The state Department of Education is launching a new program to offer an alternative route to school administration certification.
The state Department of Education is launching a new program to offer an alternative route to school administration certification.
The program is done in partnership with Chaminade University, DOE officials said. The state’s Race to the Top initiative is funding the Alternative Certification for School Administration Program. Candidates will gain experience as a vice principal for the DOE during their residency period. Board of Education approved the program in May. Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed off on it this month.
“While we value our traditional process and pathway to administration, we need to find additional creative and alternate ways to fill our leadership positions as we move forward,” Douglas Murata, assistant superintendent for the DOE Office of Human Resources said.
The ideal candidate holds a master’s degree and has successfully served in a leadership, supervisory or managerial position for three or more years. The program will be limited to 24 candidates for the first two years (12 candidates each year) and will cost about $900,000.
Interested candidates are encouraged to attend informational sessions. Two sessions are offered on the Big Island. The first is 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Hilo District Office Annex. The second is 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Kahakai Elementary School Cafeteria.