Arizona Administration/Principal Certification

The Arizona Department of Education offers Administrative Certificates to prospective Principals, Superintendents, Supervisors, Interim Principals, Interim Superintendents, and Interim Supervisors.

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Education Requirements

In order to become a certified Principal in Arizona, you must:

• Earn at least a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university
• Complete a program in educational administration for principals, including at least 30 graduate semester hours of educational administration courses covering knowledge and skills described in the Professional Administrative Standards. This must include three credit hours in school law and three credit hours in school finance.
• Complete a college course on the Arizona Constitution
• Complete a college course on the US Constitution
• Complete 45 clock hours or 3 semester hours of state-approved SEI training

Learn more about the graduate school process. Contact schools offering educational administration degree programs in Arizona.

In order to become a certified Superintendent in Arizona, you must:

• Earn at least a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university, including 60 graduate semester hours
• Complete a program in educational administration for superintendents, including at least 36 graduate semester hours of educational administration courses covering knowledge and skills described in the Professional Administrative Standards (R7-2-604). This must include three credit hours in school law and three credit hours in school finance.
• Complete a college course on the Arizona Constitution
• Complete a college course on the US Constitution
• Complete 45 clock hours or 3 semester hours of state-approved SEI training

In order to become a certified Supervisor in Arizona, you must:

• Earn at least a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university
• Complete a program in educational administration, including at least 18 graduate semester hours of educational administration courses covering knowledge and skills described in the Professional Administrative Standards (R7-2-603). This must include three credit hours in school law and three credit hours in school finance.
• Complete a college course on the Arizona Constitution
• Complete a college course on the US Constitution
• Complete 45 clock hours or 3 semester hours of state-approved SEI training

Examinations

• If you seek certification as a Principal in Arizona, you must pass the Principal or Superintendent Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessment.
• If you seek certification as a Superintendent in Arizona, you must pass the Superintendent Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessment.
• If you seek certification as a Supervisor in Arizona, you must pass the Supervisor, Principal or Superintendent Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessment.

Experience Requirements

For certification as a Principal, you must have:

• Three years of documented full-time teaching experience in grades Pre K-12
• Completion of a practicum as a principal, or two years of documented full-time experience as a principal or assistant principal under the supervision of another principal in grades Pre K-12

For certification as a Superintendent, you must have:

• Three years of documented full-time teaching experience or education-related services experience in grades Pre K-12
• Completion of a practicum as a superintendent, or two years of documented experience as a superintendent, assistant superintendent or associate superintendent in grades Pre K-12

For certification as a Supervisor, you must have:

• Three years of documented full-time teaching experience or education-related services experience in grades Pre K-12
• Completion of a practicum in educational administration, or two years of documented administrative educational experience in grades Pre K-12

Other Information

If you seek certification as a Supervisor, you must have an Arizona Standard Teaching Certificate in Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, Special Education, or Career and Technical Education.

Criminal History Background Check

All applicants for administrative certification in Arizona must complete a criminal history background check, including fingerprinting. If you don’t already have an Identity Verified Prints (IVP) Fingerprint Card, call the Arizona Department of Public Safety at (602) 223-2279 and request one. You will be given instructions on where to go to complete this process. You must submit a photocopy of your valid IVP card with your Application for Certification.

Contact Information

The Arizona Department of Education’s Certification Unit is available to answer questions about administrative certification. Contact the Phoenix office at (602) 542-4367, the Tucson office at (520) 628-6326, or visit the Arizona Department of Education website.