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This program is for educators in Texas who wish to become an assistant principal or principal and need the Instructional Leader (EC-12) certification. This 18-credit course of study will prepare candidates for the Principal as Instructional Leader licensure exam and ensure they are ready for school leadership. To be considered, candidates must hold a master’s degree, valid teaching certificate and have at least two years of teaching experience.
The Texas Educational Leadership Certificate Program prepares aspiring school administrators with current scientific research, pedagogy, and instructional technology through a series of six educational leadership courses. Students are empowered to maximize school effectiveness and improve supervision and leadership skills in P-12 school settings. Students will develop the strategies required to lead for learning, including creating a school-wide vision and using data to inform decision-making. The program is aligned to the Texas Principal Leadership Standards and the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) for effective leadership and is designed to create culturally aware and competent administrators.
Here are the courses you’ll take when working towards this program. If no focus of study option is selected, you can choose any 3 courses from the study options below.
Visit the College Catalog to see all courses.
If no focus of study option is selected, you can choose any 3 courses from the study options below.
This course centers on the intersection of curriculum, instruction, and assessment strategies in improving learner outcomes through data-informed decision-making. Specific emphasis is placed on collecting and analyzing different data types, aligning instructional and assessment practices, leveraging high-impact instructional strategies, leading professional learning, and auditing curriculum to ensure relevance to learners.
This course provides students with resource management strategies to identify the organizational needs of a school, leverage the unique strengths and talents of competent teachers, and build the instructional and leadership capacity of teams. Students also learn how to develop and implement assessment and evaluation strategies to document teacher performance and to guide decisions relevant to professional development and employment termination options.
This course prepares students to promote and influence change in their schools with a goal of improving instruction and school and student outcomes. Students explore research on school improvement strategies, structures, and processes, analyze leadership decisions and behaviors, and examine the implications of research, technology, and commonly used practices for managing organizational change. Students also use existing research and literature to uncover underlying assumptions about school reform efforts, to improve the accuracy of problem identification, issues of human and social capital, the need for professional learning, and the challenges of overcoming bureaucratic and cultural norms.
This course identifies local, state, and federal sources for school funding and provides students with familiarity with state funding formulas and local budget guidelines. An emphasis is also placed on ensuring that aspiring leaders develop competencies essential to the allocation of resources toward teaching, learning, and school improvement priorities rather than simply monitoring facilities and accounts. Students will also have the opportunity to explore non-traditional funding sources such as grants, foundations, and community partnerships.
This course focuses on legal and ethical dimensions of school leadership with an emphasis on resolving conflicts in the school community. Students analyze legal cases and ethical dilemmas relating to the role and responsibilities of the leader tasked with creating and maintaining an educational environment that protects and nurtures fairness, tolerance, and respect, particularly balancing the needs of special populations, families, and underserved students.
This is a workspace for students enrolled in the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership (Texas) program or Texas Educational Leadership Certificate program to work collaboratively with the ACE faculty member who serves as their field supervisor. The workspace will be available to students from the time their Internship Placement Form is on record until their graduation or withdrawal from ACE.
This course provides candidates the opportunity to synthesize their completed practicum experiences to demonstrate mastery of the responsibilities required of building-level leaders to promote the success and well-being of each student and adult in their school. Candidates will reflect on their growth and development as leaders and on how practicum experiences enriched their professional skills and knowledge. Candidates will document their mastery of professional standards by demonstrating how they applied academic learning to practice in the practicum to meet requirements for principal licensure in Texas.
We believe in full transparency with our total cost of attendance. No hidden fees. No surprises along the way.
Continuing your education is a big decision that involves an investment of your time and money. We recognize that, which is why we're committed to ensuring you experience a positive return on that investment.
You only pay the cost it takes for us to deliver your education, nothing more. By keeping our tuition low, we’ve helped our students see a $19.20 return in future higher earnings for every $1 they invested in their ACE education.1
Because of our low tuition and total program cost, 87% of our students graduate debt-free.2 Popular payment options include paying by course, paying by month or paying in full. Visit our payment options page to learn more.
You deserve a great return on your educational investment, and we deliver master's degrees at a total average cost of $10,000*. We also award over $1.2M in scholarships and grants each year.
Tuition & ROIWe are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Our faculty work in the industries where you work and are committed to your success, contributing to our 85% graduation rate.3 Our curriculum equips you with practical strategies you can apply right away, as well as skills to help you advance your career.
Success StoriesOur virtual campus and convenient start dates provide you the flexibility you need to achieve your goals at a time and place that works with your busy schedule. Our student support services are available 24/7 and tutoring is included at no additional cost.
Support Services
Because we don’t have a physical campus, our students don’t need to pay infrastructure or facility fees. We also keep our operational costs low by not participating in Title IV federal funding. We pass all these savings along to our students.
Due to our engaging online format, you’ll connect and learn from industry peers worldwide. And even though you’re learning online, you won’t feel alone thanks to student discussion boards and online forums.
Learn strategies and skills you can apply immediately and leverage for future career advancement. Employers of ACE graduates report a 96% satisfaction rate,3 while 98% of our students felt their professional skills were stronger after graduation.3
Every course is created by our in-house curriculum and production team working in tandem with our academic leaders. Plus, all courses follow a consistent structure. No outdated coursework, no surprises.
*The application fee is valid for one year from date of submission.
**Additional evidence may be required to fulfill state requirements, including but not limited to verification of professional experience, test scores, or an interview.
Notes for Texas Educational Leadership Students
Texas Principal Completion Requirements
Texas Certification Requirements
Please refer to the Map for Texas Principal Certification Requirements
All applicants must submit, to the Admissions Office, an official evaluation from a NACES-approved organization.
All applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate competence in the English language as demonstrated in one of three ways:
2Internal research conducted November 2025
4Education Data Initiative accessed on January 28, 2026
Our Enrollment Counselors are here to answer your questions and walk you through the enrollment process.
