Many professions have long runways to leadership, with mentorship and increasing levels of responsibility. In contrast, the path to school leadership has historically not been well-defined. But that is changing. The role of assistant principals has become a major stepping stone to the principalship. Once thought of primarily as disciplinarians,…

Systems, structures, and practices perpetuate disparities because they reinforce barriers that sort and separate students based on assumed success or failure. When students are disadvantaged in this way, the implicit message is that their learning doesn't matter. The counterpoint to these discriminatory systems is an asset-based approach, which is…

Today, as our country reckons with racial injustice amidst an ongoing pandemic, there are educators at all levels -- in classrooms, principal's offices, and central district offices -- asking questions like: Am I being bold enough? Or am I too cautious? Am I putting my job at risk by doing what I believe is right and necessary? What approach is…

Schools committed to equity are experimenting with creative and powerful ways for teachers to ensure all students receive what they need to learn in the classroom. Many of these efforts focus professional learning on strengthening the instructional core -- teachers' knowledge of and relationships with students, teachers' deep and critical…

Emotional intelligence is good for business. That is the growing consensus across sectors in recent years. In schools, the focus on people's well-being and interpersonal skills is called social and emotional learning (SEL). The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) defines SEL as the process through which children and…

As the world races to combat a pandemic, slow climate change, and solve many other public health challenges, it is clear that developing young people's scientific knowledge should be an urgent priority in schools. The goal of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) is to foster scholars and citizens who can think critically and creatively to…

Project I4 is a federally funded SEED (Supporting Effective Educator Development) grant, a partnership between East Carolina University and the Institute for Educational Leadership. It is a cohort-based, yearlong professional learning experience aimed at reimagining instructional leadership through an equity lens. Specifically, school leader…

The authors work with practicing teachers learning to become coaches in graduate programs and through professional learning initiatives in multiple school districts. They are also engaged in an ongoing research study of new coach development. Over the last five years, they have observed some common patterns in coaches' learning (Ortmann et. al,…

As schools grapple with the daunting challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, some leaders are galvanizing their staff to maintain focus on instruction, while others are overwhelmed by the operational logistics of constant change. What makes the difference? And what types of support can help struggling leaders to thrive despite the challenges? Through…

The COVID-19 pandemic is a reminder that schools are complex systems in which everything affects everything else and that more important than materials and schedules are energy, commitment, and community. New priorities emerge, with the mental and physical health of every student and educator being the most important. Chaotic and volatile…

In March 2020, emergency school closings as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic initiated a sudden widespread use of virtual learning and brought new challenges that affected teaching and learning across multiple contexts. The complex change caused school district leaders to make plans to reinvent and reimagine schools and created a need for teacher…

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the longstanding pattern of lower scholastic performance among marginalized groups of students negatively impacted by poverty, disability, and race. The perception among educators and citizens continues to be that practices around equal rights equate to provisions related to equity. In Arkansas, the unknown…

In Penn State's work with aspiring teacher leaders over the last decade, two core strategies have emerged that hold significant promise for fostering teacher leadership: (1) provide teachers with the skills they need to create their own jobs; and (2) provide training and extended (e.g. post-graduate) support in developing ongoing professional…

Principals are critical to the effectiveness of schools, especially those serving children with the fewest advantages in life. So how can it be ensured that principals have the skills to carry out this challenging and evolving job? Enter the powerful combination of university principal preparation programs and the school districts their graduates…

Early childhood education leaders are dedicated, resilient, and caring professionals. They are master multitaskers, seamlessly transitioning from comforting crying children to managing a plumbing problem; from writing a facilities report to meeting with a family to help them better understand their child's development. But they are often not able…