Description:

When it comes to leading reforms in urban school districts, superintendents face a unique set of challenges – often with highly fractured constituents and stakeholders, limited operational capacity, enormous achievement gaps, a lack of resources, and a dependency on the state.

How can superintendents drive radical change and innovation in their districts? How do they conceive of their roles in relation to the problems they are trying to solve? What are the lessons learned about theories of action, strategy, and implementation?

In addition to discussing experiences with the management of large, city school districts, this forum will also explore the larger accountability environment in urban school districts and the changes set into motion by the Every Student Succeeds Act, and discuss what gets in the way and what fosters improvement in these settings.

Speakers:

  • Tom Boasberg,superintendent, Denver Public Schools
  • Tommy Chang, superintendent, Boston Public Schools
  • Kaya Henderson, former chancellor, District of Columbia Public Schools