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Spotlight On: Leading Systemic Change

Alliance for Education and
Seattle Public Schools

The Challenge

Partnering with districts making systemic improvements in their approach to education leadership is critical to meeting the goal of improved student outcomes.  With a cadre of 97 principals, 49 assistant principals, and 100 mid to senior level managers in its central office, Seattle Public Schools can be a model for the state of Washington and can inform broader education policy.  The district experienced turnover and performance inconsistencies in critical leadership positions that they believed impacted their student outcomes.  To address this problem, Seattle Public Schools identified the need to create major systems improvements to change the mindsets, skill sets, and capacity of its new and veteran leadership staff.

Student success in the classroom also rests on strong school leadership...Research is clear: next to having a great teacher, the best predictor of student success is the quality of the building leadership.

Alliance for Education for Seattle
Public Schools

This Project's Focus

Successfully leading change requires experienced and supported leaders. Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson has committed to building and growing a cadre of leaders focused on improving student performance. Through a strong partnership with Alliance for Education – which supports the district by securing seed capital for innovations in learning and fostering city-wide support for excellence in schools – an approach was developed to ensure that leadership has consistent expectations, accountability, and competencies across the school district.

The Leadership Initiative provides professional development opportunities within three cohorts – new principals, experienced school leaders, and district leaders – to allow for peer-based learning through shared experiences and perspectives over an 18-month period. At its core, this leadership initiative provides Seattle Public Schools leaders the tools and relationships they need to change the system – and to sustain that change.

 

Intended Outcomes

The Leadership Initiative will be measured through a robust, multi-year evaluation process. Assessments will look for the following indicators among participants:

Leaders will:

• Exhibit a broader awareness of self and
  leadership style.
• Navigate increasingly complex situations with confidence and success.
• Demonstrate the preparedness to take on and successfully lead district-level initiatives linked to increased positive outcomes for schools and students.
• Lead with a developed and successful understanding of the systemic impact of activities – both internally and externally.
• Invest in transformative processes and practices.