Courses, Programs & Micro-Courses
Our learning experiences are designed to meet leaders where they are and move them toward meaningful, lasting growth. We offer three flexible pathways:
Courses
Courses are content-centered learning that builds deep understanding of essential leadership concepts.
Programs
Programs — action-centered experiences that help individuals or teams apply learning, practice new skills, and create measurable impact.
Micro-Courses
Micro-Courses are short, targeted learning modules that can stand alone or be combined into a customized series.
All three pathways can be customized to the outcomes you’re aiming for and can be structured to meet PIL credit requirements. Whether you prefer a single session or a multi-session series, each offering can be delivered in person, online, or in a blended format. Whether you’re diving into a focused topic or building broader organizational capacity, you’ll find flexible options that fit your goals, schedule, and context.
Total Leaders Needed: (40 PIL Credits)
Becoming a Total Leader focuses on developing the ability to see the whole system, honor the people within it, and lead improvement with clarity and purpose. Using a practical leadership framework, the course examines essential mindsets and competencies—including self-awareness, strategic clarity, relational intelligence, and alignment of people, processes, and purpose. Through research-informed learning, real-world examples, and reflective tools, participants strengthen decision-making, recognize patterns, and adapt their leadership to meet the complex demands of schools and organizations with intention and impact.
Leading District-Wide Continuous Improvement (40 PIL Credits)
This course equips leaders and leadership teams with the mindsets and tools needed to drive sustainable improvement across an entire district. Drawing on the work of pioneering thinkers and practitioners in transformational change, participants deepen their understanding of how systems improve, how people grow, and how leadership behaviors influence both. Through practical frameworks, real examples, and reflective application, leaders learn to shift their thinking, align their actions, and cultivate the conditions for continuous improvement in their own contexts—ensuring meaningful, measurable progress for students, staff, and the organization as a whole.
Courses
Programs
Systemic–Strategic Organizational Assessment Program
(90 PIL Credits)
Implemented over approximately nine months, this program supports educational leaders in examining and strengthening their organizations through a structured, diagnostic, and developmental process. Grounded in systems thinking, participants assess leadership capacity, culture, instructional alignment, and resource use using evidence-based frameworks, data analysis, and stakeholder input. Leaders identify strengths, surface root causes, and translate findings into targeted improvement strategies aligned with strategic goals. Learning occurs through six sequenced modules that combine facilitated instruction, collaborative problem-solving, job-embedded application, and coaching. The program culminates in an Organizational Assessment Portfolio that provides clear, actionable insights to guide strategic decision-making, strengthen coherence, and support sustained improvement aligned with Pennsylvania’s Leadership Standards.
Micro-Courses
Cross-Functional Teams for School Improvement Series
This three-part series is designed to help leaders bring people, systems, and ideas together in smarter, more coherent ways. Each course builds on the core principles of cross-functional teaming—collaboration, clarity, and continuous improvement—but they’re also powerful on their own. Whether you’re just beginning to explore cross-functional work or ready to deepen and scale your approach, you can choose the learning experience that best fits your role, your needs, and your improvement priorities.
Micro-Course 1 – FDesigning the Cross-Functional Team Framework
(10 PIL Credits)
Explore the value, structure, and dynamics of cross-functional teams. Learn how to establish shared purpose, clarify roles, and create the conditions for effective collaboration.
Micro-Course 2 – Leading Effective Cross-Functional Collaboration
(10 PIL Credits)
Focus on strategic team design, facilitation skills, and systems alignment to translate organizational goals into collaborative action.
Micro-Course 3 – Sustaining Improvement Through Cross-Functional Systems
(10 PIL Credits)
Examine strategies for monitoring progress, refining team practices, and embedding cross-functional collaboration into the organization's culture and operations.
Participants can tailor their engagement to fit their goals. You can explore any micro-course informally, complete a single course for 10 hours of Act 45 credit, or continue through Micro-Courses 2 and 3 for up to 30 total hours.
Participants may choose their level of engagement:
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No Credit Option – Participate informally in any micro-course.
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10-Hour Credit Option – Earn 10 Act 45 hours by completing one micro-course (all three micro-learnings and embedded activities).
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Extended Pathway Option – Continue through Micro-Courses 2 and/or 3 for up to 30 total hours of professional learning credit.
No-Cost Consultation
Let’s start with a conversation—an opportunity to better understand your context, clarify your goals, and determine whether PLDC’s services align with what you are trying to accomplish. If you are interested in one of our courses or programs, simply email crawfordp@paldc.org with a brief description of your organization, your area of interest, and the outcomes you hope to achieve. We will follow up promptly to schedule an initial discussion and explore how our work can be thoughtfully tailored to support your leadership priorities.
Customized Courses & Programs: Built for Your Context, Your Goals, Your Leaders
PLDC understands that no two districts are exactly alike—and meaningful leadership development must be grounded in the realities, priorities, and aspirations of the organization it serves. For that reason, PLDC partners closely with district leaders to design fully customized courses or multi-session programs that align directly with the district’s identified needs, strategic goals, and desired outcomes. Whether the focus is leadership capacity building, cross-functional collaboration, continuous improvement, or systems coherence, each experience is intentionally crafted to reflect the district’s context, challenges, and vision for the future.
When desired, PLDC can also secure approval through the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) for Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership (PIL) credit hours. Courses and programs are thoughtfully structured to meet PDE requirements while preserving flexibility and relevance for participants. This means districts can offer high-quality, job-embedded professional learning that is both immediately applicable and credit-eligible, without sacrificing depth or purpose. The result is a seamless learning experience—one that honors adult learning principles, advances district priorities, and supports leaders in doing the real work of leading beyond today.
Contact Us
Get in touch with PLDC to learn more.
If you would like to learn more about any of PLDC’s courses or programs—or explore how we can tailor professional learning to your district’s goals—we invite you to complete the contact form above. Once we receive your information, a member of the PLDC team will reach out promptly to answer your questions, share additional details, and discuss next steps. We look forward to connecting with and partnering with you to deliver meaningful, impactful leadership development.