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Meet the Team: School Leadership Initiative

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Learn more about Sarah Gibbons.
Sarah Gibbons
Deputy Director, Communications
George W. Bush Institute

The Bush Institute's School Leadership Initiative created a strong, experienced, and collaborative team to work on the district cohort project. Meet the folks who are behind the strategy and on the front lines working with school districts to create lasting, positive change in school leadership.

The George W. Bush Institute’s School Leadership Initiative is equipping four school districts to find, support, and retain effective principals. Through a three year district cohort project, the Bush Institute will help these districts implement best practices on principal talent management strategies that have been identified in research by our experts. From working with human resources to refine recruitment efforts to helping superintendents enhance management skills and communication across all departments, the Bush Institute aims to create systemic change in these districts to improve school leadership, and in turn, improve student achievement.

From former principals and superintendents to experts with years of education policy experience, the Bush Institute’s School Leadership Initiative created a strong and collaborative team to work on the district cohort project. Meet the folks who are behind the strategy and on the front lines working with school districts to create lasting, positive change in school leadership: 

Click Here to Meet the Team

About the School Leadership Initiative:
The School Leadership Initiative is part of the Bush Institute Education Reform Initiative’s ongoing efforts to help improve student outcomes and the quality of schools through data and research. Research shows that principals account for 25% of a school’s total impact on student achievement. Principals play a critical role in hiring, supporting, and retaining effective teachers, improving the overall school climate, and enhancing student progress. While significant focus has been paid to effective teachers, little attention has been given to the role of the school leader despite the important role they play in student success. Rooted in President and Mrs. Bush’s belief that “excellent schools must first have excellent leaders,” the Bush Institute developed the School Leadership Initiative, formerly known as the Alliance to Reform Leadership (AREL), to dramatically improve the way our Nation’s principals are prepared and supported. The School Leadership Initiative is transforming the district level systems in place to manage principal talent, helping districts find, support, and retain great school leaders. The School Leadership Initiative is one of the Bush Institute’s flagship programs.