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Pursue an Ed.D. in K-12 School Leadership degree at Regent University.

Ed.D. – K-12 School Leadership

Lead & Manage Confidently

You have it in you to lead others along with the desire to make a difference in the world of education. Cultivate the expertise you need to take your career to the next level. Regent’s Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in K-12 School Leadership provides continuing education for teachers and is designed for those seeking initial administrative endorsement in preparation for positions as principal or assistant principal. Courses are organized around the six Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium standards and the endorsement competencies for Administration and Supervision pre-K-12 as issued by the Virginia Department of Education.

Online
68+
January 13, 2025
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EXPAND YOUR SALARY

Higher job responsibilities lead to higher compensation.

WIDEN YOUR JOB PROSPECTS

Enjoy rewarding leadership opportunities.

DEVELOP MARKETABLE SKILLS

Gain the expertise needed to lead with confidence.

Presented from a Christian worldview, this specialty degree is supported by award-winning faculty in Virginia Beach.

Regent University ranked #2 of Top 25 Accredited Online PhD & Doctoral Degree Programs | Learn.org, 2020
Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) Logo
The School of Education’s educational leadership and teacher preparation programs and the College of Arts and Science’s interdisciplinary studies program are awarded TEAC accreditation by the Inquiry Brief Commission of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) for a period of seven years, to 12/31/2023.

On completing the Ed.D. – K-12 School Leadership degree, you will be able to:

  • Design effective strategies for resource planning; school operations; school and community relations; and ethical, policy and professional issues.
  • Develop your abilities through an administrative internship that allows application of acquired knowledge and skills.
  • Be prepared to complete the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA) by participating in an optional test preparation course.

Career Opportunities

  • Assistant Principal
  • Principal
  • School Superintendent
  • School Administrator
  • Program Administrator
$96Thousand
2019 median pay for elementary, middle, and high school principals U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

2020-2021 Semester Check-In Deadlines:

All new students are expected to check-in for the semester 2 weeks prior to the session start date. Students should apply, be accepted, enroll in their first courses, and confirm a plan to pay for their courses prior to this date.

Session

Semester Check-In

Session Start Date

Session A

Friday, August 14

Monday, August 24

Session M

Friday, September 11

Monday, September 21

Session B

Friday, October 16

Monday, October 26

Session C

Tuesday, January 5

Monday, January 11

Session T

Friday, January 29

Monday, February 8

Session D

Friday, March 5

Monday, March 15

Session E

Friday, April 30

Monday, May 10

Session F

Friday, June 11

Monday, June 21

Application Process – Doctoral Programs (Ed.D.)
Note: All items submitted as part of the application process become the property of Regent University and cannot be returned.

Step 1: Application & Application Fee
Submit your application using our Regent University Online Application.

Pay the $50 nonrefundable application fee by check or money order mailed to Regent University, Enrollment Support Services, 1000 Regent University Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23464.

Fee Waiver: Attend a graduate School of Education on-campus or online information session to learn how to streamline your application process, discover financial aid resources and waive your $50 application fee.

Note: If you are unable to complete our application due to a disability, please contact our Admissions Office and an admissions representative will provide reasonable accommodations to assist you in completing the application.

Step 2: Submit your Unofficial College Transcripts
We are able to examine and view your unofficial transcripts from U.S.-based schools, which indicate successful completion of bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, in order to review your application for an admissions decision. Please submit your unofficial transcript to our Admissions Office by email to apply@regent.edu using the subject line: SOE Doctoral Application Pieces.

Non-U.S. transcripts must be evaluated by an NACES-approved company. For further details, please review the International Admissions Checklist on the International Students Admissions page.

International Applicants: Please visit the International Students Admissions page for a more detailed explanation of the Regent University application information and to determine whether or not you qualify as an international student.

*Upon conditional acceptance to the program by review of unofficial transcripts, Regent University’s Admissions Office will attempt to obtain your official transcripts from your U.S. degree-granting institutions, which indicate successful completion of bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. We will notify you if your previous institutions will not release transcripts directly to us.

Step 3: Complete Your Admissions Questionnaire
Please complete a brief admissions questionnaire based on your professional goals and interests. This should only take a few minutes to complete, but please answer the questions completely and thoughtfully. This gives us a better opportunity to get to know you and align your objectives with our programs. The admissions questionnaire can be found here. Once completed, it will be sent directly to an admissions counselor who will be in touch with you right away to help complete the rest of your application.

Step 4: Government-Issued ID
To ensure academic integrity, Regent University requires a copy of a government-issued ID. Please email a scanned copy or photograph of it to apply@regent.edu with the subject line: Government ID.

Step 5: Admissions Interview
If an interview is necessary, the admissions office will contact you to schedule an appointment. The interview can be conducted on campus or over the phone and typically takes about an hour.


Important Information
Background Check: Students in endorsement programs are required to complete a background check because the program includes direct contact with students in field experiences. Regent University School of Education has entered into an agreement with Certified Background/Castle Branch (CB), a private vendor that conducts background checks for many universities and educational institutions. After you are admitted into the program, you will be provided instructions to set up an online profile with Certified Background and request your background check. Learn more.

2019-20 Tuition Rates

Degree Level / ProgramCost Per Credit Hour

Ed.S., Ed.D., & Ph.D.

$775 per credit (In-state & Out-of-state)


Student Fees Per Semester

University Services Fee (Online Students)$550
Library Orientation$50 (one-time fee)
Blackboard Orientation$50 (one-time fee)

2020-21 Tuition Rates

Degree Level / ProgramCost Per Credit Hour

Ed.S., Ed.D., & Ph.D.

$775 per credit (In-state & Out-of-state)


Student Fees Per Semester

University Services Fee (Online Students)$600
Library Orientation$50 (one-time fee)
Blackboard Orientation$50 (one-time fee)

*Rates are subject to change at any time.

Estimated Cost of Attendance: View the estimated cost of attendance to see an example of the total cost of tuition and fees.

Advanced Standing

Students possessing an Ed.S. or equivalent may be admitted to the Ed.D. program with advanced standing after a review of their post-master’s transcript(s). Offered in a cohort model. Students may begin the program in the spring, summer or fall semesters. Courses are delivered online with some required face-to-face components. School division cohorts are also offered in varying formats.

Faculty

Dr. Koonce is the concentration chair for K-12 School Leadership and is committed to your success.

Dr. Glenn Koonce came to Regent University with a proven record of leadership as a highly trained and decorated combat squad leader with the First Air Calvary Division in Vietnam during 1970-71 and leadership in sports and community activities. He taught health and physical education at the elementary, junior high and high school levels and coached football, basketball, wrestling, soccer, track, tennis, gymnastics and weight training.

Koonce has been an assistant principal at an alternative school and high school; principal at Georgetown Elementary, Crestwood Junior and Middle Schools, and Oscar Smith High School; and a director in the central office for Chesapeake Public Schools in Virginia; concluding his public school career as assistant superintendent for instructional services and personnel in Suffolk Public Schools in Virginia. Koonce has been a visiting scholar at Virginia Tech University and The George Washington University, and an adjunct professor at The George Washington University, Regent University, Tidewater Community College and Old Dominion University where he directed the Tidewater Principal’s Center.

Dr. Koonce has been recognized as Principal of the Year for Virginia, president of the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals (VASSP); Boss of the Year several times in Chesapeake Public Schools; Education Professor of the Year for the School of Education at Regent; the Regent University Faculty Excellence Award; and the Distinguished Service Award from the Virginia Professors of Educational Leadership. He has been the recipient of numerous other awards and recognitions; member and officer of many professional/community associations and organizations; graduate of a great number of professional educational leadership training programs; member/leader on three Virginia Governor, one Virginia Attorney General, and one Virginia Secretary of Public Education tasks forces; numerous Virginia Department of Education programs and activities; professional associations (at all levels); scorer for the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA) and School Superintendents Assessment (SSA); and other state agency, university; national, state, regional and local activities on a vast array of topics.

Koonce has been the president of the Virginia Education Research Association (VERA); chairman of the Virginia Education Coalition (VEC); president of the Virginia Professors of Educational Leadership (VPEL) and president of the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals (VASSP). Koonce is a board certified auditor for the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and lead auditor for the Council of Accreditation for Educator Preparation (CAEP).

He is the author of two textbooks, Taking Sides – Clashing Views on Educational Issues and Enhancing Teacher Performance: A Toolbox of Strategies to move behavior from problematic to good and from good to great. Research activities, consulting, numerous publications and presentations around the world from the local level to international, and serving on the editorial review board and the Virginia State Affiliate Chair for the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration (NCPEA) and the International Council of Professors of Educational Leadership (ICPEL) round out Koonce’s extensive experiences. He also serves on the Editorial Board of the European Journal of Educational Science (EJES).

Dr Koonce’s personal interests include spiritual, family, community and wellness activities of all kinds. He loves music, travel and adventure, in no particular order. He is married and lives in Chesapeake, Virginia. His passion for leadership, influencing and inspiring tomorrow’s leaders, makes him an asset to the Regent family of scholars.

“I was eager to fulfill a lifelong dream and make a career change to education. Regent's Career Switcher program allowed me to complete most of the training while still on active duty. I was hired immediately upon my retirement from the Air Force. Now a high school teacher, I can say without a doubt that the Career Switcher program set me up for success.”

Joe Sexton, M.Ed., 2012 Career Switcher

“I found Regent's School of Education to be a place where I could obtain some of those practical skills I needed to help others. The TESOL curriculum included a good balance of instruction in reading, writing, and conversation skills that I can apply with adults or children.”

Jason Clark, M.Ed., 2010 TESOL

“If you are considering a career in teaching,
 consider preparing at Regent University.”

Doreatha White, M.Ed., 1997 Principal, J.J. Roberts Elementary School

“One of my professors actually called me while I was in the program. That really opened up the door for me. Even though I'm doing this online, I still have a person and a face to talk to ... Just having those lines of communication is awesome.”

Rahni Jenkins, MA, 2016

“Regent University has played an instrumental role in educating and equipping thousands of young men and women born within and outside the United States. As graduates, we have the power to use the knowledge gained and the credentials earned to serve, to advocate for, and ultimately to bring change and hope to the hurting world around us.”

Cindi Spaulding, Ph.D., 2009 Teacher