Principal and Teacher Leadership Apprenticeships
CSEP is helping Illinois reimagine how educators prepare for leadership through innovative earn-and-learn apprenticeship pathways for aspiring principals and teacher leaders. Instead of separating coursework from practice, apprentices develop leadership skills by serving in authentic school leadership roles with support from mentors, university faculty, and district partners. These competency-based pathways combine paid, job-embedded learning, graduate coursework, coaching, and real-world school improvement projects to strengthen both educator preparation and student outcomes.
Principal Apprenticeship
In June 2026, CSEP submitted a federal Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) grant proposal to develop Illinois' first statewide Principal Apprenticeship pathway. If awarded, CSEP will partner with five Illinois universities, Chicago Public Schools, and school districts across the state to create a Registered Principal Apprenticeship that prepares aspiring principals through paid, job-embedded learning while building sustainable leadership pipelines for schools. Click here for more information.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Erika Hunt – elhunt@ilstu.edu
Teachers LEAD Apprenticeship Action Team
Erika Hunt co-leads the Teachers LEAD Apprenticeship Action Team, one of five action teams within the Teachers LEAD Coalition. The team is developing a Registered Teacher Leadership Apprenticeship that enables accomplished teachers to expand their leadership while remaining in the classroom. The apprenticeship is designed to create a clear, competency-based career pathway that strengthens teacher leadership, improves educator retention, and helps school districts build leadership capacity from within.
The Teachers LEAD Coalition is a national network of educators, organizations, and partners committed to expanding teacher leadership and ensuring teachers have meaningful opportunities to influence instruction, school improvement, and education policy.
To join the Teachers LEAD Apprenticeship Action Team, contact:
Dr. Erika Hunt – elhunt@ilstu.edu
Dr. Jan Fitzsimmons – jan@center4success.com