Leadership Coaches Support Principals in High-Need Schools
Principals in high-need schools across the state are receiving one-on-one training from the state's new leadership coaches.
The program, funded through Delaware's federal Race to the Top grant, follows a personal-trainer model, providing principals with individualized support. The coaches -- who average 25 years of education experience including success in turnaround schools - begin their work in each school with an audit with the principal and the school's leadership team to analyze opportunities for improvement. They then design the training and support for the identified areas, which could include focuses such as financial management, instructional leadership or time management.
"This support is customized to meet the needs of our principals," Secretary of Education Dr. Lillian M. Lowery said. "These coaches will help us ensure our highest-need schools have our strongest school leaders."
Delaware's $2.5 million contract with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's Leadership and Learning Center is for 30 months and will include two cohorts of 20 schools each. Three full-time coaches will work with five each year while two part-time coaches together will support five more. The coaches are required to spend about 30 hours a month in the buildings.
"Delaware is becoming an international leader in education, and the Leadership and Learning Center is proud to be part of this ground-breaking work," said Dr. Douglas Reeves, the center's founder. "We are helping Delaware build capacity for sustained improvement long after Race to the Top funds have been exhausted.
"In Delaware, we find exceptionally committed teachers, administrators, policymakers, parents, and students, and the Leadership and Learning Center is honored to be part of this team," Reeves said.
The coaches and principals, many of whom are new to their role, will work together for 12 months followed by six months of continuing support. District and charter leaders helped identify the participants. Funding is a cost-share between state and local RTTT dollars.
"The center's cadre of certified professional development associates and school leadership coaches are poised to work shoulder to shoulder with principals from across the state to prepare them to complete a deep and effective implementation of Race to The Top initiatives," said David West, senior vice president of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Educational Consulting Services.
The schools participating in the first cohort are: Blades Elementary, East Millsboro Elementary, Laurel Middle School, Long Neck Elementary, West Seaford Elementary, The Central School, duPont (Alexis I.) High, Lake Forest South Elementary, Laurel High School, Milford Senior High, Hartly Elementary, Washington (Booker T.) Elementary, Baltz (Austin D.) Elementary, Delaware College Preparatory Academy, Jones (Albert H.) Elementary, Kuumba Academy Charter, Marshall (Thurgood) Elementary, Castle Hills Elementary, Harlan (David W.) Elementary, and Pleasantville Elementary.
The program is one of several distinct statewide professional development initiatives to build critical skills among teachers and leaders. The state's development coaches are trained and calibrated in assessing performance, providing feedback, and identifying opportunities for teacher development. They provide coaching to assessors to improve the quality of performance appraisal and instructional planning. The SAM (School Administration Managers) program focuses on the time management of Delaware's public school administrators.
Principals who are selected for the leadership coach pairing -- a more comprehensive and intensive program -- would not also be assigned a development coach. Rather, each of the programs is designed to target the specific needs of that school and its leadership.|
Delaware's Department of Education is committed to promoting the highest quality education
for every Delaware student by providing visionary leadership and superior service.
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Contact Info.
Alison Kepner Delaware Department of Education 401 Federal Street, Suite #2 Dover, Delaware 19901 Phone: (302) 735-4035 Fax: (302) 739-4654 Email: akepner@doe.k12.de.us |
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