Your Next Step For Your School's Next Leap
The Early Literacy Leadership Academy (ELLA) is a rigorous one-year leadership certificate program created to bring together early childhood professionals from public, private and charter school settings who are committed to serving as teacher leaders from the context of their classrooms. The program combines asynchronous self-paced learning featuring in-depth readings, video lectures, and reflective assignments with synchronous live seminars and collaborative discussions. Through two semesters of intensive blended learning, ELLA participants will deepen their research-based understanding of early childhood education while cultivating essential leadership skills. Participants will be paired with a mentor who will provide guidance, support, and professional insights throughout the program. ELLA is designed for educators who are passionate about advancing literacy, leading within their schools and shaping the future of early childhood education.
Monthly Seminars
Mentored Learning
Independent Study
Sampling of Seminar Topics
What constitutes quality early childhood education?
Child development theory and pedagogy
The role of oral language in early literacy development
Vivian G. Paley’s storytelling and story acting practices
Executive functioning and self-regulation through play
The neuroscience of brain development
Culture and community
Early literacy instruction
The Rice Experience
Why should you choose Rice's Early Literacy Leadership Academy?
A LONG HISTORY. A BRIGHT FUTURE.
Rice University has a rich history of bringing great minds together in service to society, with a 55-year history in the education field. School districts all over Texas trust and hire Rice graduates as valued members of their campuses.
FLEXIBLE AND ACHIEVABLE.
As educators, we understand that your time is at a premium. The Early Literacy Leadership Academy consists of monthly seminars, mentored learning, and independent study and is supported by online learning. Our program maximizes your time investment and offers the flexibility to help ensure your success.
LOCALLY GROWN. GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED.
Rice is known across the world as a top-quality university. We’ve earned that stellar reputation by drawing on our strengths: A location in one of the best cities in America and a student base of diverse, exceptional individuals.
- Plan of Study
-
ELLA teacher leaders study child development theory and research-into-practice literacy strategies that promote listening, speaking, reading, writing, and reasoning in the first semester. The second semester brings a specialization in early literacy leadership where participants focus on best practices in leadership and sharing this information with others at their campuses. Teachers completing all requirements of the ELLA program will receive a Leadership Certificate from Rice University. Prerequisites for participation in ELLA include successful completion of either SLC’s Classroom Storytelling year-long program or two SLC short courses.
- Admissions
-
Application Deadline
March 3, 2025
Ready to apply?
To learn more about the program, please join us for an upcoming information session. If you are ready to apply, start below.
Resuming an application: To resume an application, please log in to your student portal. You will find a saved instance of your application in the tab titled “My Applications”.
Prerequisites
Individuals seeking to apply for the Early Literacy Leadership Academy must complete one of the following prerequisites:
- Classroom Storytelling Yearlong Program, or
- Two SLC Short Courses
Application Requirements
- Recommendation letters from an administrator and a peer
- Current resume
- Short answer questions
- Classroom observations
- Interviews
- Tuition & Scholarship
-
Tuition
$3,750 Total
Tuition is typically covered through campus- or district-based state or national funding, PTO support, participant payment, or individual donations. For more information, please contact slc@rice.edu.
Fellowships
Rice University believes in the importance of developing teacher leaders. The Early Literacy Leadership Academy offers a limited number of merit-based partial fellowships to highly qualified prospective students. Fellowship opportunities can be discussed during the interview stage of the application process.
Your Next Step...
Get Started Here
Join Us At An Upcoming INFORMATION SESSIONFill out the form to take the next step. |
Body