Master of Education Instructional Leadership (IL)

This course investigates the historical, philosophical, psychological, and sociological foundations influencing American education policies and practices. This course also examines the history of literacy beliefs and practices and special education services beliefs and practices in America to contextualize current national, state, and local literacy trends and practices. Controversial educational issues are explored, and personal philosophies of education are formulated. This course is a core requirement for MEd EL, IL and IP.

This course examines research methodologies and basic statistical approaches. Research skills including but not limited to information retrieval, critical evaluation, report organization, and statistical methodology are developed and reflected in formal research proposals related to improved literacy instructional practices. Core requirement for M.Ed. candidates.

This course focuses on school functions, strategies, and support that encourage the highest level of student learning and academic achievement, with an emphasis on literacy practices and achievement across subjects. These school functions, strategies, and support include improving instruction through support of teachers, curriculum development, staff development based on current research and best practices, professional learning communities, evaluation of teachers, and action research.

This course equips educational leaders with a comprehensive understanding of literacy instruction, focusing on both content and pedagogy. It explores the progression of literacy development and strategies for fostering a literacy-rich environment that supports all learners. Special attention is given to the foundation of phonics and phonological awareness, as well as identifying and supporting struggling readers. Leaders will also learn to implement literacy screeners and progress monitoring tools to effectively assess and address learner needs. The course emphasizes evidence-based practices, scaffolding techniques, and strategies aligned with grade-level rigor and Tennessee Academic Standards, ensuring all students receive the support they need for success.

This course examines the role of the school leader to establish and share the vision and mission for academic success of all students including a positive school culture, databased decision-making, stakeholder involvement, and parent and community collaboration. Heavy emphasis is given to all aspects of becoming an effective literacy leader.

This course allows candidates to further their learning by participating in clinical practices that can be used for Capstone Electronic Portfolio evidence and Practicum Field Activity evidence. In addition, candidates will enlist the expertise of school leadership to delve into the role of a school leader in literacy achievement within a school setting and the leader’s role in creating a School Improvement Plan that serves to make the school environment more conducive to improving literacy instruction and enhancing student literacy learning.

This course examines the role of the school adminstrator and instructional leader in responding to and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context in the classroom, school, and local community. It will also address diverse candidate and student needs to ensure the success of all candidates and their students.

This course examines the basic legal and ethical issues in education. Candidates will become familiar with the requirements of ADA compliance for schools and the policies for the safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology. In addition, candidates will develop an understanding of important law cases which deal with the rights, obligations, and responsibilities of teachers, administrators, and counsellors and their subsequent impact on the school and district.

This course examines the law, theory, and practice of local, state, and federal funding of education, budget preparation, and control of funds. Related topics include the function of personnel management, including the hiring and retention of qualified personnel; insurance; and risk management; facility planning, financing, construction, maintenance, and operations; auxiliary services including food service and pupil transportation; and purchasing, inventory, and distribution.

The required Capstone Electronic Portfolio for the MEd Instructional Leadership Program is an evidence-based assignment. Candidates in the program are expected to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions that reflect the understanding and application of the competencies as described in the Tennessee Instructional Leadership Standards (TILS) and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards. 

Instructional Leadership (IL – Leading to Initial Tennessee Leadership Licensure) candidates are required to take and pass the SLLA in accordance with Tennessee state licensure and University graduation requirements. Prerequisite: Admission to the Instructional Leadership Licensure Program.

Candidates in this course interpret and apply current special education policy and law to practice, as professional and ethical educational leaders and advocates for students with disabilities.

This course provides candidates what they need to understand assessment in the schools, and to use it effectively in practice. Candidates explore the entire process of assessment: chronologically, moving sequentially through response to intervention, to prereferral strategies, to assessments, to report writing, to development of the IEP. Candidates explore validity and reliability, tests most often used in assessment, legal issues, and basic statistical terminology. Candidates focus on the practical application of assessment in schools with discussions on interpreting results, screening and diagnosis, writing professional reports, making recommendations from the data, presenting results to parents, and attending eligibility committee meetings. This course addresses best practices in formal and informal assessment from birth through adulthood.