Partnering for a Diverse K–12 Principal Preparation Pipeline

• In Event: Roundtable Session 38
  In Roundtable Session: New Developments in School-University Collaborative Research

Abstract

In 2015, a state university and an urban K12 school district agreed to partner to design a satellite in-district school leader preparation program that would increase both selectivity and diversity in the candidate pool and address district workforce diversity goals through retention and development.
The program resulted in a graduate cohort of 21 students, which is 95% educators of color and actually more selective than traditional campus cohorts. The partnership addressed district retention issues and addressed the need for a more diverse workforce.
The project also uncovered reasons why urban educators-of-color hesitate to apply to graduate university programs (even when the programs are in close proximity, affordable, and diverse) and pointed to superior recruitment methods.

Authors

• Jack Leonard, University of Massachusetts - Boston

• Ceronne B. Daly, Boston Public Schools