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Illinois Principals Association

Illinois School Leader Pipeline Program

QUESTIONS?

Chan-Tell King-Beckwith

chan-tell.king-beckwith@ilprincipals.org
217-321-9569
The purpose of the Illinois School Leader Pipeline Program (ISLPP) is to identify, develop, support and sustain diverse cohorts of aspiring school leaders as they progress through preparation to attainment of school leadership (principal or assistant principal) positions. The Illinois Principals Association (IPA) and  the Illinois Council of Professors of Educational Administration (ICPEA) will collaboratively coordinate and deliver the Illinois School Leader Pipeline Program with grant support from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).

Program Supports

Funding for the 2024-2025 school year to allow continued support for Cohort #2 participants (who began their program in the 2023-2024 school year) was made possible through Governor Pritzker's legislatively-approved 2025 state budget. The following resources will be provided to these second year participants:

  • $7400 of tuition support.
  • 20 hours of continued mentoring by an experienced school leader who has received significant mentor training.
  • $500 to offset professional development opportunities so the aspiring leader can engage in IPA leadership activities.
  • Continuing IPA Aspiring Membership to connect the aspiring school leaders to the largest professional learning network of school leaders in the state of Illinois.

Aspiring School Leader Requirements

In order for aspiring school leaders to participate in the ISLPP, they must commit to the following:

  • Be committed to becoming a school leader (principal, assistant principal, dean, etc.) upon completion of their preparation program
  • Gain acceptance into a state approved principal preparation program
  • Satisfactorily complete all principal preparation program requirements
  • Be willing to be mentored by an experienced school leader
  • Complete program evaluations and provide other appropriate information as needed by the ISLPP

Application

The application window for Cohort #2 closed on June 1, 2023. Through a rigorous review process, 101 individuals were accepted into the School Leader Recruitment grant program from 253 submitted applications.

The state legislature provided a second year of funding for Cohort #2 for the FY25 year. However, no funding for a new cohort was provided. As a result, the program is not currently accepting applicants.

IPA is committed to advocating for new funding for the FY26 state budget to allow a new cohort of participants to be supported by the grant. If FY26 funding is approved, the application process will be posted in late spring or early summer (May - June 2025).

Questions

If you have questions about the Illinois School Leader Pipeline Program, please email Beth Broyles at beth.broyles@ilprincipals.org.

Program Recognition

IPA SCHOOL LEADER PIPELINE PROGRAM FEATURED IN NASSP'S PRINCIPAL LEADERSHIP MAGAZINE.

The program has drawn national attention and was featured in the December 2022 Principal Leadership magazine, published by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Written by Dan Gursky, Strengthening and Diversifying the Pipeline, showcases the goals of the program and features several of the first cohort participants.