Early Childhood Leadership MSEd Program

PREPARE as an exceptional leader in pre-K and early childhood centers.

The Early Childhood Leadership Program is designed to support teachers, directors, administrators, program developers, and policymakers in strengthening their leadership skills. Through online coursework that builds upon Bank Street’s developmental-interaction approach, you will gain the management and leadership skills you need to effectively lead your staff as you collaborate and create high-quality environments and learning experiences for children and their families.

This online curriculum prepares you for state certification in School Building Leadership (SBL) or to receive a recognized credential in early childhood leadership. Those who earn the SBL certification will be recognized as effective leadership candidates for pre-K and K-2 schools and programs.

Take the Lead
with Bank Street

You will learn:

  • Leadership as it relates to the creation of curriculum and instruction
  • Fiscal management for education
  • Supervision and professional development processes
  • Organizational development for management and regulations
  • Education policy, advocacy, and law

This program is for you if:

  • You are an experienced head teacher or pupil personnel services staff member.
  • You want to work in early childhood education leadership.
  • You want to strengthen your current leadership skills.
  • You want to earn a School Building Leader (SBL) certification from the New York State Education Department.

Early Childhood Leadership Advanced Certificate Program

Prepare as an exceptional leader in pre-k and early childhood centers.

The Early Childhood Leadership Advanced Certificate Program is designed to support the development of aspiring early childhood leaders and strengthen the progressive leadership skills of present leaders. Through online coursework that builds upon Bank Street’s developmental-interaction approach, you will gain the management and leadership skills you need to effectively lead your staff as you collaborate and create high-quality environments and learning experiences for children and their families.

This online curriculum prepares you for state certification in School Building Leadership (SBL) or to receive a recognized credential in early childhood leadership. Professionals who obtain the Children’s Program Administrator (CPAC) credential become strong early childhood leaders with a skill set capable of supporting transformational adult learning. Those who earn the SBL certification will be recognized as effective leadership candidates for pre-K and K-2 schools and programs.

Take the LEAD
with Bank Street

You will learn:

  • Leadership as it relates to the creation of curriculum and instruction
  • Fiscal management for education
  • Supervision and professional development processes
  • Organizational development for management and regulations
  • Education policy, advocacy, and law

This program is for you if:

  • You are an experienced head teacher or pupil personnel services staff member.
  • You want to work in early childhood education leadership.
  • You want to strengthen your current leadership skills.
  • You want to earn a School Building Leader (SBL) certification from the New York State Education Department and/or a Children’s Program Administrator Credential (CPAC) from the New York State Association for Early Childhood Education.

Career Opportunities for Early Childhood Leadership MSEd

Required Courses for Early Childhood Leadership Advanced Certificate

Supervised Fieldwork/Advisement

Supervised fieldwork, advisement, and mentoring is at the heart of a Bank Street education. Through sustained real-world experiences, supervision from core faculty, and close collaboration with peers, you will develop the ability to connect theory to practice and to reflect deeply on your own growth as leaders in education. In this program, you will:

  • Be supervised by an advisor, a core graduate faculty mentor and experienced teacher.
  • Participate in a bi-weekly, collaborative conference group with your advisor and 10 students.
  • Articulate and reflect upon a lesson learned with your advisor once each month.
  • Benefit from individual meetings with your advisor twice each month.
  • Complete projects specifically designed for a deep look at your fieldwork setting.
Credit(s) 3.0

In this seminar, students examine the developmental periods of young, middle, and later years in the human life cycle, with a broad multicultural approach to learning and development. Studies and research are reviewed. Emphasis is given to developmental characteristics that have implications for professional growth and development.

Credit(s) 3.0   |   This course is offered as a blended or fully online course

This course focuses on the roles and functions of the school leader in the spheres of curriculum and instruction. It covers the principles and processes that inform curriculum development. At the same time, in keeping with the realities faced by today’s school building leaders, it focuses intensively on the knowledge and tools needed to be discerning consumers and negotiators of curriculum. Finally, the course explores leadership in curriculum and instruction as a means of inspiring, guiding and effecting school change.

Credit(s) 3.0

Current administrative thought is examined in the context of its historical, economic, philosophical, and sociocultural political bases. Selected theories of administration and recent administrative practices are analyzed with respect to creating learning environments that are responsive to the multicultural constituencies of schools.

Credit(s) 3.0

This course examines theory, research, and practice related to organizational development. It covers a wide range of issues related to capacity-building, school vision and culture, and problem solving, and focuses on the relationship between school management and instructional leadership. Students have opportunities to integrate theory and research with administrative practice through readings, small-group work, simulation experiences, observations, interviews, protocols, and case studies.

Credit(s) 3.0

Designed for students who are preparing for supervisory roles or who are actively engaged in such roles, this course focuses on the objectives, functions, and evaluation of the supervisory experience within multicultural educational institutions. Organizational, cultural, and human variables that may facilitate or impede effective supervision are identified, and strategies to maximize or minimize their impact are generated. Supervisory attitudes and skills aimed at increasing professional growth in individual and group supervision are synthesized from a variety of supervisory models with particular attention given to the clinical supervision model.

Credit(s) 1.0

This course focuses on the financial management of early childhood programs in childcare settings and public schools as well as the grant development process and marketing strategies that are designed to enhance equitable access to quality early childhood experiences for young children and their families. The intersection of resources both within the community and from various funding streams will be examined to address issues of equity, advocacy and policy in early childhood settings. The first section of the course will address budget development, budget formulation and budget execution and evaluation of operating budgets. The second section of the course will focus on program design and proposal writing for grant development including categorical or competitive models. Participants will also learn about fundraising and marketing strategies designed to reach families with young children in underserved communities.

Credit(s) 3.0

Participants explore a variety of theories and methods of analysis as applied to organizations and their members. Each participant prepares an in-depth analysis of his or her work setting, focusing on organizational structure and behavior.

Credit(s) 0.0   |   This course is offered as a blended or fully online course

To be eligible for a Children’s Program Administrator Credential through the NYS Association for the Education of Young Children, candidates must complete a portfolio demonstrating mastery in each of the six Program Administrator Credential Competencies.

Competencies: Administering Children’s Programs | Financial Planning and Management of Children’s Programs | Operations Management in Children’s Programs | External Environment and Children’s Programs | Designing Programs that are Good for Children and Families | Seminar in Children’s Program Administration

The course prepares you to submit 2 copies of your portfolio to NYSAEYC in three-ring binders along with current resume and three professional letters of recommendation.

Credit(s) 0.0   |   This course is offered as a blended or fully online course

Anyone applying for certification after February 2, 2001 must complete two hours of training on school violence prevention and intervention. This workshop includes training in effective classroom management techniques, identifying the warning signs of violent and other troubling behavior, and intervention techniques for resolving violent incidents in the school. (Offered only to matriculated students.)

Credit(s) 0.0   |   This course is offered as a blended or fully online course

All adults working with children under eighteen years of age are required by NY State law to report suspected child abuse and neglect. This course will help you learn to identify symptoms of child abuse and neglect and will provide you with information about the required procedures for reporting abuse. (Only offered to matriculated students.)

Credit(s) 0.0

Anyone applying for certification must complete six hours of training on the social patterns of harassment, bullying, and discrimination. This workshop includes training in identifying indicators, early warning signs, prevention, and intervention techniques, and how to interact with families of victims and aggressors.

Admissions Criteria

School Building Leader (SBL) Certificate:

  • Applicants must have a prior master’s degree in Education*
  • Applicants for this program must have at least three years of experience working as a full-time, paid, • head teacher or in pupil personnel services, in an early childhood center, a community-based center or elementary school (pre-K–3)

Certifications

Depending upon qualifications, students may be eligible for a School Building Leadership certification from New York State.

School Building Leader (SBL) Certificate:

To be eligible for New York SBL certification, candidates must have an earned master’s degree in Education, successfully completed three years of full-time, paid head teaching or pupil personnel services work in pre-K–12 settings, and must pass both the New York State School Building Leader Assessment and the Educating All Students exams.

shavon frazier testimonial

Shavon Patrice Frazier
GSE ’17
Lead UPK Teacher at P.S./I.S. 41 The Newport School

Meet our alumni

“I loved Bank Street so much that I decided to return for a second master’s degree in Early Childhood Educational Leadership. I have always wanted to be a school leader and eventually open up my own early childhood center. This program has afforded me the opportunity to spread my leadership wings and gain a deeper knowledge of the inner workings of the education field and the type of imprint I can make outside of the classroom.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Please click on “+” sign to expand for more.

Application and Registration

Yes, there is a $65 application fee.

Yes, there are other fees. Please visit the Bank Street main website for complete information.

The per-credit cost for the 2021-2022 academic year is $1,710, starting with the Fall 2021 Term. There are scholarships and financial aid available to support your participation in the program. Please contact your Application Specialist at 212-652-8722 to find out more about tuition and financial aid at Bank Street.

Yes, each year, Bank Street’s Office of Financial Aid administers over $8.5 million in financial aid to students. Our scholarship program makes the cost of attending Bank Street College of Education competitive with most other private schools.

All students interested in receiving financial aid must complete and submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).  Students must also complete the admissions application and indicate that they are interested in applying for financial aid, and complete the scholarship application section in this form.  Please remember that in order to complete the FAFSA, you will need your federal tax returns. The FAFSA becomes available annually on October 1st and can be accessed at the Federal Student Aid website. Bank Street’s Title IV Code is G02669 (G ZERO 2669).

Yes, if you have been admitted, you will reply to confirm your enrollment. A $250 enrollment fee will be due with this form to secure your spot in the incoming class.

Yes, students are required to have a bachelor’s degree to be eligible for admission.

In accordance with a new bill passed in November 2021, Bank Street Graduate School of Education has eliminated the requirement of entrance exams (GRE/MAT)  effective immediately.

Our programs are varied enough to meet the needs of all qualified college graduates with or without prior experience in teaching, administration, or other human service fields. However, we do feel it is important for you to have some experience working with children so that you feel confident that this career choice is grounded in a realistic understanding of yourself and of children.
Our programs are varied enough to meet the needs of all qualified college graduates with or without prior experience in teaching, administration, or other human service fields. However, we do feel it is important for you to have some experience working with children so that you feel confident that this career choice is grounded in a realistic understanding of yourself and of children.

Course Information

There are three start dates offered per year. The Summer semester begins in May, Fall semester begins in September, and Spring begins in January. Contact a Bank Street Graduate School Online Application Specialist at 212-652-8722 to find the next start date that works with your schedule.

The length of the program will depend upon the specific course of study that you select and how many credit hours per semester you complete.

Supervised fieldwork at Bank Street is usually a year-long, intensive learning experience and is central to nearly all our programs. Some programs require one semester of supervised fieldwork; some programs have unique schedules spreading supervised fieldwork over three or four terms. During supervised fieldwork/advisement, you work with a faculty advisor who is experienced in your area of study. In addition, you will also work in a conference group with about six other students in your program, and your advisor.

The online courses are a mix of self-paced material and assignments, team assignments, and faculty-led discussions. We take the best of both fully online education and on-campus education: you will receive the same learner-focused content and active engagement that Bank Street is known for, but most of the work you do throughout a typical week will be completed according to your own schedule.

Each online course is held for the full academic semester, which is between 11 and 16 weeks in length (Summer semester is shorter). The weekly schedules will vary by course and credit hour.

Usually, as a student and with your program director’s approval, you will be able to use your own classroom for your supervised fieldwork setting as long as it is appropriate for the program to which you have applied.  You will need to have support from your principal or school director or from your Bank Street advisor as you do fieldwork at the school.  Your advisor will need to have access to your classroom

Certification

Yes, Bank Street’s teacher and supervisor preparation programs are approved in New York State. For more information about Bank Street’s New York State registered programs, please visit our NYSED.gov listing page.

If you want to get certified in another state after you complete your Bank Street program, you should start researching early. Contact the relevant State Department of Education for details on requirements and application procedures. Certification regulations vary by state, so it is best to obtain the information well in advance of your intended program completion date. For more information, please visit the Bank Street main website Outside of New York page.

Explore all of Bank Street’s graduate programs

Fill out the form below to speak with a counselor about our online and on-campus program options and find one that is best for you.

Take the Lead with Bank Street

Earn Your Certificate in Early Childhood Leadership ONLINE