Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership (PIL) Program

The PA Inspired Leadership Program (PIL) is offering all courses in virtual and online + virtual formats. Please refer to the Act45 & PIL page on the PDE website for all PIL related information, and please take a look at the PIL Region schedules to locate open courses.

The Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership (PIL) Program is a statewide, standards-based continuing professional education program for school and system leaders. The comprehensive, cohort-based program is focused on developing the capacity of leaders to improve student achievement. The program is offered by the Department of Education in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Intermediate Units and other partners at eight regional sites. Intermediate Unit 1 is part of PIL Region 7.

This program meets the requirements of Act 45 of 2007, which directs the Department to establish a Principals' Induction Program that addresses the three core PA leadership standards and a Continuing Professional Education Program that addresses the three core and six corollary PA leadership standards.

Effective January 1, 2008, all school and system leaders (defined as principal, assistant or vice principal, superintendent, assistant superintendent, intermediate unit executive director, intermediate unit assistant executive director, and area vocational-technical school director) must meet their Act 48 continuing professional education requirements in programs that address the three core and six corollary Pennsylvania leadership standards.

Program courses provide continuing professional education credit/hours needed by certified administrators serving in PIL-covered positions in commonwealth schools, and also offers courses that have been approved to fulfil the Act 45 Principal Induction requirement. Principal Induction requires the completion of PIL/NISL Course 1 & 2.

What Courses Do I Need and Should I Enroll?

Any educator becoming an assistant principal or principal for the first time as of January 1, 2008 must enroll in an Induction program. This program must be completed within five years of being hired as an administrator. There is not a moratorium on Principal Induction. The Induction program consists of NISL Courses 1 and 2. Administrators however should enroll in the Act 13 & Beyond course in their first year, then enroll in Course 1 in their second year, and Course 2 the third year, and Course 3 in the fourth or fifth year.

The NISL Course 1 is a 6-day training on World Class Schooling. Topics in this course include the educational challenges administrators face, thinking strategically, and learning how to build and understand a rigorous and adaptive learning system. The NISL Course 2 of NCEE’s NISL curriculum is a 10-day training, which serves as induction within the Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership (PIL) program, takes us from the wide-angle view of Course 1 to focus closely on learning and related aspects of teaching, curriculum, assessment, and school organization. The major topics that provide the structure of the course are how people learn; students’ engagement and motivation in learning; the learner at the center: culture and learning; language and learning; deeper learning; formative assessment for learning; and professional learning.

PA Department of Education Website for PIL

Course Offerings (Region 7)

2022-2023 Application (Region 7)

Act 45 of 2007 Principal Induction and Continuing Professional Education Requirements

It is recommended that new Assistant/Vice Principals and Principals complete the PIL "Act 13 and Beyond: School Leaders Driving Instructional Excellence" course prior to enrolling in the two Act 45/PIL Principal Induction courses.

How to Enroll in a PDE/PA Inspired Leadership Program (PIL) Course

1.   View the map below to determine the PIL Region in which you are located.
2.   Select your home region via the "PA Inspired Leadership Regions and Schedules" box on this page.
3.   On the Region page - view the Region schedule and select courses*.
4.   On the Region page - use the link provided to download and complete the application.
5.   Email the saved, completed application to the designated contact person.

*Principal Induction requires the completion of PIL/NISL Course 1 & 2.

Revised training! NISL Courses may be retaken for Act 45 credit if completed prior to 2016.

New: Act 13 and Beyond: Educators Driving Instructional Excellence - This course satisfies the Act 13 requirement for new assistant/vice principals and principals.

Schedule and Applying

Download the Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership Region 7 Schedule for 2022-2023 (PDF Document) and the program application (Word Document). Please complete and submit the application to the Program Assistant in Region 7 whose name and contact information is located on the last page of the application.