A Top Educational Leadership Preparation Program in U.S.*
*Out of over 774 principal preparation programs nationally, NC State is one of only 6 programs to ever earn the distinction of being named "Exemplary" by UCEA.
Learn about our graduates' impact
How We’re Preparing Exceptional Principals
NELA was one of two Principal Preparation Programs Featured for its Innovative Program in a Recent Publication by the Hunt Institute.
NC State University’s Educational Leadership Academy (NELA) seeks to increase student achievement by preparing and retaining principals in high-poverty, hard-to-staff, and historically low-performing schools. NELA creates a comprehensive leadership development and succession plan for NC high-need school districts. Each component is anchored in research-based best practices in leadership preparation and is designed to meet the specific contextualized needs of schools in North Carolina.
Our Updates
More StoriesDr. Kendrick Alston (NELA Cohort II 2013 & NC State EdD graduate) serves as principal of Foust Elementary School. A ribbon cutting marked Foust’s transition to a gaming and robotics school. Foust is the first elementary school in the state with this focus.
Congratulations to Fran Averre (Los Lobos 2026) who is a WCPSS 2024-25 Teacher of the Year semifinalist!
We are thrilled to continue the impactful work of preparing excellent school leaders for NC public schools with the support of a $14+ million grant from the NC Principal Fellows Program.
89% of schools with a NELA graduate serving as principal met or exceeded growth between 2018 – 2024 vs. only 74% of principals across all schools in the state reaching the same level of performance.
