Meeting School Districts' Needs: Educational Leadership Preparation Program Partnerships to Design Powerful Learning Experiences

• In Event: Innovative Approaches and Considerations for Educational Leaders and Their Preparation

Abstract

One way educational leadership preparation program designers understand pressing needs of future leaders is to develop university-school district partnerships that help preparation programs enhance their authenticity, rigor, and relevance (Hitt et al., 2012). In this paper, we report findings from educational leadership preparation stakeholders connected to UCEA award-winning programs. Our primary research questions are: How do award-winning educational leadership preparation programs connect with K-12 school districts to understand the needs of their local districts and schools? and In what ways do university-district relationships influence the shaping of powerful learning experiences in preparation programs? Leadership faculty engaged in purposeful actions to learn the needs of their local district partner and to develop authentic powerful learning experiences for their leadership candidates.

Authors

• Kathleen M.W. Cunningham, University of South Carolina

• Bryan A. VanGronigen, University of Delaware

• Michelle D. Young, Loyola Marymount University