Oakland University's standards-based Central Office Administration Program reflects the best of what we know about preparing Central Office Leaders for the task of elevating learning in today's schools. Using the design model of an Executive School Leadership Academy, candidates will proceed through the 12-month, 24-credit program as a cohort. To accommodate busy practitioners, courses will follow a hybrid format with monthly Saturday classes and weekly online discussion. The required internship experience, designed as a complement to formal coursework, will begin the first semester and continue throughout the program. Using state and national leadership standards as a guide, Oakland University's Central Office program of study will strive to balance the explanatory power of theory with the relevance of practice. For interested candidates, the program is further designed to allow for a smooth transition into either Doctoral program (Ed.D. or Ph.D.).