WKU News
WKU and KEA Announce Innovative Partnership to Support Aspiring School Leaders' Advancement
- Wednesday, August 20th, 2025

WKU’s College of Education and Behavioral Sciences (CEBS) and the Kentucky Education Association (KEA) have joined forces to provide exciting new opportunities for Kentucky aspiring school leaders seeking professional growth and advancement. This first-of-its-kind partnership in Kentucky offers aspiring school leaders several key benefits:
- Level Up Leadership Academy (LULA): LULA provides job embedded professional development for educators seeking to further develop their leadership capacity. Participants will engage in action research and high levels of professional reflection. Program completers will earn 6 hours of graduate level credit that may be applied to any of WKU’s Educational Leadership programs.
- Rank Change Opportunity via the School Leaders Pathway through CEO Program: Kentucky Educators can pursue a rank change through KEA’s Continuing Education Option (CEO) program. While the CEO allows teachers to achieve a rank change and a corresponding pay raise, completers do not earn a degree or certificate. The program, taught collaboratively with WKU faculty, focuses on the research component, and participants can transfer up to an additional 3 hours of graduate level credit (beyond LULA) toward a graduate degree and certification program in WKU’s Educational Administration Program. KEA members pursuing this program can complete their Rank Advancement at a significant discount as a benefit of being a member of their professional organization.
Through this innovative partnership, CEBS and KEA are breaking new ground in educator development, creating more pathways and opportunities for educators across the state to learn, grow, and advance their education.
For more information on the program, please contact 270-745-4890 or visit Higher Education - Kentucky Education Association.
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