SHU to Offer 093 School Superintendent Certification

FAIRFIELD, Conn.—Sacred Heart University will launch a state certification program for aspiring school superintendents (093) this fall. Candidates who complete the course requirements will earn a sixth-year diploma upon graduation.

David G. Title, assistant professor in the Education Leadership and Literacy Department, will be the program director. Title will teach two courses and also oversee all aspects of the certification path. “The program’s goal is to ensure that every candidate acquires the knowledge and skills necessary to be a successful superintendent of schools upon completion,” he explains. 

Title joined Sacred Heart University after 15 years as a school superintendent in Connecticut. “Sacred Heart hired me not only to teach in the existing 092 intermediate administrator certification and sixth-year programs, but also to develop the 093 superintendent certification program,” he says. “The University has an outstanding program to prepare candidates for the 092 certificate. The 093 certificate will allow us to prepare school leaders for not just school-level leadership positions, but also the top central office leadership position, the superintendent of schools. There is a well-known shortage of candidates for school superintendent vacancies in Connecticut.”

There is no other program in the area that offers the 093 and SHU is the only private provider of the 093 in the state. The program includes five courses for three credits each, one of which is a full-year internship. A cohort of 15-18 candidates in the Isabelle Farrington College of Educationwill attend courses conveniently scheduled on Saturdays to accommodate full-time working professionals. The group will complete the program in a year; they’ll start in August and finish in May. As a prerequisite, each cohort member must hold a Connecticut 092 certification as an intermediate administrator with at least two years of experience working under this certificate. Candidates also must have the support of their current school superintendent for admission. In order to have earned the 092 certification, students already will have earned a master’s degree plus 18 additional credits. 

Other highly successful school superintendents will join Title as instructors. “This will provide full-time working professionals with outstanding preparation for the superintendent’s role. We aim to build on the number of highly skilled leaders able to fill the increasing number of vacancies for school superintendents,” he said.

For additional information, visit www.sacredheart.edu/superintendent.