Innovative Schools

Recruitment

and Admissions

Selection Criteria   |   Admissions Process

Employing a wide range of recruitment strategies and a highly rigorous admissions process, each year the Delaware Leadership Project identifies and admits an elite cohort of outstanding individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to complete the program.

One of the most effective methods for us to identify promising aspiring principals is by soliciting the support of people who share our core beliefs and know individuals who fit our instructional and leadership criteria. If you know people who may be good candidates for the program, please direct them to visit this website and attend one of our information sessions.

Selection Criteria



Candidates must have:

• A master’s degree in any field from a regionally accredited college or university
• A minimum of three years teaching experience at the level for which the graduate will serve as a principal or assistant principal, except at a charter or middle school
• Evidence that the candidate  has been able to make strides in closing the achievement gap
• An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher
• A graduate school GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Willingness to commit in writing to working in the Delaware public school system for 3 years upon graduation from the program
• Capacity to discuss and analyze projects that were unsuccessful
• Willingness to expose oneself as a public learner
• Ability to work in groups successfully
• Commitment to improving a particular skill or set of skills
• Ability to recognize school challenges typically involving a set of interconnected, underlying issues
• Commitment to closing the achievement gap
• Professional resilience
• Strong communication skills
• Willingness/ability to be self-reflective
• Instructional knowledge/expertise
• Commitment to continuous learning
• Professional integrity. 

Admissions Process 


The Delaware Leadership Project’s intensive admissions process screens for qualities exhibited by highly effective school leaders (see our Selection Criteria) to select the most qualified candidates to enter the program each year.  
 
Candidates will need to include a recommendation from their principal or direct supervisor.  Incomplete applications will not be read. Qualified candidates will be invited to take part in a group interview.

The Delaware Leadership Project admissions process consists of the following steps and can take up to six weeks to complete:

1. Online application
2. Application screening
3. Group interview
4. Individual interview
5. Reference checks and final decision notification