Office of Accreditation & Teacher Quality

New Principal Certification Options

South Dakota Postsecondary Institution Principal Programs

• Dakota Wesleyan University
• Northern State University
• South Dakota State University
• University of Sioux Falls
• University of South Dakota

New Principal Certification Option Requirements

1. Preschool through grade 12 Principal Program (35-40 hours)
   1. Coursework being established at all universities to meet requirements of principalship as outlined in rule to span PreK-12.
   2. Program completion recommended by university.
2. Principal Endorsement (18-22 hours)
   1. Bachelors or masters degree in education.
   2. Minimum of fifteen graduate semester hours of course work plus practicum or internship experiences or combination of both.
   3. Three years of verified experience in an accredited K-12 school, one year of which included classroom teaching experience or direct services to students.
   4. Authorization is valid for five years only, unless the holder has also previously completed a masters degree in education within the past 10 years.
   5. Endorsement granted by DOE transcript analysis.
3. Preschool through grade 12 Principal Endorsement (4-8 hours)
   1. Masters degree with a PreK-8 or 7-12 principalship.
   2. Completion of coursework specific to the PreK-8 or 7-12 principal endorsement sought.
   3. Three years of verified experience in an accredited K-12 school, one year of which included classroom teaching experience or direct services to students.
   4. Endorsement granted by DOE transcript analysis.