Defining District Goals in a Systems Transformation Collaborative: The Role of Leadership

• In Event: 66.080 - Roundtable Session 26
  In Roundtable Session: 66.080-6 - Governance and Leadership of School Districts

Abstract

District leaders need to support high-quality instruction for every student while maintaining well-managed organizations. Key to this transformation is the role of leadership in establishing a shared vision for the district with clearly defined goals. We use observational, survey, interview and focus group data from four California school districts to better understand the relationship between collaborative engagement in systems transformation and the definition and implementation of district goals. Preliminary findings suggest district-wide engagement in collaborative reform may lead to small improvements in organizational alignment around district goals. Moreover, leaders’ ability to connect district-wide reform efforts with other district initiatives seems to support a shared understanding of district goals, while high leadership turnover presents a challenge to these efforts.

Authors

• Kelsey Krausen, University of California - Davis

• Mary G Briggs, University of California - Davis

• Thomas B. Timar, University of California - Davis