Resources

This CenterView focuses on teacher leaders as instructional leaders and how districts can enable successful teacher leadership to improve standards-aligned instructional practices.

In the current landscape of rigorous standards implementation, teacher leadership is gaining increased attention and interest as a school improvement practice. Moreover, the Every Student Succeeds Act calls out teacher leadership as an intervention strategy. How can districts foster strong teacher leadership where teachers are prepared and empowered to lead collaborative learning opportunities with peers, while helping to build a school or district’s instructional leadership capacity?

In the Teacher Practice Networks initiative, facilitated by the Center for the Future of Teaching & Learning, districts and outside organizations partner to leverage their combined expertise to develop teacher leadership skills; deepen content pedagogical knowledge; and support meaningful, teacher-to-teacher professional learning.

This CenterView discusses the work of the initiative, including:

• A framework for teacher leadership roles and responsibilities focused on improving instructional practices
• District conditions and practices that foster teacher leadership
• Benefits to partnering with an organization to build and strengthen systemwide teacher leadership
• Resources for planning, implementing and sustaining teacher leadership

This issue is the first in a series on teacher leadership for supporting teachers in advancing college- and career-readiness instructional practices.