Hundreds of principals from schools across North Carolina are joining a new statewide initiative aimed at building instructional leadership in the state’s highest-needs schools.
Led by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s Office of District & Regional Support, the North Carolina Instructional Leadership Academy (NC ILA) is a partnership between the state agency and Relay Graduate School of Education, an institution with programs in cities nationwide, to help principals build their capacity and strengthen the quality of teaching and learning in their schools.
The initiative calls for the participation of as many as 1,600 school and district leaders in a two-year professional development fellowship. The program is being funded through the state’s federal COVID-relief Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) allocation.
Anson County Schools will not only participate in this two-year fellowship receiving face to face training with other principals in the Piedmont and Southwest regions, but will also receive intensive, job-embedded coaching for all their school leaders. Anson County Schools will also have access to successful turnaround leaders from across the country through virtual coaching.
Cynthia Martin, Senior Director of District & Regional Support, said the initiative brings an unparalleled opportunity to school leaders and academic coaches working in high-needs schools across the state.
“Relay’s leadership programming is based on proven, research-based leadership practices that create school communities with strong culture, rigorous instruction and dramatic student achievement,” Martin said. “The programs’ core skills and practices emphasize many of the best practices used by highly effective school leaders across the nation to achieve outstanding student outcomes. Relay’s national programs have a demonstrated track record in developing leaders that can transform schools.”
The program was piloted in North Carolina during the 2021-22 school year in 12 schools in the Public Schools of Robeson County and has now been expanded to include all schools in the district.
The first year of the program will focus on leading an equity-centered student culture and on observation and feedback. The second year will be focus on weekly data meetings and leading planning meetings. Anson County Schools will have 36 slots for principals, school instructional leads, and those from the central office who support principals.
Howard McLean, the district superintendent, described this as an excellent professional development opportunity that will build district leaders’ capacity and improve student outcomes.