On this episode, host Megan Simpson sits down with Dr. Christi Maldonado, associate dean of assessment and accreditation and assistant professor in the Eriksson College of Education.

Dr. Maldonado brings more than 20 years of experience in public education to the conversation, including 15 years as an assistant principal in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System. Now, she helps prepare the next generation of school leaders through Austin Peay's Master of Arts in Education: Educational Leadership Studies program — the university's second-largest graduate program.

The discussion covers everything from what makes the program unique to Dr. Maldonado's role in a historic achievement: the U.S. Department of Labor's recent approval of the first-ever National Guideline Standards for K-12 Principal Apprenticeships. She also shares candid advice for teachers considering the leap into administration.

Whether you're a classroom teacher eyeing a leadership role or just curious about what it takes to run a school, this episode offers an inside look at the pathway from teacher to principal.

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