Program overview
The Teacher Leadership certificate program is designed for experienced and fully-certified educators and other related instructional personnel to gain the necessary skills and professional knowledge to promote a culture of achievement and take on greater responsibility in their classrooms, schools and districts.
This program develops the leadership skills of students to influence positive change in their districts while remaining active in their classrooms.
Admission requirements
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How to apply
Admission to Rider's Teacher Leadership program is a selective process.
To be considered, candidates must submit the following documents
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
- Copies (annual or summative) of teaching evaluations for the most recent two years (one per academic year)
- Three letters of recommendation (one each from a supervisor, principal and colleague)
- A professional résumé
- A 500-word personal reflection on leadership in teaching
Program requirements
The recommended course sequence set by Rider University has been approved by the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) for the teacher leadership endorsement and underwent a rigorous approval process that included a description of all curriculum and instructional content, as well as explanations of how the courses align to the Teacher Leader Model Standards and how each course is assessed.
The certificate program covers topics including how to coach and mentor new teachers, implement teacher evaluation systems, use data analysis to make decisions and develop curricula. Students who complete the seven-course (21-credit) teacher leadership core, which includes a 120-hour internship, will be eligible to receive the state endorsement.
A 36-credit teacher leadership graduate degree is also available.

Contact
Associate Professor
Graduate Education, Leadership and Counseling
Bierenbaum Fisher Hall
jstegmaiern [at] rider.edu
609-895-5678
Academic Focus: Educational Leadership
