Helping prepare school leadership to meet todays students
The Strengthening School Leadership (SSL) cohort represents the first major initiative under the Invest in Educators strategy with foundational work stretching back to 2018. Findings from a 2019 report generated by Attuned Education Partners focused on the context of school leadership in Massachusetts noted sobering challenges in the areas of preparation, coaching, scope of the role, and diverse leadership representation mirroring the diversity of students across the Commonwealth.
In an effort to learn more about the ways to address these challenges, three projects spanning five school systems have been probing the unique challenges facing their contexts, implementing plans across their systems to address those challenges. Each project site selected their own technical assistance (TA) partner to support them along the way.
The work has developed through each successive phase and as the sites and TA partners learned along the way with continued support from Barr and Attuned. While the work is ongoing, some initial wins at the sites include:
Improvements in school leader retention against broader state and national trends.
Increases in principal and assistant principal diversity, also outpacing broader trends.
Greater understanding of the capacities and strengths of leaders within their contexts.
“To drive instructional improvement at scale, we must rethink and deepen investments in school leadership.”
John Travis, Senior Program Officer, Education
Eligibility and Selection Criteria
How were the districts selected?
To select the initiative cohort, we first developed a set of eligibility and selection criteria based on our experience with the first Strengthening School Leadership cohort – factors that we felt were important to an organization’s ability to participate and benefit fully from this type of initiative. Paramount to the following eligibility and selection criteria was a demonstrated commitment to participating in and contributing to the initiative learning agenda.
Eligibility Requirements
This opportunity is made available to Public Local Education Agencies (LEAs), including districts and charter organizations, in Massachusetts. A group or regional consortium/collaborative of LEAs or schools organized around common goals or interests are also eligible. This opportunity is not fit for single site LEAs applying alone.
District Characteristics
At least 6 schools, including at least one high school
A total student enrollment of at least 2500 students
Serving at least 950 students in grades 9-12
Selection Criteria
Is committed to leading a multi-year change effort in ultimate service of student success
Is committed to a belief that all students are capable of achieving at high levels and is willing to interrogate disparities in data to understand progress
Believes that the role of the principal is essential to driving instructional change to improve student outcomes
Seeks to improve school leader efficacy and retention by thinking systemically
Values learning within your context and contributing to the knowledge of the education sector
Values cross functional teamwork between district leaders, school leaders, and teachers to implement cohesive instructional change across the context
Key Components of the Initiative
All components were iterative, informed by ongoing learning and evaluation. Along with convenings and informal conversations, annual check‐ins between grantees and the Foundations served as opportunities for grantees to provide feedback on the initiative’s learning and support services, relationships with the Foundations, and potential impact within their communities.
Multi-Year General Operating Support Grants
Two multi-year, unrestricted grants for each organization
Individualized Strategy Coaching
To review an organization’s financial health trends, theory of change progress, and equity goals
Cohort Learning Opportunities
Cohort-wide learning and knowledge sharing, including annual convenings, networking, and trainings focused on the core pillars of the initiative
Supplemental Grant Funds
Two rounds of funds targeted for specific capacity building
Active staff and board participation
Staff teams, at times with board representatives, participated in the annual
Theory of Change drafting and reflection process, trainings, and convenings
