Leadership Preparation

Routes Leading to Educational Leader Certification

Routes that lead to Educational Leader certification, which is the authorization needed by those who fill school and district educational leadership positions (e.g., assistant principal, principal, parish or city supervisor of instruction, supervisor of child welfare and attendance, special education supervisor, or comparable school/district leader positions):
  • Master's Degree Path -for persons seeking to earn an advanced degree and obtain the Educational Leader certificate
  • Alternate Path 1 -for persons who already hold a graduate degree and seek to obtain the Educational Leader certificate via an individualized plan-of-study from a state-approved ed leader program provider
  • Alternate Path 2 -for persons who already hold a graduate degree in education and seek to obtain the Educational Leader certificate by providing documented evidence of leadership experiences
  • Alternate Path 3 -for persons who already hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education and seek to obtain the Educational Leader certificate through a competency-based educational leader practitioner (residency) program
  • Alternate Path 4 -for persons who already hold a graduate degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, or Juris Doctor, or have been honorably discharged as a commissioned officer of the U.S. military with pay grade of O3 or higher. An educational leader training coordinated by LDOE is required for this pathway.
All pathways to the Educational Leader 1 license required the successful completion of either the Praxis School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA) or the Louisiana Leadership Assessment Series (LLAS).  

Chart of State-Approved Program Providers