Micro-Credentialing: A Pathway to Human-Centered, Equitable, Leadership Development

Abstract

School systems across the country are struggling to retain staff and provide continuous development opportunities. Micro-credentials, a competency-based award system, can be the learner-focused, equitable answer to the lack of leadership development training readily accessible to educators. Micro-credentials have emerged as a tool for targeted, asynchronous learning. These competency based mini-certifications allow educators to demonstrate their learning of skills specific and relevant to their work, learning goals, leadership aspirations and contribute to capacity building. The District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) is reimagining the high school experience with deep focus on youth voice and advocacy and ensuring high school prepares students with the relevant skills to be successful in the 21st century. DCPS is simultaneously attempting to respond to the mass exodus of educators from the sector with a career laddering strategy aimed at internal promotion for instructional staff. However, the 1,200 central services staff are also leaving the district due to lack of leadership development opportunities for them, but there is not yet a strategy for their development or retention. An opportunity is afoot to use the High School Redesign Director role, a school-based and central services connected role, as a case to imagine what non-instructional leadership development can be. This intersection of school based innovation with a direct link to central services presents an opportunity to support High School Redesign’s leaders and respond to the need for more leadership development for central services staff. This capstone highlights my 10 month journey leading the initial design of a micro-credential for Strategic Leadership. Drawing on a case study of the District of Columbia Public Schools' efforts to retain staff and prepare students for the 21st century, the project focuses on the High School Redesign Director role as a test case for the prototype credential. The credential is organized around four functional areas: Equity, Human Centered Design, Youth Voice, and Change Management. Over the course of a 10-month residency, I worked with the Office of Leadership Development, the Professional Learning team, and the Equity, Strategy, and Programming team to design a model for creating leadership development opportunities for non-instructional staff, while also responding to the need to make high school more relevant. By providing targeted, relevant training opportunities, the micro-credential aims to support the development and retention of non-instructional leaders in the education sector, recognizing that to change the student experience, we must also change the adult experience.