Coaching and Mentoring Certificate: Lead and Coach Fellow Teachers

Strengthen your leadership as a PK-12 teacher coach and mentor with an 8-credit online certificate aligned to National Teacher Leader Standards, with all courses transferable to NLU's M.Ed. or Ed.S. in Teacher Leadership.

  • 8 Graduate Credits
  • 100% Online
  • Counts Toward the Teacher Leader Endorsement
  • Transfers to the M.Ed. or Ed.S.

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Why Choose NLU for Coaching and Mentoring?

Just 3 Courses
8 credits, completable in as few as two terms

A compact, focused leadership credential.

Every Credit Counts
All three courses transfer to the M.Ed. or Ed.S.

No credit is wasted, the certificate moves you forward.

Endorsement Pathway
All courses count toward the Teacher Leader endorsement

A concrete Illinois credential, not just coursework.

Standards-Aligned
Built on the National Teacher Leader Standards

Evidence-based coaching grounded in the field.

Start Any Term
Summer, fall, or spring entry

Practice-based, online, and built for working teachers.

Get Started Today

Program at a Glance

How long?
8 SH, 3 Courses
Completable in as few as two terms
What format?
100% Online
Virtual sessions and practice coaching
What stacks?
100% Transfers
All credits apply to a Teacher Leadership degree
What credential?
Teacher Leader
Counts toward the Illinois endorsement

What You'll Learn

  • Coach and mentor fellow teachers effectively
  • Apply adult-learning theory to coaching
  • Lead professional learning communities
  • Tie coaching plans to school improvement
  • Build a network of fellow coaches
  • Apply your credits toward a Teacher Leadership degree

Full Course List

Foundations
Concepts, practices, and standards of teacher leadership.
Coaching
How coaching improves teachers, students, and schools.
Development
Leading the professional development of peers.
Adult Learning
Coaching individuals and teams effectively.
Models
Applying the right coaching model and learning communities.
Practice
Guided coaching cycles, feedback, and self-reflection.

Next start: September 21, 2026 — seats filling fast.

Admissions Requirements

  • A bachelor's degree and a 3.0 minimum GPA
  • Standard NCE graduate admission requirements
  • Application at apply-now.nl.edu with no application fee
  • Designed for experienced PK-12 teachers
  • An advisor explains the endorsement and degree pathways
Request Info
Stacks Into a Degree

All three courses transfer to NLU's M.Ed. or Ed.S. in Teacher Leadership, no credit wasted.

Toward the Teacher Leader Endorsement

All three courses count toward the Illinois Teacher Leader endorsement.

Practice, Not Just Theory

Guided coaching cycles, case studies, feedback, and self-reflection, hands-on from the start.

Where Will This Certificate Take You?

100% Transfers
Every credit stacks toward a Teacher Leadership degree
Instructional Coach
Mentor Teacher
Curriculum Coach
PD Facilitator
Department Chair or Team Lead
Pathway to the M.Ed. or Ed.S.

The certificate prepares experienced PK-12 teachers to step into formal and informal leadership: instructional coach, mentor teacher, curriculum leader, and professional development facilitator. It is also a gateway to the Illinois Teacher Leader endorsement and to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. in Teacher Leadership.

Instructional coordinators, a common destination for teacher leaders, earn a median of $74,720 (BLS, May 2024), though many coaches remain on the teacher salary scale with leadership stipends. The certificate’s real value is the skills, the endorsement pathway, and the credits that carry forward.

Get Started Now

How to Apply in 3 Simple Steps

  1. Request Information

    Submit the form above. An NLU advisor will reach out within one business day to answer your questions.

  2. Connect With an Advisor

    Your advisor explains how the courses transfer to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. and count toward the Teacher Leader endorsement.

  3. Apply and Start Classes

    Submit your application at apply-now.nl.edu with no application fee. You can start any term. Next start: September 21, 2026.

Get Started

Take the First Step

No commitment required. An NLU advisor will reach out within one business day to map your coaching and teacher leadership pathway.

Take the First Step
  • 8 Graduate Credits
  • 100% Online
  • Counts Toward the Teacher Leader Endorsement
  • Transfers to the M.Ed. or Ed.S.

*Salary reference: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Instructional Coordinators (SOC 25-9031), May 2024. Many teacher coaches remain on the teacher salary scale with leadership stipends.

**Curriculum, stackability, and endorsement: National Louis University Coaching and Mentoring Certificate and SmartCatalog (nl.edu and nl.smartcatalogiq.com); aligned to the National Teacher Leader Standards. NCE is CAEP-accredited.