CEL’s Top 10 Most-Accessed Tools & Resources 2025

By: UWCEL 
on Jan 15, 2026

The start of each new year offers an opportunity to take stock of what is working, name what needs attention, and clarify how to keep students at the center of instructional leadership practice. Over the past year, hundreds of educational leaders turned to our practical, research-based tools to support their work. Below are our 10 most-accessed tools and resources of the year. Whether you are revisiting a familiar tool or discovering something new, we hope these resources spark reflection and inform your practice in the months ahead.

1. 5 Dimensions of Teaching and Learning framework
Transform instructional leadership with a research-backed framework that helps leaders observe, discuss, and boost student learning across every classroom.

2. Types of Classroom Observation Guide
Reimagine classroom walkthroughs with clear strategies for learning, goal setting, and supervision, turning observations into actionable insights.

3. 4 Dimensions of School Leadership framework
Empower leaders to strengthen every aspect of their school in instructional, cultural, operational, and relational domains so students can thrive.

4. Creating a Theory of Action Guide
Bridge strategy and practice with a step-by-step tool that ensures central office decisions directly impact classroom success.

5. Helping Teachers Set Goals Grounded in Student Learning Blog
Drive teacher growth with practical guidance for setting clear, student-centered goals that accelerate learning outcomes.

6. Principal Support Framework
Equip central office teams to cultivate strong, results-driven principals who inspire teachers and improve student achievement.

7. Inquiry Cycle Tool
Turn data into action with a continuous improvement tool that helps leaders refine instruction and maximize student outcomes.

8. Student Experience Guide
Unlock the power of student voice with authentic listening sessions that inform meaningful school change.

9. Five Tips for Classroom Observing
Observe with confidence, curiosity, and purpose to strengthen teaching and elevate student learning.

10. Visioning Pyramid Explainer
Connect your vision for student experience to curriculum, instructional practice, and professional learning, making strategy actionable and results measurable.

About the author

At the Center for Educational Leadership we partner with courageous leaders in classrooms, schools and the systems that support them to eliminate educational inequities by creating cultures of rigorous teaching, learning and leading. Our vision is transformed schools empowering all students regardless of background to create limitless futures for themselves, their families, their communities, and the world.
Share This
Center for Educational Leadership | University of Washington
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.