This post was created on 03/31/2021.

Land O’ Lakes, FL – (March 31, 2021) – Pasco County Schools today announced a partnership with the University of Tampa (UT) that will benefit Pasco educators interested in taking leadership roles, including those seeking certification in educational leadership or a master’s degree in educational leadership.

According to the agreement, the partnership is intended to “increase the supply of effective school leaders in Pasco County Schools and the state of Florida” and to “produce school leaders who are prepared to lead the state’s diverse student population in meeting high standards for academic achievement.”

“This is a tremendous opportunity for our teachers who are interested in leadership positions in our school district,” said Kurt Browning, Pasco Superintendent of Schools. “The UT Education Leadership Program is top notch. This partnership will benefit our school district for years to come as we cultivate new leaders to take us into the future.”

Pasco School Board member Colleen Beaudoin, who also is the chair of the UT Department of Education, said the program offers a unique and exciting opportunity for Pasco teacher leaders. “UT is offering high-quality flexible options for teachers who want to earn a master’s degree as well as for those who already have a graduate degree and need only the additional coursework for their certification,” Beaudoin said.

UT’s Level I Educational Leadership Program has been approved by the Florida Department of Education and is competency-based and aligned to the principal leadership standards that lead to certification. Its Master of Education in Educational Leadership (M.Ed.-EDL) is a cutting-edge degree program that engages candidates in experiential tasks directly aligned with the Florida Principal Leadership Standards and the Florida Educational Leadership Exam. The program caters to working education professionals by offering flexible scheduling options such as traditional, weekend, and hybrid instructional models.

For the certificate in educational leadership, qualified Pasco County teachers will:

• Be able to enroll in courses embedded in the UT M.Ed.-EDL program that meet the appropriate competencies and skills required for the Level 1 Educational Leadership State Certification.
• Be admitted as UT M.Ed.-EDL non-degree seeking students and will be charged the university non-degree tuition rate.

For the master’s degree in educational leadership, qualified Pasco County teachers will:

• Be admitted as matriculated students into the degree program.
• Be guaranteed admission into the UT M.Ed.-EDL program, granted they earned an education bachelor’s degree from an institution accredited by the Council for the Association of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

“The University of Tampa Department of Education is committed to providing quality programs and working with our community partners,” said Department Chair Beaudoin.

For more information about UT’s Education Leadership Program, click here.