Site Administrator Preparation Programs (SAPPs)

Site Administrator Preparation Programs (SAPPs) prepare candidates for principal, assistant principal, and charter school head administrator roles. Effective July 1, 2029, these roles will require an Initial Site Administrator license.

Programs must apply for approval by January 15, 2027.

Application materials for program approval:

• SAPP Approval Process Guidelines (PDF)
• SAPP Application (PDF)
• EXCEL NM Crosswalk Template (PDF)

Resources to support program redesign:

• SAPP Overview – Deck that provides a consolidated list of resources shared with the SAPP Community of Practice and aligned with program approval criteria
• Common Performance Tasks: 2026-2027
  • Handbook for Site Administrator Preparation Program Common Performance Tasks 2026-2027 (Google Doc)
  • Handbook for Site Administrator Preparation Program Common Performance Tasks 2026-2027 (PDF)
  • Proposal Template for Site Administrator Preparation Program (SAPP) Common Performance Tasks: 2026-2027 (Google Doc)
  • Proposal Template for Site Administrator Preparation Program (SAPP) Common Performance Tasks: 2026-2027 (PDF)
  • Proposal Review and Feedback Form for Site Administrator Preparation Program (SAPP) Common Performance Tasks: 2026-2027 (Google Doc)
  • Proposal Review and Feedback Form for Site Administrator Preparation Program (SAPP) Common Performance Tasks: 2026-2027 (PDF)
  • Proposal Approval Form for Site Administrator Preparation Program (SAPP) Common Performance Tasks: 2026-2027 (Google Doc)
  • Proposal Approval Form for Site Administrator Preparation Program (SAPP) Common Performance Tasks: 2026-2027 (PDF)
  • Final Submission Written Report Template for Site Administrator Preparation Program (SAPP) Common Performance Tasks: 2026-2027 (Google Doc)
  • Final Submission Written Report Template for Site Administrator Preparation Program (SAPP) Common Performance Tasks: 2026-2027 (PDF)
  • Final Submission Assessment and Feedback Form for Site Administrator Preparation Program (SAPP) Common Performance Tasks: 2026-2027 (Google Doc)
  • Final Submission Assessment and Feedback Form for Site Administrator Preparation Program (SAPP) Common Performance Tasks: 2026-2027 (PDF)
• Crosswalk of EXCEL NM Practices and NELP Components
• Examples of Credit Equivalency
• Materials from SAPP Community of Practice
  • Data for continuous improvement (Google Drive)
  • Recruitment and admissions (Google Drive)
  • Coaching & mentoring (Google Drive)
  • Curriculum (Google Drive)
  • Performance assessments (Google Drive)