FIGURE 4EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM: OVERVIEW OF PARTICIPANTSWith a focus on teacher leadership, ELP helpsschools build a pipeline of well-prepared leaderswith diverse backgrounds and expertise.INCOMING During the SCHOOL 2012-13 ROLE school year, 315 participants nationwide included:213ETHNICITYGRADE LEVEL TAUGHTElementary: 41%Middle school: 15%K-8: 23%Secondary: 20%K-12: 2%67AfricanAmerican: 55%White: 25%Hispanic: 5%Asian: 3%Multiracial: 3%N/A: 7%TYPE OF SCHOOLDistrict: 86%Charter: 12%Other: 2%16 19GENDERSTEMTeachersAssistantprincipalsInstructional Counselors,coaches departmentheads and otherpositionsFemale: 75%Male: 20%N/A: 5%STEMteacher: 64%Program GrowthBayArea3152652011-12 2012-134102013-144422014-15ChicagoCMemphisCharlotteNew York CityNewarkBaltimoreWashington, D.C.Prince George’sCountyArlingtonDuval CountyNew OrleansEnrollment data from the 2012-13 school year. Some percentages do not add to 100 due to incomplete demographic data.Source: New Leaders.14 | UNTAPPED
Candidates are recommended to apply by their principals,and may only enroll with their principal’s commitment tothe program. Admission is competitive. Even with a targetednomination process, one-third of applicants ultimately do notmeet our selection standards (Figure 5).In the application portfolio, candidates submit a recommendationfrom their supervisor, case study and critique of avideotaped lesson, along with other evidence to demonstrate thefollowing:• Deep instructional knowledge• A strong belief that all students can succeed in collegeand careers• A track record of strong student achievement results• The interpersonal skills to build trusting relationships withadults and students in diverse settings• The desire and potential to influence adult behaviors• Dedication to forging a school culture that cultivatespersistence and love of learning among students• The confidence to prioritize and problem solve appropriatelywhen confronted with competing prioritiesSkillsELP standards are based on two hallmarks of successful schoolleadership: rigorous, data-driven instruction and achieving ashared vision of success. Throughout the training year, participantsstudy and practice specific skills within four high-impactleadership domains:• Instructional Leadership, including setting high expectationsfor all students, applying content expertise, leadingdata-driven instruction and coaching teachers.• Personal Leadership, including receiving feedback and self-reflectingto continuously improve performance and instruction.• Culture Leadership, including building expectations,systems and incentives to promote urgency and efficacyamong adults to improve student achievement.• Adult Leadership, including communicating skillfully,motivating a team, giving constructive feedback andfacilitating effective meetings.These domains stem from our Transformational LeadershipFramework, a set of critical leadership competencies thatforms the basis of our principal training programs. 25 Wedeveloped the framework based on a comprehensive researchreview and visits to more than 100 rapidly improving schoolsserving low-income students. At those schools, expectationswere high, the mission was clear and there were well-definedstrategies in place for staff, students and families to follow insupport of shared goals.FIGURE 5ELP ADMISSIONS, 2012-13Even with a targeted nominationprocess, one in three applicantswas not admitted to ELP.ApplicantsOfferedadmissionStarted theprogram360315Source: New Leaders ELP admissions andenrollment data, 2012-13 school year.572“They always say thetop is lonely, but I don’tthink [my principal]feels lonely. We allbear the same weight.And what I’ve learnedfrom New Leadersis, we understandwhere our gaps are.”ELP Participant and AssistantPrincipal, New York25 Desravines, J., & Fenton, B. (2015). School leadership playbook: A field guide for dramatic improvement. New York, NY: Jossey-Bass.UNTAPPED | 15
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