Learning Forward
Equity and excellence in teaching and learning.
FOCUS
Leadership, redefined and redesigned
University-district partnership takes a new approach to principal prep
By Sarah Woulfin, Casey Cobb, Jennifer McGarry and Richard Gonzales
Categories: Career pathways, Collaboration, Leadership, Learning designs, Learning systems/planning, School leadershipDecember 2020
Vol. 41, No. 6
The role of school leaders today is more complex than ever. Just ask principals. Principals juggle a vast array of tasks, including creating and enacting an organizational vision, serving as instructional leader, nurturing a positive school culture, developing teachers’ capabilities, and fostering authentic connections with students, their caregivers, and surrounding communities. In short, principals are critical to the effectiveness of our schools, especially those serving children with the fewest advantages in life. So how can we ensure that principals have the skills to carry out this challenging and evolving job? Enter the powerful combination of university principal preparation programs and the school districts their graduates feed into. Research has demonstrated the value of university-district partnerships in supporting the development of effective school leaders, and much has
Read the remaining content with membership access. Join or log in below to continue.
Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem.
References
Covey, S.R. & Covey, S. (2020). The 7 habits of highly effective people. Simon & Schuster.
Fulmer, R.M. & Keys, J.B. (1998). A conversation with Peter Senge: New developments in organizational learning. Organizational Dynamics, 27(2), 33-42.
Gates, S.M., Baird, M.D., Master, B.K., & Chavez-Herrerias, E.R. (2019). Principal pipelines: A feasible, affordable, and effective way for districts to improve schools. RAND Corporation.
Wang, E.L., Gates, S.M., Herman, R., Mean, M., Perera, R., Berglund, R., Whipkey, K. & Andrew, M. (2018). Launching a redesign of university principal preparation programs: Partners collaborate for change. RAND Corporation.
Sarah L. Woulfin (sarah.woulfin@austin.utexas.edu; @sarahlouwou) is an associate professor in the department of educational leadership and policy at the University of Texas at Austin’s College of Education.
Casey Cobb (Casey.Cobb@uconn.edu) is Raymond Neag Endowed Professor of Educational Policy.
Jennifer McGarry (jennifer.mcgarry@uconn.edu) is professor and head of the Department of Educational Leadership.
Richard Gonzales (richard.gonzales@uconn.edu) is associate professor in residence and director of educational leadership preparation programs at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education.
Categories: Career pathways, Collaboration, Leadership, Learning designs, Learning systems/planning, School leadership
CURRENT ISSUE
Recent Issues
MAXIMIZING RESOURCES
August 2025
This issue offers advice about making the most of professional learning...
MEASURING LEARNING
June 2025
To know if your professional learning is successful, measure educators’...
NAVIGATING NEW ROLES
April 2025
Whether you’re new to your role or supporting others who are new,...
LEARNING DESIGNS
February 2025
How we learn influences what we learn. This issue shares essential...
