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...
The Throughline
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....
“I Really Wanted to Get to School on Time”: When Listening Guides Your Leadership
Jun 24, 2021
“Let your curiosity be greater than your fear.”- Pema Chodron “Our unconscious bias whispers, ‘We already have an anti-racist school.’ Our student data shouts, ‘You are not there yet!’ We must embrace the idea that we are all novices in the pursuit of creating a...
Your Leadership Lights the Way Forward
Jan 12, 2021
Dear partners and colleagues, This January has opened as an intense continuation of a year like no other in our collective memory. “Relentless, exhausting and humbling” is how many of you have described 2020. But when I consider your leadership this past year, very...
My role as a leader has changed — and needed to change. Here’s why.
Oct 15, 2020
“I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.” - Maya Angelou I have a confession to make: I didn’t get into education because I was excited to be a teacher. I went into education because I was eager to work for change in communities,...
Ways to Lead for Instruction Right Now
Apr 20, 2020
As schools have changed dramatically over the past month, we have been inspired by what educators are doing to continue leading for instructional improvement. I spoke recently with Chris Lennox, the superintendent of Mounds View Public Schools in Minnesota. Like other...
Acknowledging Courage on Display
Mar 18, 2020
CEL's mission is to support the work of courageous education leaders across the country. The leaders we work with show their courage each and every day in classrooms, schools and school system central offices. Over these past couple of weeks, I’ve observed with awe...
The Importance of Partnership
Oct 22, 2019
Partnership is at the heart of how our team at The University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership (CEL) works with school and system leaders across the country. Over CEL’s 18 years, we have learned again and again that multi-year collaboration in schools...
Empowering all students takes courageous leaders: CEL’s new vision for student experiences and a mission to get there
Jun 24, 2019
In this latest installment of The Throughline, Max Silverman uses his final blog post of the school year to share CEL's new vision and mission.In their recent book, Leading for Professional Learning, my colleagues Anneke Markholt, Joanna Michelson and Stephen Fink...
Leading for a new student experience in schools
Jun 10, 2019
In this latest installment of The Throughline, Max Silverman reflects on a year of conversations with leaders who are pushing for a new school experience for students. As a leader, you are continually pushing for a new set of outcomes for students, new experiences for...
Superintendent Joseph Davis: Pushing for productive struggle
Apr 8, 2019
In this latest installment of the Throughline, Max Silverman speaks with Superintendent Joseph Davis about his commitment to changing educators’ mindsets to enable the creation of rich and challenging learning environments featuring strong content for all students —...
Superintendent Jennifer Cheatham: Striving for rich student learning
Feb 25, 2019
In this latest installment of The Throughline, Max Silverman speaks with Superintendent Jennifer Cheatham about how to create deep and rich student-centered learning experiences, as well as meaningful professional development for teachers in a school system approach...
Elliot Washor: Putting students at the center of their learning
Jan 14, 2019
In this latest installment of The Throughline, Max Silverman speaks with Elliot Washor about starting with students’ interests and choice where they tackle complex challenges, moving schools away from rote learning that masquerades as innovation. Elliot Washor is the...
Gia Truong on her commitment to equitable education systems
Dec 6, 2018
In this latest installment of The Throughline, Max Silverman speaks with Gia Truong about ensuring that all students, regardless of background, experience a rigorous education, free from bias. Gia Truong is the chief executive officer at Envision Education, a...
Is your approach to student progress data-centered or student-centered?
Nov 20, 2018
Too often, we as educators confuse talking about student data and progress on key data benchmarks with actually talking about how students are progressing as learners and young people. This point is most easily seen when groups of educators are huddled around...
Ellen Dorr: A commitment to education equity and system design
Sep 27, 2018
In this inaugural interview of The Throughline, Max Silverman speaks with Ellen Dorr (@ellenjdorr) about her strong commitment to educational equity and system design. Ellen Dorr serves as the chief technology officer for the Renton School District in Washington,...
Is student-centered the latest catchphrase? Not if we can help it.
Sep 25, 2018
Lately, I have been getting very excited as I hear more and more leaders and organizations talk about “student-centered initiatives.” Often I hear this phrase about putting students in the center only to later feel disappointed when the follow-up conversations are...
Recent Posts
Aligning Decision-Making with a Vision for Student Experience
Sep 9, 2024
Over this past year, I have learned with central office leaders across the country. As with many leaders we hear from, one particular network of experienced central office leaders was feeling challenged by all of the important issues and decisions coming their way,...
Leading for Equity-Driven, Student-Focused School Leader Success
May 31, 2024
To be successful, school leaders need supportive district leaders. They need a central office team that creates the conditions for equity-driven leadership, which continuously centers students and fosters a culture of continuous improvement.
Fostering inclusion from the central office to the classroom
Apr 11, 2024
Each year the University of Washington College of Education convenes a series of webinars with education thought leaders to explore how we can center equity and leverage community voice to create more inclusive school environments and communities. In April the Center for Educational Leadership Executive Director, Max Silverman, hosted a conversation with two central office leaders, Dr. Ivan Duran, Superintendent at Highline School District, and Dr. Kelly An, Assistant Superintendent at Long Beach Unified School District.
Co-creating and leading with a vision for student experience
Mar 26, 2024
In March 2024, we hosted a webinar highlighting the journey of two educational leaders in co-creating and leading through a vision for student experience and learning. Superintendent Matt Galley and middle school Assistant Principal Cristal Campos are partners from...
Creating effective systems of principal support
Feb 29, 2024
Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS), led by Dr. Adrienne Battle, is one of the nation’s largest school districts—serving more than 80,000 students across 158 schools. MNPS’s central office–called the Support Hub in recognition of the office’s role in supporting and...
