Leading With Purpose: Why the New York Metro Area Needs Servant‑Minded School Leaders—and How CITE Is Building Them
By Dr. Donald James
After several decades serving as a school leader in the New York metro area, I’ve learned that the most effective administrators aren’t the ones with the loudest voices or the most polished slogans. They’re the ones who know how to build a shared vision, cultivate trust, and elevate the people around them. In other words, they lead as servant leaders—anchored in humility, clarity, and a deep commitment to the communities they serve. Today, as New York faces a historic shortage of qualified school leaders, the need for this kind of leadership has never been more urgent.
The Leadership Crisis: What the Data Tells Us
Across New York State, the pipeline of aspiring school leaders is shrinking at the very moment the demands of the job are increasing. Statewide data shows:
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A significant decline in the number of candidates entering school leadership preparation programs over the past decade
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A growing wave of retirements, especially in the New York City, Long Island, and Lower Hudson regions
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Increasing difficulty for districts to fill assistant principal and principal vacancies, particularly in high‑needs schools
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Rising burnout among early‑career administrators, creating instability in school communities
This shortage isn’t abstract—it’s felt in every building. When leadership roles go unfilled or are filled by individuals who haven’t been adequately prepared, the entire school ecosystem feels the strain.
New York needs leaders who understand instruction, community, culture, and systems—but also leaders who understand people. Leaders who can bring a staff together around a shared purpose and move a school forward with clarity and compassion.
Why Servant Leadership Matters Now More Than Ever
Servant leadership isn’t soft leadership. It’s strategic leadership rooted in:
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Listening before acting
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Building consensus rather than compliance
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Developing people, not just managing them
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Creating a shared vision that everyone owns
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Leading with empathy, transparency, and accountability
In the New York metro area—where schools are complex, diverse, and constantly evolving—this approach isn’t optional. It’s essential.
A servant leader can walk into a building and immediately begin building trust. They can unite veteran teachers and new teachers, families and staff, central office and school‑based teams. They can navigate conflict without creating division. They can inspire people to believe in what’s possible.
How CITE’s Leadership Programs Build Servant Leaders
CITE’s partnerships with SJNY and Russell Sage are designed with one purpose: to prepare school leaders who can thrive in real schools—not theoretical ones.
1. Programs Built Around Real School Challenges
The curriculum is continuously updated to reflect what’s actually happening in schools today:
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Instructional leadership in a post‑pandemic world
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Community engagement in diverse settings
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Data‑driven decision‑making
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Staff development and coaching
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Crisis management and communication
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Equity‑centered leadership
This isn’t leadership from a textbook. It’s leadership from the field.
2. Progressive, Research‑Driven Hybrid Models
CITE’s delivery model is one of the most progressive in the region:
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Hybrid courses designed around adult learning research
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Flexible scheduling for working educators
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Cohort‑based learning that builds professional networks
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Instructors who are current school leaders, not career academics
Adult learners thrive when learning is relevant, collaborative, and immediately applicable. CITE’s programs are built exactly that way.
3. The Most Affordable Pathway in the Region
Despite offering one of the strongest leadership preparation experiences in New York, CITE remains the most affordable option—lower than SUNY, CUNY, and dramatically lower than private institutions.
Tuition Comparison: CITE vs. SUNY, CUNY, and Private Institutions
Graduate Tuition Comparison (Cost per Credit)
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Institution
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Graduate Tuition per Credit
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Notes
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CITE (SJNY / Russell Sage partnerships)
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$425 per credit
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Most affordable leadership pathway in NYS
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CUNY – Brooklyn College
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$560 per credit (in‑state)
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Public institution; higher than CITE
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SUNY – Stony Brook University
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$471 per credit (in‑state)
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Public institution; higher than CITE
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Private NY Institutions (average)
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$900–$1,300 per credit
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Typical range across NY private colleges
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High‑cost private examples (NYU, Columbia)
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$1,800–$2,400 per credit
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3–5× the cost of CITE
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The Highest Certification Success Rates in New York
CITE has become the statewide leader in:
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School leadership training
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SBL/SDL certification preparation
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Certification exam passing rates
Districts across the New York metro area actively seek out CITE‑trained leaders because they know these graduates are ready to lead on day one.
Why I Believe in This Work
After decades in school leadership, I’ve seen every leadership style imaginable. I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. I’ve seen how the right leader can transform a school—and how the wrong one can destabilize it.
What CITE is doing matters because it’s preparing leaders who understand that leadership is not about authority. It’s about service. It’s about vision. It’s about people.
New York needs leaders who can unite communities, inspire staff, and create schools where students thrive. CITE is building those leaders—one cohort at a time.
