Leader

This series of videos follows five exemplary principals to illustrate five key practices that are essential to shaping instructional leadership: shaping a vision of academic success for all students, creating a climate hospitable to education, cultivating leadership in others, improving instruction, and managing people, data, and processes to foster school improvement.

This case study examines the work of three groups of charter management organizations (CMOs) to develop and launch teacher credentialing and master’s degrees programs. After concluding that traditional teacher preparation programs were not equipping their graduates with the skills needed to teach effectively, leaders at High Tech High in San Diego; Uncommon Schools, KIPP, and Achievement First in New York; and Match Education in Boston created their own programs for educating teachers, granting teacher certifications, and awarding master’s degrees in education.

This report summarizes key elements of new leadership structures in England resulting from recent reforms that have distributed leadership responsibilities across administrators and teachers. Teacher leaders or “middle leaders” are accountable for leading teams of teachers and students, usually determined by subject or grade level. As curriculum experts, they offer instructional support to teachers and are granted autonomies within their areas of focus. 

This paper explores recent reforms undertaken in the English school system to restructure its leadership development system. The new system includes three levels of leaders, including a layer of “middle leaders”—teachers who take responsibility for teaching and leading their peers in a set grade level, grade cluster, or subject area.

This guide provides an in-depth look at the elements of a 14-month research-based leadership development model designed to train aspiring school leaders in New York. The program requires participation in simulations, team activities, and an experiential component that is undertaken under the guidance of an experienced and trained mentor. Candidates must demonstrate that they meet leadership standards clearly identified within the program in order to graduate.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of teachers certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). A detailed analysis finds evidence that NBPTS-certified teachers are more effective in improving math and reading student outcomes than non-NBPTS-certified teachers. Results vary by subject and grade but are strongest for middle school math certificate holders. 

This report on the impact of teacher experience on student outcomes bases its findings on a new methodological model designed to limit bias. It finds that teachers experience rapid improvements to productivity in their early teaching years, and continue to increase their ability to improve student outcomes beyond the first five years of their careers. The study also finds that teachers continue to improve late in their careers, particularly in the field of math.

This brief summarizes findings from a May 2014 CompetencyWorks convening of technical assistance providers with expertise in the implementation of Next Generation learning models. The report aims to shed light on the steps that districts need to take to transform their traditional education systems to competency-based systems that optimize the use of blended learning.

Learn about policies that can support building a strong, sustainable school leadership pipeline. 

Discover how  teacher and leader preparation can play a significant role in equitable access.