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.