Recruit, Select, and Support: Turnaround Leader Competencies

Leading school turnaround is complex work, but research shows that there are specific competencies that school leaders need for successful turnaround efforts. This professional learning module can help regional comprehensive centers and state education agency staff learn how to use these competencies to recruit, select, and provide ongoing support to school principals working in a turnaround context. The material was developed through a partnership among four organizations:  the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders, The Center on School Turnaround, Public Impact, and University of Virginia (UVA) Darden/Curry Partnership for Leaders in Education. The module is divided into three parts:

Part 1: Understanding Turnaround Leader Competencies

  • Acknowledge the unique challenges of leading school turnaround.
  • Identify leader competencies and actions associated with turnaround success.
  • Understand the importance of competencies in turnaround leader selection and development.
  • Analyze school leader behaviors to identify evidence of competencies.

Facilitator's Guide
Facilitator's Guide

Agenda
Handouts

Slides Part 1
Slides

 

 

 

 

 

Part 2: Recruiting and Selecting Turnaround Leaders

  • Understand the importance of competencies in recruiting and selecting turnaround leaders.
  • Understand how to recruit leaders with competencies to turn around persistently low-performing schools.
  • Design a competency-based interview and selection process for turnaround leaders.
  • Assess and improve the recruitment and selection process to more effectively select turnaround leaders.

Facilitator's Guide
Facilitator's Guide

Agenda
Handouts

Slides Part 1
Slides

 

 

 

 

 

Part 3: Developing and Retaining Turnaround Leaders 

  • Determine district structures for principal support.
  • Define the role and responsibility of the principal supervisor.
  • Examine individual and district professional development structures.

Facilitator's Guide
Facilitator's Guide

Agenda
Handouts

Slides Part 1
Slides

 

 

 

 

 

Download PDF copies of each file or request copies of the materials in Microsoft Word format by e-mailing gtlcenter@air.org. The GTL Center offers additional support for modifying the materials to suit your context.
 


Note on Adapting the Modules

The modules are designed so that facilitators can adopt them as written or modify the content to reflect state and local context, needs, and priorities.

If modifications to content are made, the GTL Center requests that the following disclaimer be included in the revised materials: These materials have been adapted in whole or in part with permission from the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders, Center on School Turnaround, Public Impact, and the University of Virginia Darden/Curry Partnership for Leaders in Education.


Partner Organizations

Center on School Turnaround_WestEd
UVA
Public Impact