In 1999, as a response to teacher and principal shortages across the state, Governor Davis and the California Legislature man- dated the creation of Principal Leadership Institutes at UC Berkeley and UCLA. The Principal Leadership Institutes were part of Gov. Gray Davis’ education initiatives that were enacted soon after he took office in 1999. In a written statement, California Education Secretary Gary Hart noted that by proposing the institutes, “Gov. Davis hopes to offer world-class management training to school principals in order to help them create more successful schools.” Assembly Bill ABX1 of 1999 earmarked new funding for the University of California to provide scholarships for outstanding students committed to making a difference in hard-to-staff schools. This funding has created a virtuous cycle, enabling many young people from low-income and working class communities to return to their neighborhoods as highly trained teachers and school administrators.
Re-authorized as the President’s Educator Fellowship in 2016, these dedicated scholarship funds help teachers with significant financial need to participate in UC’s top-flight Principal Leadership Institute programs. “These fellowships will help promising UC-prepared educators focus on becoming the exceptional teachers and principals that California youth deserve,” said UC President Janet Napolitano. “It’s a wise investment in the next-generation teachers and principals who will spark young imaginations and get students on a path toward college.” “Financial hardship shouldn’t hold any student back from joining UC’s signature educator preparation programs,” adds UC Provost and UCLA Professor Emeritus Aimée Dorr. “These fellowships help students participating in programs known for their commitment to and success in preparing outstanding educators for young Californians.”
Over the next 20 years, more than 1300 graduates of the PLI program are in leadership roles at schools serving vulnerable and historically underserved youth, primarily in the Los Angeles Basin and greater San Francisco Bay Area. PLI graduates at both UCB and UCLA are highly recognized, well-prepared, diverse, and strongly committed to serving in leadership roles in high-need, urban schools.
In 2014, the two sister programs initiated an unprecedented partnership between the campuses to create a statewide model for early career leader induction. The Leadership Support Program has supported over 300 PLI alumni and non-alumni leaders in California to earn the Professional Clear Administrative Services Credential or full administrative licensure. In the last five years alone (2014–2019), LSP participants worked in over 50 districts or local educational agencies in California.