FAQs
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Common Questions
- What is RLRP?
- Who is eligible to participate in RLRP?
- How does RLRP work?
- How do I apply for RLRP?
- How much does RLRP cost?
- How are RLRP candidates selected?
- How is RLRP different from a traditional approach to principal certification?
- What is the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA)?
- How will I be evaluated as a participant?
- Will I receive a Master’s Degree?
1. What is RLRP?
Redesigning Lessons, Re-envisioning Principals (RLRP) is an alternative pathway to principal certification developed by Advance Innovative Education, in partnership with Louisisiana State University’s E. J. Ourso College of Business, area school districts, independent schools and charter schools.
The goal of RLRP is to inspire individuals to become principals who are social entrepreneurs and operate schools as successful organizations. RLRP is one of three BESE-approved alternative certification programs in Louisiana – and the only one that is state-wide.
2. Who is eligible to participate in RLRP?
- Teachers who want to become certified principals (Educational Leader I Certification).
- Non-educators with three years of organizational leadership experience interested in charter school leadership.
3. How does RLRP work?
- Candidates undergo a four-step interview and screening process with RLRP. Group interviews with leadership simulations, phone interviews, writing samples, and a comprehensive application package ensure candidate quality and commitment.
- Phase 1 includes 150+ hours delivered by national experts in business & education.
- Phase 2 is a full-time administrative residency in a school, and includes 125+ days of in-school experiences and cohort based learning seminars. Trained coaches and mentors provide support for RLRP Participants.
- Phase 3 includes 150+ hours also delivered by national experts in business & education.
- Beyond RLRP: Participants will join a national network of like-minded entrepreneurial school leaders with the capacity to tackle the challenges of either repairing broken systems or creating ones that work.
4. How do I apply for RLRP?
To get a list of everything you must submit to apply for RLRP, visit the Application Process page.
RLRP considers applications as they are submitted. Therefore, it is in your best interest to apply as early as possible. Application Deadlines for the Class of 2013:
Early Birds: April 30, 2012 ($35 fee)
Final Deadline: May 15, 2012 ($65 fee)
TFA Corps Members/Alumni: May 15, 2012 (No fee for TFA Corps Members/Alumni)
Late applications will be accepted on a case-by-case basis with a $100 application fee.
5. How much does RLRP cost?
Specific financial costs are determined in consultation with AIE, the hiring district or school, and the aspiring principal.
$9500* for Participants
$8500 for Aspiring Leaders in Avoyelles
$7500 for TFA Alumni & Corps Members
This fee covers the following:
- SLLA Exam fee: participants take the SLLA exam twice, one exam is paid for by AIE and one is paid for by the participant
- Cost for School Leadership Licensure Assessment (SLLA) Preparation
- Costs related to Summer Experience classes, faculty, materials, and program coaching
This fee does not cover the following:
- National conference: registration and accommodations (options available in Louisiana)
- Two graduate courses: university registration and fees (varies)
- SLLA Exam fee: participants take the SLLA exam twice, one exam is paid for by AIE and one is paid for by the participant
Financial Assistance is available through Campus Federal at a low-interest rate Continuing Education loan. Loan interest is payed during the 14 months of the program and the loan principal is payed within 24 months after completion of the program. Early payments are free of penalty.
Contact us today to learn more!*Some exceptions apply.
6. How are RLRP candidates selected?
RLRP candidates undergo a rigorous application and selection process designed to produce candidates that possess the most leadership potential in leading teachers and students to academic achievement.
To ensure candidate quality and commitment, we have a four-step interview and screening process with RLRP:
- Comprehensive Application Package
- Phone interviews
- Group interviews with leadership simulations
- Writing samples
7. How is RLRP different from a traditional approach to principal certification?
Research shows many new school leaders are discovering that traditional certification programs do not effectively equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed as an educational leader in the 21st century.
Rather than use a traditional approach and then expect participants to be innovative, RLRP’s structure “models the model.”
The cohort structure reflects the development of a learning community. Two Summer Experience modules culminate in a case study; participants are able to immediately use theory to solve real problems. The inquiry method is the core of the program, encouraging self-reflection and critical analysis, among all involved—including mentors and coaches. The result is confidence and skills required to be educational entrepreneurs. Frequent, cumulative assessments tied to the Standards for Educational Leaders in Louisiana assure that candidates are developing skills and behaviors that will make them effective leaders.
RLRP develops “eduprepreneurs” who focus on the “double bottom line,” ensuring that schools are always focused on their mission and producing results for their clients (students), while at the same time generating the revenue required to operate the core business and reinvest profits into new or expanded services.
Dr. Jeff Cornwall, an RLRP faculty member from Belmont University, describes this concept in The Entrepreneurial Educator, “The entrepreneurial attitude is recommended to school managers of public schools, private schools, or public schools managed for profit. The entrepreneur recognizes that change brings opportunities rather than threats, reacts to change proactively rather than reactively, actively fosters creativity beyond the classroom, uses less formal and centralized authority, distinguishes between a good idea and a good idea with a specific market with a feasible financial margin, develops well constructed business plans, and is able to forecast as well as budget.”
8. What is the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA)?
Participants who successfully pass the SLLA exam will receive Educational Leader I Certification. The SLLA is based on Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards and is designed to measure whether entry-level principals and other school leaders have the knowledge necessary for competent professional practice. Candidates who complete RLRP will be prepared for all of the modules on the exam. For more information on the SLLA, visit: http://www.ets.org/sls.
9. How will I be evaluated as a participant?
RLRP’s curriculum and assessment tools are aligned with the content of the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA). To ensure that candidates are being provided appropriate knowledge and skills to achieve success on the SLLA, evaluators will perform three types of assessments:
- Responses to various possible scenarios that a principal faces
- Case study work and participation in required meetings and courses
- Participants’ portfolios
10. Will I receive a Master's Degree through RLRP?
RLRP does not offer a Master’s Degree with certification, however Residents are required to enroll in one 3-hour, graduate-level equivalent course per semester (Fall and Spring) during the school year. Courses must be pre-approved by RLRP staff.
Most Residents enroll in courses offered by Louisiana State University. If a Resident is not from the Baton Rouge area, s/he will receive special accommodations to meet this requirement; e.g., access to a distance learning course or an approved alternate course at a local university or college.