Members of this year's Principal Corps class celebrate their graduation earlier this month at the Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss. The Principal Corps, which has prepared more than 175 school leaders across Mississippi, has partnered with the Mississippi Charter Schools Association to expand access to the program for charter school educators statewide. Photo by Don Feitel/School of Education
Organizations collaborate to strengthen educational leadership across Mississippi
The University of Mississippi Principal Corps, housed in the School of Education, is collaborating with the Mississippi Charter Schools Association to open the program to charter school educators.
The goal is to expand the leadership pipeline for public schools across the state.
“Strong public schools begin with strong leadership,” said Braxton Stowe, the program’s director. “The Principal Corps prepares leaders for the real demands of school leadership on day one.
“Expanding this program to include charter school leaders strengthens public education statewide and ensures more schools are led by highly prepared, mission-driven principals. We are excited about the opportunity to build lasting partnerships with charter schools that share a commitment to excellence for students.”
The agreement gives current and aspiring charter school leaders access to the same practice-based preparation model the Principal Corps has used for more than 15 years. Participants earn either a Master of Education or an Education Specialist degree while completing graduate-level coursework, a full-time administrative internship and mentorship from experienced principals.
More than 175 alumni of the Ole Miss program serve schools and communities across Mississippi.
Charter school participants will join educators from across Mississippi to create opportunities for peer learning and collaboration. The partnership reflects a shared priority of both organizations to ensure all students benefit from well-prepared school leaders, regardless of school type.
The collaboration addresses a key goal of the association’s strategic plan, said John H. Dixon, executive director of MCSA.
“Principal Corps has a proven track record of preparing effective leaders, and expanding access to this program strengthens the talent pipeline serving charter school students and communities across our state,” Dixon said.
Ambition Preparatory Charter School was selected to serve as the first charter school host site. DeArchie Scott, an MCSA board member and founder of Ambition Preparatory Charter School, said the host site role reflects the school’s commitment to developing future leaders.
“As a proud University of Mississippi alumnus, I’m excited to see this respected program partner with the charter school community,” Scott said. “Principal Corps has a proven track record, and this collaboration expands access to high-quality leadership preparation for charter educators across Mississippi.”
By Don Feitel
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