San Francisco Unified School District Leadership Development Initiative

In 2008, ISKME conducted a one-year evaluation study to inform and support the success of the Leadership Initiative, a collaborative partnership between the San Francisco School Alliance (SFSA), San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), UC Berkeley (UCB), and Partners in School Innovation (PartnersSI). The Leadership Initiative was formed to facilitate leadership development in SFUSD, and sought to transform the way school leaders are recruited, prepared and supported throughout their careers. A central aspect of the initiative’s work has been the development of concrete leadership competencies that delineate clear expectations about what school leaders need to know and do to improve instruction and therewith student achievement.

Through interviews with members of the Leadership Initiative, including district personnel and initiative partners, the ISKME sought to examine the collaborative efforts of SFSA and its partners in developing and implementing the leadership competencies, and to inform the efforts to align the Leadership Initiative’s work to the district’s own needs and strategic plan.