chosen by the hiring local education agency.
  3. Apply for and receive a five –year professional school leadership license.

What are the requirements for a school leadership license?

Initial School Leadership License

  • Graduate degree from a regionally accredited college
  • Completion of a graduate level state approved program in school leadership
  • 3.25 cumulative grade point average in graduate coursework
  • Recency - means the applicant must have at least 8 credit hours or one year of accredited experience completed within the last six years
  • A minimum of five years of accredited experience under a valid professional license/certificate
  • School leadership licensure assessment

Professional School Leadership License

  • The administrator must hold a currently valid initial school leadership license.  While holding the initial license the administrator must complete a perfomance assessment (year-long approved mentoring program chosen by the hiring local education agency).

Will I have to complete testing requirements for a school leadership license in Kansas?

Are the requirements for a school leadership license the same if I am an experienced administrator coming from out-of-state?

The degree, program, GPA, recency and minimum experience requirements are the same.  However, if you meet specific experience requirements, you may qualify for a professional school leadership license as your initial Kansas license and would be exempt from any testing requirements.  If you do not meet the requirements for a professional school leadership license, you would have to meet all requirements of the initial school leadership license, including completion of a school leadership assessment.

Out-of-state applicant requirements for a professional school leadership license:

  • Graduate degree from a regionally accredited college
  • Completion of a graduate level state approved program
  • 3.25 cumulative grade point average in graduate coursework
  • Recency - means the applicant must have at least 8 credit hours or one year of accredited experience completed within the last six years
  • Three years of accredited experience under a valid professional license/certificate
  • School leadership licensure assessment

AND

  • Successful completion of a school leadership content and performance assessment

OR

  • Three years of recent accredited experience in a school leadership position with a valid professional school leadership license

I want to start a degree program leading to school leadership licensure.  Where do I begin?

You need to contact a college or university that offers an approved program in the school leadership area your are seeking.  After you review the list of institutions offering the approved program and have decided on the one you want to work with, contact the licensure officer at the institution for a plan of study.

I have already completed all the requirements for a license and need to apply.  Where can I get an application?

  • Completed a Kansas program
    • Contact the licensure officer at your Kansas institution for the appropriate application form and to coordinate the application process.
  • Completed an out-of-state program

 

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KSDE
Attention: Teacher Licensure
900 S.W. Jackson Street, Suite 102
Topeka, KS 66612-1212

Licensure Operator 

TLALicense@ksde.org
(785) 296-2288

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