District Systems to Support Equitable and High-Quality Teaching and Learning

Meredith Honig | University of Washington
Lydia Rainey | University of Washington

Key Insights

PRINCIPAL SUPERVISORS: Principal supervisors support principals’ instructional leadership growth when they dedicate their time to that work and coach principals from a teaching and learning approach, maintaining their instructional focus even amid operational demands.

TEACHING & LEARNING: Teaching & Learning (T&L) units bolster principals’ equity-focused instructional leadership by supporting their use of a common, research-based definition of high-quality, culturally responsive teaching and by helping principals foster true teacher learning communities with the autonomy and resources necessary for teacher success.

HUMAN RESOURCES: Human Resources (HR) staff fuel principals’ equity-focused instructional leadership when they recruit and select teachers based mainly on performance, and when they strategically partner with principals to ensure teachers are in the right roles and teams for their success, with an emphasis on recruiting and retaining teachers of color.

DATA SYSTEMS: District data systems support principals’ equity-focused instructional leadership by providing principals with ready access to information about their students and staff that helps principals take a strengths-based and anti-racist approach.

OPERATIONAL STAFF: Operational staff help principals engage in equity-focused instructional leadership when they provide high-quality services to schools and strategically partner with principals to ensure that facilities, transportation, and food services in particular support each school’s instructional program.