CALIE Certified Educator Program
Our inaugural cohort of 17 Certified Educators completed the program in March 2026. Applications for the 2026-2027 cohort are now open.
The CALIE Certified Educator program equips educators with the strategic, instructional, and leadership skills to drive meaningful innovation. You will develop leadership competencies, apply practical tools, and complete a capstone project that demonstrates your ability to lead change.
About the Program
Through collaborative learning, expert mentorship, and a capstone project, participants will:
- Strengthen readiness for leadership roles in schools, districts, and educational organizations
- Demonstrate expertise in leading innovation and improvement in education
- Build a career-ready leadership portfolio and capstone plan
- Expand professional credibility and leadership visibility
Investment: $2,000
Your investment includes:
- Spring Forward 2027 Conference registration
- 1-year CALIE membership
- Personalized coaching
- Certified Educator swag
*Payment options are available
2026-2027 Cohort
- Applications: Open through October 14, 2026
- Program timeline: October 14, 2026 – April 14, 2027
- Meeting cadence: 90-minute live, virtual meetings every other week with additional asynchronous work.
- Optional: Advanced Certificate in Leading Innovation in Education and 8.0 graduate-level extension credits (additional cost paid to the university).
Share the value of this program with your admin team:
Who It’s For
- Instructional Coaches and TOSAs
- EdTech and Curriculum Coordinators
- Assessment & Accountability Leads
- Department Chairs and Grade-Level Leads
- IT leaders
- Aspiring site or district leaders
- Classroom Teachers seeking to enhance or advance a leadership role
Meet Our Inaugural Cohort
In 2025-2026, 17 educators from across California became the first to earn the CALIE Certified Educator credential. They came from classrooms, coaching roles, and district offices. They built capstone projects that tackled real problems in their communities. Their work set the standard for what this program can produce.
Inaugural Cohort Members
Robert Mayfield • Liz Ferry • Jason Williams • Lindsay Munoz • Alvaro Brito • Frank Parker • Laura Wilson • Jose Ramirez • Susie Oh • Joe Johnson • Rudy Escobar • Charles Wassif • Lisa DeLapo • Roxanne Pompilio • Myra Deister • Andrea Earl • Ellen Palmer
Featured Capstone 2026 Projects
Each Certified Educator completed a capstone project addressing a real challenge in their educational context. These featured projects represent the range and depth of work produced by our inaugural cohort.
Integrated Instruction Hub
A resource hub helping educators integrate technology into instruction across content areas with practical, ready-to-use strategies.
Lindsay Munoz
Computer Science Integration Teacher, Cucamonga School District
Empowering Underserved Communities through Family Digital Literacy
A collaborative train-the-trainer model bringing digital literacy skills to families in underserved communities through accessible, culturally responsive workshops.
Jose Ramirez, Coordinator II, Technology Learning & Support Services, EdTech & Innovation, LACOE
AI Integration in Science Instruction
A framework for integrating artificial intelligence tools into science classrooms to deepen student inquiry and support differentiated learning.
Rudy Escobar, STEM and Computer Science Coordinator, Stanislaus County Office of Ed, CS for CA Co-Chair
Foundational Math Mastery for Early Primary Grades
A structured approach to building number sense and mathematical reasoning in early elementary through targeted instructional strategies.
Charles J Wassif
Personalized Learning Teacher, Sage Oak Charter Schools
A Toolkit to Jump-Start UDL
A practical toolkit giving educators entry points into Universal Design for Learning with actionable steps for immediate classroom application.
Liz Ferry, M. Ed.
Director of Curriculum Development, YETI Academy
The “Gold Standard” Professional Learning Design
A framework for designing professional learning that moves beyond one-shot workshops to sustained, job-embedded experiences that change practice.
Alvaro Brito
Coordinator III, Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE)
Building a Culture of Active Learning and Inquiry
A guide for shifting classroom culture from passive instruction to active, inquiry-driven learning experiences across grade levels and subjects.
Ellen Palmer
Assistant Director, Technology Innovation and Outreach, Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE)
What Our Certified Educators Say
“Participating each week pushed me beyond my comfort zone. The experience challenged me to think more deeply, generate new ideas, and turn those ideas into something concrete for my project based on what I learned throughout the course.”
– Rudy Escobar, STEM and Computer Science Coordinator, Stanislaus County Office of Ed, CS for CA Co-Chair
“I never thought of myself as a “Leader” in my position, I am much more comfortable in a support role, helping the leader be successful. But I learned that advocating for something that you feel strongly about is also critical “leadership”.
– Joe Johnson, Technology and IT Services, Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District
“This program provides the frameworks, expert insights, and peer support to move from addressing challenges with surface-level solutions to instead driving systemic change. No matter what role you play in education, you’ll have space to build sustainable solutions rooted in equity and built for lasting impact.”
-Lindsay Munoz, Computer Science Integration Teacher, Cucamonga School District
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CALIE Certified Educator Program?
The CALIE Certified Educator Program is a cohort-based leadership development experience created by educators, for educators. Through expert-led sessions, peer collaboration, personalized coaching, and an applied capstone project, participants build the skills to identify current needs, develop practical plans, apply leadership and systems-change frameworks, and support meaningful improvement in teaching and learning.
Who should apply?
This program is for anyone looking to grow their leadership skills or move into leadership roles, Instructional Coaches & TOSAs, EdTech & Curriculum Coordinators, Assessment & Accountability Leads, Department Chairs, Education Specialists, and Aspiring Administrators. If you’re ready to lead change from the classroom or beyond, this program is for you.
When does the next cohort start?
Applications are open through October 14, 2026, and the next cohort runs from October 14, 2026, through April 14, 2027.
Participants meet every other week for 90-minute live virtual sessions, with additional asynchronous work between meetings. The program includes a planned break in November and December to accommodate busy school-year schedules.
What is the time commitment?
The program requires approximately 15 hours per month, including virtual sessions and asynchronous work. During November and December, the time commitment is greatly reduced.
What certificate or credential will I receive?
All participants who successfully complete the program receive a CALIE Certified Educator certificate. This certificate recognizes their commitment to continued professional growth, innovation leadership, and their ability to support colleagues and learning communities through meaningful change.
Participants also have the option to earn an Advanced Certificate in Leading Innovation in Education through the University of San Diego. This option requires the additional purchase of 8.0 graduate-level extension credits paid directly to the university.
What will I create during the program?
Participants complete an Innovation Leadership Plan as the culminating capstone experience. This plan is a practical, real-world artifact that demonstrates your ability to identify a current need, develop a strategic response, and lead meaningful change in your educational context.
Your Innovation Leadership Plan includes a needs assessment, a clear vision for improvement, an implementation roadmap, and evaluation metrics to help measure progress and impact. You can use this completed plan as evidence of your leadership growth in interviews, promotion conversations, leadership applications, and professional portfolios.
What’s included in the $2000 fee?
The fee includes monthly high-impact leadership learning, personalized mentoring and coaching, Certified Educator swag, Spring Forward 2027 registration, and 1-year CALIE membership.
How can I share the value of this program with my admin team?
What happens after I become a CALIE Certified Educator?
Certified Educators become part of the Certified Educator Exchange, a community of innovators and education leaders committed to continued growth, collaboration, and impact. This community gives participants a place to stay connected, share ideas, learn from one another, and continue building leadership capacity beyond the program.
Certified Educators are also invited to connect in person each year at Spring Forward and may have opportunities to lead within CALIE through community conversations, mentoring, presentations, resource sharing, and other leadership pathways.
To maintain active status, Certified Educators complete a three-year renewal cycle. There is no renewal fee, but participants are asked to show evidence of continued leadership, learning, and impact through their work in the field and contributions to the CALIE community.