Learning to Sustain Improvement Initiatives: The Case of Principal Pipelines

• In Event: Thinking Long-Term: Retaining Educators and Sustaining Efforts to Improve Districts and Schools

Abstract

This paper examines how district leaders consider sustainability when developing and implementing new initiatives. We describe an emerging framework for sustainability, applying it to principal pipelines in a mixed-methods study of 84 school districts and four in-depth case studies. Principal pipelines are one initiative that continues to gain traction to support and develop effective school leadership. The results highlight the facets of implementation for sustainability, such as social networks that connected the work of leadership pipelines to strategic plans and district departments to create strong social and organizational awareness of pipelines and reduce silos. Knowledge of the approaches and conditions that support sustainability of principal pipelines can inform research and practice as districts work to invest in sustainable change initiatives.

Authors

• Kathryn James McGraw, Vanderbilt University

• Ellen B. Goldring, Vanderbilt University

• Mollie Rubin, Policy Studies Associates