Principal License
In Lewis & Clark’s Principal License Program, every course, text, and assignment is centered around identifying systemic inequalities that exist in the K-12 education system, fostering equitable practices and policies, and developing leadership approaches that enable you to achieve more socially just classrooms, schools, and districts.
An Equity-Based Program for Aspiring Leaders
The Principal License Program prepares aspiring educational leaders to have the knowledge, values, skills, tools, and courage to practice leadership as collective discourse, make inquiries, and take action designed to disrupt the status quo, make structural disparities visible, and create fairness in opportunities and outcomes for minoritized students, families, and communities across the P-20 spectrum.
In the Principal License Program, candidates will grapple with issues of equity related to race, gender, economic status, language, and ability at the intersection of school, district and national policy. Candidates in the Principal License Program are practicing professionals who come to the program with rich experiential knowledge ready to be applied toward designing better equitable practices.
Program Overview
Total credit hours: 27
Program start: Fall
Program length: 6 semesters, evenings and summer classes
Location: On-campus
Program director: Megan Barrett →
Options:
MEd with Principal License →
EdS with Principal License →
EdD with PK-12 Concentration and Principal License →
View the current program of study in the catalog to learn more about the courses you will take.
The on-campus program emphasizes in-person instruction, though some courses also incorporate synchronous virtual classwork. Enrollment for the program occurs on a rolling basis, with semesters starting in Fall (September), Spring (January), and Summer (May). Students can advance through the on campus program at their own pace, but scheduling allows for possible completion in six (6) terms. Program completion depends on the number of courses taken per semester and the students’ own timeline for finishing the requirements. Lewis & Clark also offers district-specific and regional partnerships that use a cohort model and follow a specific completion schedule.
Why Earn Your Principal License at Lewis & Clark?
Equity-Driven
Being an equity-driven program means that in every course, text, and assignment, we will center discussions on identifying systemic inequality that exists in the system of school, districts, consider strategies for fostering equitable practices and policies, and develop leadership approaches that enable you to achieve more socially just classroom, schools and districts.
Comprehensive Practicum
A highlight of the Principal License Program is the practicum, which gives you in-depth working experiences of leadership. Each course allows candidates to investigate a problem of practice through the context of each course. The practicum creates hands-on experiences to develop and practice the knowledge and skills necessary for successful school administration. The goal is to learn and practice both leadership and management responsibilities that support equitable opportunities and outcomes.
Competitive Pricing and Scholarship Opportunities
Lewis & Clark offers a special tuition rate to students enrolled in administrative licensure programs.
-
Standard Graduate School Tuition 2024-25
$1,100 per semester hour
$29,700 total -
Special Administrative Licensure Tuition 2024-25
$750 per semester hour
$20,250 total
Scholarship Opportunities
Scholarship opportunities are available from the Oregon Administrator Scholars Program (OASP), which could fully cover the cost of your license. OASP awards up to a maximum of $12,000 per academic year for racially or linguistically diverse administrator candidates enrolled in a license program. The scholarships may be used to pay for classes, fees and related costs.
What to Expect
Our approach to instructional leadership is practical, inquiry-centered, and firmly rooted in best practices. In this program, you learn how action leadership supports teachers, students, and parents.
Classroom dialogues are rich because students bring with them varied experiences, values, and the philosophies and orientation of their districts. On-campus courses draw from across the Portland metro area and outlying districts. Off-campus courses are even more diverse, with students coming together from eastern, central, and southwestern Oregon counties. Exemplary practicing administrators serve as adjunct faculty in the program, in addition to full-time faculty. Class sizes run from small seminars up to 20-24 students.
Depending on the site, the program offers evening and/or weekend classes during the school year and summer day sessions. The majority of applicants work full-time as Oregon educators and attend classes at night during fall and spring semesters or during summer day sessions. Students advance through on-campus courses at their own pace; off-campus cohorts usually complete the program in two years. Program completion depends on the number of courses taken per semester and the students’ own time line for finishing the requirements.
Lewis & Clark and the Wallace Foundation
The Principal License Program is a proud partner of Portland Public Schools and shared Wallace Foundation grantee. As an organization dedicated to promoting equity and improving practice and policy, the Wallace Foundation recognizes institutions whose work is aligned with their current equity initiatives—in L&C’s case, to shape the effective leadership of school principals and other educators.
The Principal License Program is a proud partner of Portland Public Schools and shared Wallace Foundation grantee. As an organization dedicated to promoting equity and improving practice and policy, the Wallace Foundation recognizes institutions whose work is aligned with their current equity initiatives—in L&C’s case, to shape the effective leadership of school principals and other educators.
Next Steps
Resources
- View current course planning sheet.
- View this slide presentation that provides additional program details including information about the program schedule, format, and affordable pricing.
For Current Students
FAQs
On February 7, 2019, the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) voted to adopt a new set of rules for the administrative licensure system. These rules went into effect March 1, 2019. This includes transitioning the Preliminary Administrator License (PreAL) to the Principal License. You will see this change reflected on our website and in our catalog. If you have questions about how this affects your license or program, please contact Sharon Chinn at schinn@lclark.edu or 503-768-6008. Information can also be found on TSPC’s website.