Modeling the Way for Change: Senior Leadership Team Development in Hartford Public Schools

Abstract

Public school districts across the nation are exploring the best ways to support their schools, students, and communities, but in the context of educational reform, districts are underused as a lever for change. Hartford Public Schools is a portfolio management district serving approximately 22,000 students, who get to choose the program that best suits their needs from 52 schools in Hartford and more schools in the surrounding area. To be effective, Hartford Public Schools has to ensure that it provides high-quality educational opportunities for all its students. This capstone explores the district’s process of transforming the central office by developing a senior leadership team to model the way for change in efforts to better support schools. I argue that developing a senior leadership team is an effective strategy for promoting change throughout the district when it includes a compelling direction, a value on teaming, a focus on learning, and a culture of trust. I describe my role in creating the conditions and establishing the culture that allow this new senior leadership team to thrive. This capstone offers important implications for district leaders, demonstrating that investing time, energy, and resources into developing high-functioning teams that learn to improve is critical for success. As the educational landscape evolves, teams who adapt quickly and learn together could be the key to ensuring district schools achieve at the same levels as the best schools in the nation.