Educator Leadership Institute
Dr. David Castelline, Director
Barbara MacDonald, Administrator
All classes held at:
ACCEPT Education Collaborative
4 Tech Circle, Natick MA, 01760
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Barbara MacDonald,
Program Administrator
ELI Instructors and staff: Top L to R: Mike Welch, Eva Thompson, Bob Desaulniers. Bottom L to R: Ruth Chapman, David Castelline, ELI Director, Gerry Leader, ELI Founder and Director Emeritus, Holli Caulfield. Not pictured are ELI Administrator, Barbara MacDonald and ELI instructors Bill Lupini, Henry Turner, Jennifer Santillo and Laurie Kirby.
Quick Links:
We hold three Information Sessions in the fall. They will be held at ACCEPT Collaborative, 4 Tech Circle, Natick, MA from 5-6:30pm
- Wednesday, October 23
- Tuesday, November 12
- Monday, December 9
Why Choose ACCEPT's ELI Program?
ACCEPT’s Educator Leadership Institute (ELI) is a licensure program preparing teachers and administrators for Principal/Assistant Principal PreK-8 or 5-12. Upon completion of the coursework, ELI endorses the cohort of candidates to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for licensure. Candidates may also choose to receive a master’s degree in partnership with Fitchburg State University. Each new cohort begins in January.
ELI graduates apply for and are often chosen for top administrative leadership positions in both suburban and urban settings. ELI has been successful in placing over 200 graduates in leadership positions in the greater metro Boston area. Since its founding in 2003, ELI graduates have assumed educational leadership positions in a diversity of school districts.
The 18 month program consists of graduate course-work and a supervised practicum and may be completed while maintaining a full-time teaching or administrative position. For more information email: [email protected]
Application Process:
The Cohort 23 Application and accompanying materials should be completed on a computer and emailed to Barbara MacDonald, ELI Administrator: [email protected].
Please complete the application in Word format or a Google Doc. The remaining documents can be sent as pdf’s which include two reference letters, a personal statement, a resume and indication that you have taken and passed MTEL’s Communication and Literacy Test or plans to take the MTEL tests.
Information Sessions:
We hold three Information Sessions in the fall. Our Information Sessions are held at the ACCEPT Collaborative, 4 Tech Circle, Natick, MA 01760. This year, our Information Sessions will be held from 5:00 – 6:30pm on Wednesday, October 23, Tuesday, November 12 and Monday, December 9.
Although it is not a requirement for application or acceptance, we have found most prospective candidates desire a firsthand experience of the program prior to application. ELI holds three Information Sessions in the fall where prospective candidates have the opportunity to participate in a sample case study and discuss the program with current students, graduates and faculty.
Admission Qualifications:
Possession of at least an initial teaching license or license in another educational role and completion of three full years of employment in a district-wide, school-based, or other educational setting. It is expected candidates will be proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint or the Google Equivalents. Accepted students should have the latest Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel) version on an accessible computer or Google applications (Docs, Spreadsheets, Slides) and have access to a printer capable of producing multiple-page documents. Students should also be able to download materials online (high-speed internet) and check email daily for updates. A laptop for use in the classroom is not required.
Licensure:
ELI prepares teachers and administrators with leadership potential for Principal/Assistant Principal PreK-8 and 5-12 positions. Upon completion of the coursework, ELI endorses the cohort of candidates to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for licensure.
The program consists of graduate course work and a supervised practicum. The next 18-month program, starting in January 2025 and ending in June 2026, can be completed while maintaining a full-time teaching or administrative position.
Courses 2024-2025:
We are currently holding our classes at ACCEPT Education Collaborative, 4 Tech Circle, Natick, MA 01760. For a detailed description of the courses offered please click here.
2025 Spring classes for Cohort 23:
Classes will be held on Wednesdays from 4:00 – 8:15 pm at Accept Education Collaborative.
Summer Semester classes:
End of June 2025 through July 2025 –Summer classes at ACCEPT Education Collaborative are M-F from 8:00 am – 1:00 pm unless specified by the instructor.
School Year 2025-2026 Practicum and Practicum Seminars:
Thursdays, September 2025 – June 2026
4:00 – 8:15 pm at ACCEPT Education Collaborative
No classes are held on federal and state holidays or public school breaks.
SEI Course:
In order to get an administrator’s license, candidates must have the SEI endorsement which can be obtained in one of 3 ways:
- Pass the MTEL test for SEI
- Complete the teacher’s SEI course (45 hrs) or
- Complete our SEI Administrator’s course offered by ELI (no additional charge for the course) in the fall (15 hrs)
ELI offers the administrator’s SEI course (endorsed by DESE). This course is offered in the fall (approximately 5 sessions) and is held one day a week separate from the regularly held Thursday afternoon ELI sessions. If a candidate has already completed the Teacher SEI course, it is not necessary to take this course. The ELI course does not satisfy the requirement of 45 hours for teachers.
2025-2026 Tuition:
Tuition for the 18-month ELI program leading to recommendation for endorsement as a preK-8 or 5-12 Principal/Assistant Principal by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is $12,200.
Tuition for optional master’s degree (30 credits) in Educational Leadership and Management with partner Fitchburg State University is approximately $3,120.
Total tuition for the program including the optional master’s degree is $15,320