The Leadership Challenge
Virginia’s Fairfax County Public School district (FCPS) has undergone dramatic demographic changes over the last five years. As the 12th largest school district in the country, FCPS is growing at a staggering rate of 4,000-6,000 students annually. This encompasses dramatic increases in minority and low-income students, representing some 60 different languages and backgrounds.
In conjunction with the exponential growth of the student population, the district faces the prospect of a continuing wave of retirements among current principals. From 2000 to 2005, there was a 68% turnover rate in school leadership across the district, with an average of 60-70 administrative openings per year since 2002; these rates are expected to remain steady through 2009. FCPS not only needs to accelerate the process for replenishing its depleted leadership ranks with talented individuals, it also needs to find highly motivated and well-equipped leaders who can meet the challenge of educating such a diverse, and growing, student body.
The District Approach
FCPS changed its focus on recruiting outside candidates through traditional methods of marketing and advertising to a “grow your own” approach that invests in potential leaders from within the district. With the Wallace grant, FCPS focused resources and training efforts to build leadership for those schools with the largest numbers of disadvantaged students. The district collaborated with a local university and the Virginia Department of Education to design and launch a fast-track program for educators seeking certification in administration. To qualify, participants are required to be current FCPS employees, with a masters degree and at least five years of teaching experience.
The resulting Accelerated Certification Cohort program includes a summer institute and internship with a carefully selected mentor, university coursework and an individual leadership development plan. The coursework and a final project help these future principals meet the actual pressing needs of teachers, students and families in a high-needs school. If students’ reading scores are low, for example, one such project might consist of teacher training in reading instruction, parent engagement to explain homework responsibilities and what they can do to be helpful, and setting up an after-school schedule to allow for additional reading instruction.
Prior to receiving certification, program participants will be prepared to pass the state-mandated School Leaders Licensure Assessment.
District Results
The first cohort of 15 Accelerated Certification participants began their training in May 2005, passed the state-mandated assessment and will be ready to assume administrative positions by July 2006. Additionally, this cohort is helping FCPS meet its diversity challenges. Eight of the 15 members are from under-represented minorities, including 6 African-Americans and 2 Asians; 12 are female. In spring 2006, a new cohort of participants will be selected and begin training.