LAC 28:CXXXI.1505. Educational Leader Certificate Level 1 (EDL 1)

A. The EDL 1 certificate is needed for school and district educational leadership positions such as assistant principal, principal, parish or city supervisor of instruction, supervisor of child welfare and attendance, special education supervisor, or comparable school/district leader positions. The EDL certificate is issued upon the request of the LEA upon employment to serve as an educational leader. An EDL 1 certificate may be obtained through either a graduate degree pathway or through one of three alternate pathways. 1. Graduate Degree Pathway. To receive an entry-level EDL 1, the candidate must: a. hold or be eligible to hold a Louisiana type B or level 2 teaching certificate, or have a comparable level out-of-state teaching certificate and three years of teaching experience, including experience as a librarian or counselor, with all out-of-state experience verified as successful by the out-of-state employing authority or SEA, or hold an ancillary teaching certificate as defined in Chapter 5 Subchapter C of this Part with at least five years of successful teaching experience verified in accordance with §103 of this Part; i. The Early Childhood Ancillary Certificate is not an eligible ancillary teaching certificate for the purposes of an EDL1. b. complete a competency-based graduate degree preparation program in the area of educational leadership from an institution of higher education accredited in accordance with 34 CFR 602, which may be inclusive of BESE-approved mentor teacher or content leader training; i. If the graduate degree program was not in Educational Leadership then a letter from the dean of education or the dean of the graduate school will be considered and must be submitted verifying that the master’s degree program is aligned with the National Policy Board for Educational Administration's Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL). The final authority for approval is at the discretion of the LDE; and c. have a passing score on the BESE approved school leaders licensure assessment, in accordance with state requirements. 2. Alternate Pathway 1. The alternate pathway 1 is for individuals who already hold a graduate degree and seek issuance of an EDL 1. The candidate must: a. hold or be eligible to hold a Louisiana type B or level 2 teaching certificate, or have a comparable level out-of-state teaching certificate and three years of teaching experience, including experience as a librarian or counselor, with all out-of-state experience verified as successful by the out-of-state employing authority or SEA, or hold an ancillary teaching certificate as defined in Chapter 5 Subchapter C of this Part with at least five years of successful teaching experience verified in accordance with §103 of this Part; i. The Early Childhood Ancillary Certificate is not an eligible ancillary teaching certificate for the purposes of an EDL1. b. have previously completed a graduate degree program from an institution of higher education accredited in accordance with 34 CFR 602; c. meet competency-based requirements, as demonstrated by completion of an individualized program of educational leadership from an institution of higher education accredited in accordance with 34 CFR 602 developed based on a screening of candidate competencies upon entering into a graduate alternative certification program and service as a mentor teacher, content leader, or BESE-approved mentor teacher or content leader training may fulfill a maximum of 40 percent of an individualized program; and d. earn a passing score on the BESE approved school leaders licensure assessment in accordance with state requirements. 3. Alternate Pathway 2. The alternate pathway 2 is for individuals who already hold a graduate degree in education and seek issuance of an EDL 1. The candidate must: a. hold or be eligible to hold, a Louisiana type B or level 2 teaching certificate, or have a comparable level out-of-state teaching certificate and three years of teaching experience, including experience as a librarian or counselor, with all out-of-state experience verified as successful by the out-of-state employing authority or SEA, or hold an ancillary teaching certificate as defined in Chapter 5 Subchapter C of this Part with at least five years of successful teaching experience verified in accordance with §103 of this Part; i. The Early Childhood Ancillary Certificate is not an eligible ancillary teaching certificate for the purposes of an EDL1. b. have previously completed a graduate degree program in education from an institution of higher education accredited in accordance with 34 CFR 602; c. provide documented evidence of leadership experiences of 240 clock hours or more aligned with performance expectations as listed in LAC 28:CXLVI (Bulletin 146) at the school and/or district level; and d. have a passing score on the BESE approved school leaders licensure assessment in accordance with state requirements. e. service as a mentor teacher or content leader is limited to a combined total of 100 clock hours. 4. Alternate Pathway 3. The alternate pathway 3 is for persons who already hold a baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education accredited in accordance with 34 CFR 602 and are seeking to receive an EDL 1 through a competency-based educational leader practitioner (residency) program found in LAC 28:XLV (Bulletin 996, Chapter 7). The candidate must: a. hold, or be eligible to hold, a Louisiana type B or level 2 teaching certificate, or have a comparable level out-of-state teaching certificate and three years of teaching experience, including experience as a librarian or counselor, with all out-of-state experience verified as successful by the out-of-state employing authority or SEA, or hold an ancillary teaching certificate as defined in Chapter 5 Subchapter C of this Part with at least five years of successful teaching experience verified in accordance with §103 of this Part; i. The Early Childhood Ancillary Certificate is not an eligible ancillary teaching certificate for the purposes of an EDL1. b. demonstrate strong knowledge of instruction through a rigorous screening process by an approved program provider; c. complete a competency-based educational leader practitioner/residency preparation program in the area of educational leadership from a non-university provider or an institution of higher education accredited in accordance with 34 CFR 602 with service as a mentor teacher, content leader, or BESE-approved mentor teacher or content leader training allowed fulfill a maximum of 40 percent of the competency-based program; and d. have a passing score on the BESE approved school leaders licensure assessment in accordance with state requirements. 5. Alternate Pathway 4—School Level Leader. The alternate pathway 4 is for individuals who hold an advanced degree or certain military experience and seek issuance of an EDL 1. The candidate must: a. complete the education leader training coordinated by LDOE, earn a passing score on the BESE-approved school leaders licensure assessment in accordance with state requirements, and b. hold a graduate degree in public administration, business administration, or a juris doctorate degree, or have been a commissioned officer of the United States military who has been honorably discharged with a pay grade O-3 or higher. c. be paired with an experienced school leader within the district who can act as a mentor, upon employment as a school leader; and d. include in the school instructional leadership team an individual who holds at least a master’s degree in education. e. For Alternate Pathway 4 only, the certificate is a five-year, non-renewable certificate. If a candidate is not otherwise eligible for advancement to the EDL 2 in accordance with §1507 of this Chapter, the certificate may be advanced to the EDL 2 upon the educational leader successfully meeting the standards of effectiveness for five years as a school leader, in accordance with §103 of this Part. B. EDL 1 Extensions. 1. An EDL 1 is valid for three years initially and may be extended thereafter for a period of one year at the request of an LEA. EDL 1 certificates are limited to two such extensions.