Study shows success of Leadership Institute

According to education analyst Susan Perkins Weston of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, a review of state assessment results at schools led by members of the 2011 and 2012 Leadership Institute for School Principals

“clearly shows schools led by Leadership Institute participants delivering stronger improvement than the state as a whole. …  Looking at all subjects combined, the academic calculations show strong majorities of Leadership Institute-led schools outpacing the state as a whole.”

Specifically, the analysis, which looked at results measured by the Kentucky Performance Rating for Educational Progress (K-PREP) assessments and the Explore, Plan, and ACT readiness assessments for 2012 and 2014, revealed:

Elementary K-PREP results show schools led by Leadership Institute participants improving faster than the state. Large majorities of Leadership Institute schools improved results for all students, for low-income students, and for African-American students, and improved them faster than the state as whole.

High schools ACT results also show Leadership Institute-led participants improving faster than the state. Composite scores show large majorities of Leadership Institute schools delivering improvement faster than the state for all students, low-income students, and African-American students.

“This report shows that the Leadership Institute for School Principals is a unique and working program where the Kentucky business community can make – and, in fact, is making – a direct and important impact on the future success of our state,” said Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Dave Adkisson. “Now, we just need to pledge – together – to continue to broaden the Leadership Institute’s work to offer training to every principal in every county in the Commonwealth.”

The Leadership Institute for School Principals, which is one arm of the Kentucky Chamber Foundation, delivers cutting-edge training to help Kentucky principals:

• Build a high-performance culture
• Influence others to ensure student success
• Explore how knowledge of individual strengths and developmental needs can produce positive outcomes for students, schools and communities
• Practice new behaviors for positive results

The training, created and led by the Center for Creative Leadership, costs $9,000 per principal, but thanks to donations from individuals, businesses and communities, the program is free for participants.

“The Leadership Institute for School Principals is by far the single most beneficial, rewarding, and transformative professional development opportunity I’ve attended as a teacher or as an administrator,” said Erika Bowles, a member of the Leadership Institute Class of 2011. “The program is exceptionally crafted to give you, the administrator, a deeper understanding of your current and potential strengths as a school leader to allow you to empower, support, and keep your students and teachers moving continually forward and achieving great success.”

In the five years since the Institute was founded, the Kentucky business community has contributed $2 million toward the training, which has served more than 250 Kentucky school principals in 68 of Kentucky’s 120 counties. This year, in partnership with the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents, the Leadership Institute has expanded its offerings to include a program exclusively for Kentucky superintendents.

To put your support behind the Leadership Institute for School Principals or for more information, visit principalsleadky.com.