Students know an equity champion when they see one. In recent CEL equity leadership focus groups, our CEL team asked students to describe their “hero principal.” Students shared attributes of a hero principal like “a history of fighting for social justice” with the...
Principal Supervisors
A Throughline of Caring
Jan 11, 2022
I spent much of 2021 engaging deeply with leaders across the country about the transformational power that school leaders hold for leading equitable school communities. What I learned is that, when positioned properly and truly empowered to lead, principals are the...
Hope to see you at AASA’s 2019 National Conference on Education
Feb 4, 2019
The Center for Educational Leadership's executive director, Max Silverman, will take part in two panel discussions at the AASA 2019 National Conference on Education in Los Angeles. Silverman will engage in a facilitated dialogue about leadership strategies for closing...
Five priorities for the changing role of principal supervisor
Mar 15, 2018
by JUNE RIMMER We just returned from leading a really rich learning session with the first cohort of the AASA National Principal Supervisor Academy. We have the honor of providing the professional learning for this academy as well as for principal supervisors in...
Hope to see you at our sessions at the AASA National Conference on Education
Feb 12, 2018
We have three great sessions on Thursday and Friday for superintendents and principal supervisors at the AASA National Conference on Education in Nashville. Check them out! Thought leader session: AASA National Principal Supervisor Academy Thursday, February 15th,...
Applications due April 13, 2018 for AASA National Principal Supervisor Academy
Feb 9, 2018
For the 2018-2019 school year, AASA, the school superintendents association, has again partnered with the University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership to bring CEL's Principal Supervisor Professional Development Program to all central office leaders who...
3 Things All Principals Need From Their Central Office To Be Successful
Jan 28, 2016
A quick scan of education news headlines shows: the role of school principal is less satisfying and attractive than it has ever been. Whether you look at principal job satisfaction surveys or the data on principal tenure, education leaders need to wake up and figure...
4 Steps of Inquiry That Help Principals Improve Instruction
Apr 1, 2015
by SANDY AUSTIN When I ask principals what prevents them from focusing on instructional quality in their school, the number one answer I get is: time. It’s true, time is always a concern for principals, but it is not the only one. I have found that even when...
Recent Posts
Closing the Distance Between Students and School System Leadership
Feb 15, 2022
Students know an equity champion when they see one. In recent CEL equity leadership focus groups, our CEL team asked students to describe their “hero principal.” Students shared attributes of a hero principal like “a history of fighting for social justice” with the...
A Throughline of Caring
Jan 11, 2022
I spent much of 2021 engaging deeply with leaders across the country about the transformational power that school leaders hold for leading equitable school communities. What I learned is that, when positioned properly and truly empowered to lead, principals are the...
Humanizing School and District Leadership Through Student Experience
Nov 18, 2021
What would happen if school and district leaders used students’ experiences and perspectives as the basis for their leadership? In CEL’s partnerships with school systems, we ask leaders to focus on the experiences of students furthest from justice in their schools and...
Instructional Leadership Teams: 3 Tips to Get Clear for Students’ Sake
Oct 27, 2021
Instructional leadership teams (ILTs) can play a key role in creating more equitable schools that give all students the opportunity to thrive. But in our work with schools around the country, we often see a missed opportunity for teams to build clear, shared purpose...
Looking Back to Lean Forward: CEL’s 20-Year Journey
Sep 30, 2021
Dear partners and colleagues, In 2003, I was a second-year principal. At the time, my school was best known for its low standardized test scores and discipline rates. I thought that my general leadership ability was sufficient to lead a dramatic school turnaround....
