NELA+Overview

The Northeast Leadership Academy (NELA) is an innovative school leader preparation program designed to develop 21st Century school leaders for rural, high-need schools in Northeastern North Carolina. NELA was initially funded by a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and North Carolina’s Department of Public Instruction. Subsequent funding was secured through North Carolina’s Race to the Top award by the U.S. Department of Education.

Research clearly indicates that effective school leaders can bring about positive lasting change in the lives of students, teachers, and the community. Therefore, NELA aims to balance theory and practice, as well as inquiry and action. Specifically, coursework will be rigorous, instructors and mentors will be helpful and experienced, and multiple internship experiences will be meaningful—focused on solving real school issues. Graduates will have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to be effective leaders of change.

In partnership with 14 school districts, NELA will rigorously select and train more than 60 future school leaders, or NELA Fellows, between 2010-2015. Upon completion of the, NELA Fellows will receive North Carolina principal certification and an MSA degree from NC State University. The NELA Fellows are individuals deeply committed to improving persistently low-achieving schools and will make a three-year, post-degree commitment to work in high-need schools in Northeastern North Carolina, thus creating a critical mass of turnaround specialists for these districts.