Balanced Leadership work unites Cleveland Schools

The Challenge

School leaders in Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD)—a large and diverse urban district affected by high poverty, low achievement, violence, high mobility, declining enrollment, and inconsistent funding—struggled to raise student achievement. With a goal to become a “premier school district in the United States,” the district needed a common vocabulary for its leaders to have meaningful conversations focused on academic achievement.

Strategic Solution

To ground all of their building- and district-level leaders in the latest research on leadership, CMSD turned to McREL, who worked with the Cuyahoga County Educational Service Center to tailor a plan for training 112 Pre-K-12 principals on the 21 responsibilities and 66 associated practices of effective leadership that positively impact student achievement. Closely collaborating with the district, McREL consultants conducted strategic review meetings and worked in smaller groups in principals’ own regions, when needed.

Results

A new research-based shared vocabulary grounds CMSD principals and helps them apply key concepts from McREL’s Balanced Leadership Framework® to the district’s goals and teachers’ practices. The Framework provides the content and tools for school and district leaders to focus on doing the right work and to connect with each other.

Next Steps

In 2008, CMSD continued with a second year of training. Using the Balanced Leadership Profile® online survey tool, principals learned the extent to which they each fulfilled the 21 responsibilities of effective school leaders. A select group of six administrators will deliver future professional development.