What many are calling a "crisis in leadership" goes beyond high turnover rates and impending vacancies among principals and superintendents. Under-performing schools require leadership that can guide school communities in setting common high standards, creating shared understanding of quality student work, developing the ability of teachers to use student work diagnostically to plan instruction, and promoting collective action to improve student performance. It requires, in other words, a new set of core competencies. But preparation for such skills is hard to come by.
This project focuses on the urgent need to develop and make accessible high quality professional development for new and practicing school and district leaders, especially in the states of Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah. Through partnerships in these states, WestEd will help build infrastructures to provide ongoing professional development. In addition, tools and processes will be created to help develop leadership in critical skill areas related to standards-based instruction and school reform. A special focus will be on building leadership in low-performing schools.
Director: Karen Kearney
Contact: Karen Kearney
Tel: 415.615.3185
Email: kkearne@wested.org
This project is part of WestEd's Regional Educational Laboratory West.
