IASA Professional Development

IASA is no longer accepting applications for ISAL VII

IASA's School for Advanced Leadership (ISAL) is unlike any professional development experience available to superintendents in Illinois because it integrates personal and professional growth plans with the cultivation of lifelong relationships.

Twenty-five superintendents are accepted into each cohort, beginning a journey that past participants have called "life changing."

Each participant is paired with a leadership coach, who is a current or retired superintendent who graduated from ISAL. The leadership coach serves as a trusted mentor that you can contact anytime with questions about professional or personal matters. 

Over the course of eight weekends, participants disengage from their districts and gather in Springfield for enriching learning sessions and training that is focused on the superintendent's role in the support of student achievement and work/life balance. The sessions also include nightly dinners that foster new friendships and relationships. 

The cost of the program is $3,125 for each of the two fiscal years the program overlaps—one payment upon acceptance, and the second payment due by November, 2023.  This cost covers the expenses incurred for the program, such as books, meals, and materials, but does not cover travel or housing expenses. 

All sessions are held at the IASA Office in Springfield, typically on Fridays (full day) and Saturdays (until Noon).

The dates for ISAL VII are as follows:

2023: January 26-28; March 17-18; May 12-13; August 4-5; November 3-4. 

2024: January 12-13; April 12-13; May 17-18