Public School Building Leadership SPA NY MA

The Summer Principals Academy (SPA) at Teachers College, Columbia University is a transformative graduate program that is committed to promoting equity and excellence in education and overcoming the gap in educational access and achievement between the most and least advantaged groups in this country. To achieve this goal, our aspiring school leaders are encouraged to construct transforming possibilities for student learning, school improvement, social equity, and opportunity. While some principal preparation programs are content to prepare school leaders to perpetuate schools as they currently exist, SPA strives to prepare leaders to create the innovative schools that our nation and world need.

Our cohort model allows courses to be delivered over two consecutive five-week summer sessions and the Administrative Internship takes place during the  intervening school year, where our graduate students are already place allowing them to maintain their jobs in their current schools while earning their degree. 

Students’ studies in SPA conclude with the New School Design Project which serves as the capstone to the degree.

New York State Education Department (NYSED) has teacher certification requirements that are needed for program completion and graduation which are listed in the Office of Teacher Education.