The Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in Educational Leadership degree program is designed for experienced administrators seeking to develop their capacity to lead "turnaround" or lower performing schools. Coursework in this program is specifically designed in consultation with leadership development personnel and District-level Administrators in partnering school districts.
Students in this degree program develop their ability to make student-centered decisions through integration of rigorous analysis of theory, research, and exemplary practices. An appreciative inquiry orientation and applied capstone project enables candidates to work in teams. These teams develop an improvement report and intervention plan based on analysis of literature related to: school improvement and turnaround strategies: informed and responsible use of school data, including climate and culture inventories; ethical, political, cultural and critical perspectives on school sustainable school leadership; asset-based approaches to school improvement; and knowledge of effective program models or cases.
For individuals interested in the Florida Educational Leadership Certification, please see the M.Ed. degree program . For those interested in a research-focused degree, please see the Ph.D. degree program . Courses taken in the Ed.S. degree program may be able to be transferred into the Ed.D. in Educational Program Development - Educational Innovation if students apply for and are accepted before ending their Ed.S. program of study. Please consult the program coordinator for further information.
Accreditation
Accredited by Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). More info: https://www.usf.edu/education/about-us/accreditation.aspx

