School District Leader Certification

Make a difference in your community as a district leader in education.

The School District Leader Certification program prepares you to lead progressive educational change at the district or regional level. As an aspiring district or regional leader, this certificate program is a unique opportunity to learn and apply Bank Street’s progressive approach to district management, which will expand your skillset for supporting and mentoring the administrators and teachers to transform student learning experiences.

The online courses for this certificate program are specifically designed to build your skills as a leader and develop methods of creating and implementing change  while also considering the needs of diverse students, families, and communities.

With this often mandatory credential, you will be ready for district and regional leadership opportunities when they come your way, such as assistant superintendent, director of curriculum, director of student services, and similar positions.

Take the Lead
with Bank Street

You will learn to:

  • Understand, and sustain a district’s vision. 
  • Lead reform efforts on the district level. 
  • Make district-wide decisions on instruction and planning. 
  • Manage fiscal and human resources.  
  • Address the management of legal and equity issues.  

This program is for you if:

  • You are seeking leadership skills and credentials for district-level supervisory positions.
  • You want to make a difference in education on the district level.
  • You already have a master’s or doctoral degree in Educational Leadership.
  • You are a leader with a passion for education and community-building.

School District Leader Program

Make a difference in your community as a district leader in education

The School District Leader Certification program prepares you to lead progressive educational change at the district or regional level. As an aspiring district leader, this certificate program is a unique opportunity to learn and apply Bank Street’s developmental-interaction approach to effective district management strategies, which will expand your skillset for supporting and mentoring the administrators and teachers who will help you transform student learning experiences.

The online courses for this certificate program are specifically designed to build your skills as a leader and develop methods of creating and implementing change on a high level while also considering the needs of diverse students, families, and communities.

With this often mandatory credential, you will be ready for district and regional leadership opportunities when they come your way, such as assistant superintendent, director of curriculum, director of student services and similar positions.

You will learn to:

  • Develop a district vision for education and goals. 
  • Lead reform efforts on the district level. 
  • Make district-wide decisions on instruction and planning. 
  • Manage fiscal and human resources.  
  • Address the management of legal and equity issues.  

This program is for you if:

  • You are seeking leadership skills and credentials to prepare for district-level supervisory positions.
  • You want to make a difference in education on the district level.
  • You already have a master’s or doctoral degree in Educational Leadership.
  • You are a leader with a passion for education and your community.

TAKE THE LEAD
with Bank Street

Your SDL Certificate will provide you with a range of career opportunities

Required Courses to Complete Your SDL Certificate

Supervised Fieldwork/Advisement

For those in the 11-credit sequence, you will engage in a field placement to be negotiated between yourself, your district office, and your advisor. With on-site supervision from your internship mentor and your advisor, you will develop and implement a work plan for a particular issue relevant to the placement.

Credit(s) 1.0   

This course focuses on the key constituencies in a district and the different relationships that exist among them. It includes understanding the district’s vision, how it was developed, and how it is sustained. The course also examines a district’s demographic and achievement data.

Credit(s) 1.0

This course looks at the varied roles and responsibilities of the superintendent/district leader and ties them to the challenges of creating and sustaining dynamic, humane, effective learning communities. It emphasizes the ways that district leaders’ decisions – in such spheres as instructional policy, planning, fiscal and human resources, facilities, legal and equity issues, accountability, and external relationships – affect schools’ capacity to engage students and strengthen achievement.

Credit(s) 1.0

This course focuses on how human and financial resources are allocated in a district to support the instructional program and the goals of the superintendent and school board.

Credit(s) 1.0

This course focuses on examining a district’s budget from multiple points of view: theoretical, conceptual, and practical. Participants will become familiar with all phases of the budget process, from its inception to its implementation throughout a district. Content will be closely aligned, whenever possible, with the “real world” budgets currently in place in districts.

Credit(s) 1.0

Strong leadership at the district level is essential if schools are to become positive and successful learning environments for diverse learners, including children with disabilities and those at risk of failure. This course covers issues that enhance or create obstacles for inclusive schools and communities. Issues of equity are evident in most school districts and challenge educators to transform educational environments and processes to meet diverse needs. The course will address the issue of “achievement gaps” as well as links between social class and achievement in schools.

Credit(s) 3.0   

(Not required for Bank Street students in a qualifying leadership program.)

Fieldwork in an appropriate setting with supervision and advisement.

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.

NY School District Leader Course Requirements

Applicants typically have a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and have previously qualified for SAS or SBL certification.

This is an 11-credit certificate program that culminates in eligibility for School District Leader (SDL) certification.

Qualifying Bank Street Leadership program alumni are eligible to complete this program in 5 credits.

SDL Certification Requirements

The program leads to New York State School District Leader certification. To be eligible for certification, candidates must have successfully completed 60 credits at the graduate level and three years of classroom teaching service and/or pupil personnel service and/or educational leadership service in public or nonpublic N-12 schools. They must also pass the corresponding New York State examination for School District Leader certification before Bank Street can recommend them for certification.

olinka crusoe testimonial

Olinka Crusoe, ’18
Educational Leadership
Teacher Development and Evaluation Coach (TDEC)
NYC Department of Education
District 16 Superintendent’s Office

Meet our alumni

“When I decided to go back to school, Bank Street was my only choice because of its reputation. When people hear I am a graduate, they know I have been educated by the best. It’s a real confidence booster.”

Frequently Asked Questions

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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.

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Earn Your Certificate in School District Leader ONLINE