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2014/07/09

Press Release: LEADING EDUCATORS AND D.C. PUBLIC SCHOOLS EXPAND PARTNERSHIP TO DEVELOP LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR GREAT TEACHERS



Work with 21 D.C. Schools Aims to Retain Effective Educators and Drive School Wide Achievement Gains

July 9, 2014 (Washington DC)—Principals and teachers from 17 D.C. public schools are gathering this week to identify challenges they want to tackle in the coming school year and the leadership roles teachers can play in driving this positive change. The effort is being facilitated by Leading Educators, a nonprofit organization that partners with districts to identify leadership opportunities for teachers and train them in the management skills necessary to be successful. This year, Leading Educators is working with 21 DCPS schools up from seven in 2013-14.

During this week’s kick-off, principals and teachers will outline their work for the coming school year, set goals and assign responsibilities for teachers. The effort gives teachers the chance to take on larger roles within their schools while remaining in the classroom working with their students. Some of the challenges they may take on are leading intervention programs for students who are behind their grade level, creating model classrooms where teachers can observe effective instructional practices, and developing strategies for lowering suspension rates, among others. 

“D.C. public schools are at the forefront of teacher leadership development and understand the power of great educators to lead their peers to better student outcomes,” said Jonas Chartock, CEO of Leading Educators. “Through our work with these 21 schools, we are helping them identify the right roles for these teachers and developing the skills all successful leaders need. Our early results in D.C. show that this work has the potential to dramatically improve the retention rates of excellent teachers and increase student achievement across the board. We’re very excited about what we’re seeing here.”

In its first year partnering with DCPS, Leading Educators worked with seven schools. By the end of the year, one school noticed a significant decrease in office referrals after creating a Special Education Department; another school that started a blending learning program has received a grant to expand the work so that each student will have access to technology throughout the day; another school improved continuity of curriculum to ensure that each grade appropriately builds on the previous one. Several schools overhauled the way they use data by utilizing data coaches and weekly review cycles to closely monitor when students are growing or struggling.

Partner schools for 2014-15 are:

Stanton ES*
Wheatley EC*
Tyler ES*
CW Harris*
Janney ES*
Ballou SHS
Beers ES
Brightwood EC
Cardozo EC
CHEC HS
Eastern SHS
Garrison ES
Jefferson MS
Ketcham ES
Langley ES
McKinley Technology SHS
Powell ES
Seaton ES
Tubman ES
Truesdell EC
Eliot-Hine MS

*Leading Educators Partner in 2013-14

For more information about Leading Educators, visit leadingeducators.org.

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Leading Educators is a non-profit organization that seeks to improve student achievement by accelerating the positive impact of experienced teachers who take on leadership positions in their schools. We partner with districts, schools and individual educators to develop their management skills so they can lead their peers to better student outcomes. In doing so, we help retain our best educators, refresh the talent pipeline and improve outcomes from the classroom.

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