Growing Indiana's Pipeline of Qualified School Leaders

Investing in the Leaders Shaping the Future of Indiana Education

School leaders are being asked to do more than ever—from leading instructional improvement and developing educators to navigating new technologies and state priorities.

The Indiana School Leaders Pipeline (ISLP) is designed to help them meet that challenge. 

ISLP prepares aspiring principals and provides current school leaders with long-term, job-embedded professional learning, coaching, and mentorship. 

Launched in fall 2026, the three-year program will serve 30 practicing principals and 24 future principals from K-12 schools across Indiana. The first cohort launches in spring 2027. 

ISLP is led by CELL in partnership with the Indiana Department of Education and in collaboration with the Indiana Association of School Principals.

Interested in the Indiana School Leaders Pipeline? 

Applications open in February 2027. Complete the interest form to express your interest in participating in the initiative as a current school leader, aspiring principal, or mentor.

If you have questions about the initiative, please contact our team at cell@uindy.edu. You can also subscribe to our monthly CELL newsletter to stay in the know about the Indiana School Leaders Pipeline and other CELL initiatives.

Strengthening Leadership From Preparation Through Practice

Earning an administrator license is only the beginning of learning how to lead a school. Current leaders need opportunities to continue building their skills, while Indiana schools need a strong pipeline of future principals ready for the realities of the role. 

The Indiana School Leaders Pipeline addresses both needs by investing in leaders at different points in their careers. 

For Current School Leaders

Current principals and assistant principals will participate in sustained professional learning focused on school leadership, instructional improvement, and literacy. Participants will apply that learning through school-based action plans with support from experienced mentors. 

For Aspiring Principals

Aspiring principals will enroll in the University of Indianapolis School Leadership and Management Master of Arts program through the School of Education. The registered apprenticeship pathway combines graduate coursework with applied experiences leading to Indiana Building Level Administrator licensure. 

For Experienced Leaders Wanting to Mentor

Veteran principals and former district-level administrators will use their experience to support the next generation of Indiana school leaders. Mentors will complete the ISLP Mentor Academy, with additional support provided through the Indiana Association of School Principals. Mentors serve as trusted resources, helping participants apply new learning, navigate decisions, and lead improvement in their schools.

Turning Research Into Better Practice

A central goal of the Indiana School Leaders Pipeline is helping principals lead stronger instruction across K-12 schools. 

Participants will explore how the science of reading and science of learning inform schoolwide improvement. They will learn to use data to strengthen instructional decisions, how to build effective professional learning structures, and ways to support evidence-based practices across classrooms and grade levels. 

Current and aspiring leaders will complete CELL’s Science of Learning Micro-Credential, helping them translate research about how students learn into strategies they can use in their schools. 

The work also connects closely with Indiana’s strategic education priorities. Through CELL’s partnership with the Indiana Department of Education, participants will receive education and training to turn statewide priorities into school-level action in four key areas: 

• Literacy
• Data-driven decision making
• College and career readiness
• Educator development and retention

Preparing School Leaders for Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence creates new opportunities and challenges for school leaders. The Indiana School Leaders Pipeline is drawing on UIndy’s growing work in AI for the development of an AI micro-credential specifically designed for school leaders. 

Offered through UIndy’s Sease Institute, participants will explore practical and ethical uses of AI, including ways to streamline administrative tasks, organize implementation data, and support feedback processes. The training addresses secure data handling and how to evaluate and apply AI-generated information. 

The goal: help school leaders use AI thoughtfully while creating more time for the instructional work needed to advance schools.

Building Knowledge for Indiana and Beyond

American Institutes for Research (AIR) will independently evaluate the work of the ISLP to identify which approaches have the greatest impact on school leadership, instructional practice, and student outcomes. These research findings will strengthen future principal development in Indiana and inform efforts in other states. 

Advancing Indiana Priorities

ISLP is funded through the Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) program of the U.S. Department of Labor. The program advances the federal “Returning Education to the States” priority by centering the work on Indiana’s education objectives and needs. 

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