Education Leadership – Transformative Leadership for Thriving Communities

Administrator License (PAL)

Principal Administrator License (PAL)

The PAL Program

SOU’s School of Education offers programs for the Principal Administrator License (PAL) (previously called the Initial Administrator License (IAL) program) issued by the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC). The PAL is a 40-credit, cohort-based program that begins each June and continues through six quarter terms. It begins in June each year and ends a year and half later in December.

Requirements and Meeting Times
The PAL is designed to accommodate working professionals through a combination of online coursework with some in-person meetings. For the first summer, the PAL program meets from approximately mid-June to early July synchronously online, with a few in person days to build cohort connection. During the school year, PAL meets approximately once a month for one Friday evening a month online and one Saturday a month in person. (See Sample PAL schedule.)

The PAL coursework (40 hours) revolves around themes identified by local practitioners, based on their working knowledge of educational leadership. The required practicum hours (300) enable students to move from theoretical foundations into actual practice at a variety of school levels.

Program Prerequisites
PAL: Program prerequisites for the PAL include a master’s degree, minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0, teaching license or eligibility to hold a license, and three years of teaching experience. For those desiring a master’s degree, it can be completed through this program with an additional five credits.

Master of Science in Education, with a PAL Concentration:
Students who do not have a master’s degree may enroll concurrently in the Master of Science in Education (MSEd) program. The 40 credits for the PAL coursework are all applied toward the completion of the MEd program, which requires one additional 5 credit course, for a total of 45 credits.

Funding Available
For Southern Oregon teachers who are interested in becoming licensed administrators there are multiple funding opportunities to help pay for tuition for the PAL program.

To learn more about the PAL program and/or potential funding opportunities, contact PAL Coordinator, Dr. Renee Owen at owenr@sou.edu.

APPLY TO THE PAL PROGRAM

PAL Program Description

Education Founded on Holistic Values

The vision of the Principal Administrator Licensure (PAL) program at SOU is to develop leaders who are prepared to lead educational transformation and cultivate equity, excellence, and wellbeing.

SOU’s PAL program offers meaningful opportunities for students to integrate the theories of educational change with the day-to-day practice of educational administration. Classes are experiential in nature and involve a combination of case studies, authentic projects – where students participate in school improvement at their location, and extensive use of panels and discussions with school leaders.

A distinct advantage of the SOU PAL program is the culture of collegiality, where fellow students develop supportive relationships with one another and with their instructors who can meet the needs and interests of the cohort. Students work with regional administrators, whom they get to know, making job placement easy to navigate.

Student Evaluation

Proficiencies for students are demonstrated through:

Integration of theory into practice in case studies, research projects, problem-based learning, and class activities.
The Integration Portfolio that links coursework, practica, and personally identified research agendas in a document of program outcomes.
Coursework, practica, and the Integration Portfolio that provide evidence of meeting state and National Educational Leadership Preparation Standards.

Questions? Email Anita Caster, Admissions Director at caster@sou.edu.

SEE PAL SAMPLE SCHEDULE

Degree Fit

Program Preparation

The PAL is for teachers who want to become Principal Administrators.

Degree Roadmap

The PAL program is a cohort program which starts each June. During the program, students attend class during summer and then during the school year in a hybrid fashion.

Program Completion

The PAL program has a 300 hour practicum. Students are also required to submit a portfolio at the end of the program.