District Systems to Support Equitable and High-Quality Teaching and Learning. Brief No. 10

This brief is one in a series aimed at providing K-12 education decision makers and advocates with an evidence base to ground discussions about how to best serve students during and following the novel coronavirus pandemic. It addresses one central question: What changes in central office systems are likely to support principals in leading for equitable, high-quality teaching and learning? In order to answer this question, the brief breaks down the issue into two points: (1) Principal leadership is essential to equitable, high-quality teaching and learning; and (2) Central offices formed at the turn of the 20th century to handle business and regulatory functions; only in the past 20 years have they been called on and supported to lead for high-quality teaching and learning. Not surprisingly, then, support for principals' equity-focused instructional leadership typically requires fundamental shifts in specific central office systems. Based on these points, the brief provides five strategies to consider and three strategies to avoid.