What happens when effective leadership behaviors and traits are aligned with the needs of charter schools?  The answer: The Hendrix College Charter School Leadership Institute.

Hendrix College received a grant from the Arkansas Department of Education Charter School Office to create this intense study into seven content areas:  (1) School Climate, (2) Instructional Strategies and Student Achievement, (3) Leadership/Management Strategies, (4) Curriculum Alignment, (5) Internal/External Communications, (6) Regulatory Issues, and (7) Start-up Logistics.

The program includes:

• An institute certificate will be given to participants who complete all of the content area sessions.  Participants will be allowed to enroll in these sessions on a first-come, first-served basis, unless otherwise specified.  There is no charge. 
• Twenty-eight hours of professional development credit from the Arkansas Department of Education.
• A combination of short lectures, discussion, guest speakers, hands-on experiences, and projects will be used to meet specific program objectives.
• An online forum will be provided for ongoing networking and sharing.
• Participants will be expected to complete a capstone experience.  The capstone experience will involve a Problem-Based Learning module related to starting a charter school in a low-performing area.
• An online resources page will be provided and updated on a regular basis.
• Each session will have clearly defined performance expectations.