What requirements does CASC satisfy?

CASC is designed to develop the professional competencies of practicing educational leaders. This program is Fieldwork / Evidence of Competency-based and is in full compliance with the CTC requirements. Candidates will be required to demonstrate critical standards-based knowledge, skill and abilities through formative and summative assessments.

Who should enroll in CASC?

Educational Administrators who currently hold a Preliminary Administrative Credential who are interested in clearing their Administrative Credential.

What sessions is the program offered?

CASC is offered every session on rolling admissions.

Is there an admissions deadline for CASC?

Yes, students must be admitted no later than 5 weeks prior to the start of each session. This allows the Induction Coach to be hired, onboarding activities to be complete, and CASC orientation attended.

I’ve only completed one year as an administrator, can I still register in the program?

Yes, all that is required is that you provide verification of your employment and your preliminary clear.

Why can’t I find CASC courses on the registration page?

Students enrolled in CASC will be manually registered by The School of Extended Education.

Because this is a fieldwork program, is each course “self-paced”?

No, CASC and course learning objectives are closely aligned to meet the CPSELs. The specific course activities and tools are used to properly document the coaching experience and the ongoing development of your Induction Portfolio. The Brightspace shell serves as the locations for loading completed tools and artifacts and as a communication tool between the candidate and Induction Coach.

How many hours/week will I need to allot for this program/course?

There are 40 hours/year of coaching required. This averages out to be approximately 4 hours/month for 10 months when two coaching sessions of about 2 hours each are planned for each month. Outside of the coaching hours, the amount of time spent reflecting, planning for administrative duties, and communicating with the Induction Coach will vary from one candidate to another.

Can CASC courses be taken simultaneously?

No, the course sequence is taken over 2 years. You will be continuously enrolled in the 12 courses that accompany your fieldwork and coaching.

What is the course drop policy for CASC?

The program follows the standard UMass Global drop policy.

What if I plan to pursue an Ed.D in Organizational Leadership, can I still enroll in the Clear Administrative Services Credential program as well?

Yes, after being offered admittance to the Ed.D program and identifying that you would like to also pursue CASC, enrollment coaches will work with you to provide the necessary documentation for admittance into CASC.

Does the program offer Professional Development to meet the CTC requirement? If so, what does this consist of?

When you and your Induction Coach determine what PD will be a part of your Individualized Induction Plan, you will have the opportunity to choose from our self-paced online Directed Study courses and other PD opportunities. These offerings span leadership competencies as well as instructional methodologies and other topic areas.

What if I need to stop-out or pause the program due to acceptable life events?

A stop out of course work or participation is considered on a case-by-case basis. Please refer to the UMass Global Academic Catalog for further details regarding Interrupted Enrollment.

Can I begin the courses if I have not been admitted?

No, all students must be fully admitted before beginning the program.

Can UMass Global provide me with an Induction Coach?

Yes, after your initial advising appointment and response to our induction coaching preference questionnaire we will pair you with a vetted CASC induction coach.

What if I have someone in my district who can be my Induction Coach?

We believe there are benefits from having diverse perspectives and we encourage candidates to be paired with a UMass Global induction coach. If you are in a very small district and/or very remote district, then we would consider hiring a preferred site-based coach. Your identified site-based coach will be invited to apply for the induction coach role. He/She will need to meet the Induction Coach requirements and if approved will be hired by UMass Global in order to properly access the courses on Brightspace and successfully facilitate the candidate/coaching experience and responsibilities.

Building Why for Family Lit

Strengthen Family Engagement to Boost Student Literacy

When families are actively involved in their children’s education, students achieve more, stay in school longer, and are more likely to pursue higher education. This course helps PreK–12 educators explore why family engagement matters and how to build strong school-home partnerships that support literacy growth.

Earn 1 graduate-level professional development credit—ideal for salary advancement or recertification—and gain practical, research-based strategies to involve parents in reading development, support social-emotional learning (SEL), and enhance literacy outcomes.

Key topics include: Communication strategies, overcoming barriers, shared responsibility, literacy and the brain, SEL partnerships, and more.

You’ll learn how to:

Build trust between educators and families
Connect family engagement to academic achievement
Use research to promote the value of home libraries
Boost parent confidence as literacy partners
Strengthen student self-esteem through teacher-parent collaboration

Who Should Enroll: PreK–12 teachers, teacher candidates, para-educators, and school leaders.

At a Glance

Extended Education

Approximately 15 hours

Up to 6 months to complete coursework

1 PDU

Graduate Level Professional Development Credit

Tuition of this course is funded by a grant

Key Features

Online and self-paced

Dedicated mentor

Interactive assignments

Real-world case studies

Course Topics

Communication Builds Relationships
Barriers and How to Address Them
Teachers and Parents Share Responsibility
Connect With Parents to Support and Improve Academic Outcomes
The Power of a Home Library
Literacy and the Brain in Early Years
Education and Lifetime Earnings
Involve Parents in Literacy Learning
Parents Help With Reading
Teacher-Parent Partnerships in Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

This course is part of the 4-course "Parents as Partners in Literacy" program.

Taking courses in this recommended order will help you build a strong foundation and progress through the program with success.

Earn your credit in 3 simple steps

Step 1: Register online at no cost

Step 2: Complete the course

Step 3: Receive credits and obtain an official transcript

Resources

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View All PD Courses

What are Graduate-level Professional Development Credits?

Graduate-level professional development credits are not part of a degree program but instead are primarily used for professional advancement such as salary increment steps and recertification. Students should seek approval from appropriate district officials before enrolling in these courses.

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Building the Why for Family Literacy