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Practice Dissemination and Policy Advocacy

Our Approach

Given our desire for IMPACT, we share our expertise and our work to impact urban education in a variety of modes. 

Policy Advocacy for principal preparation

Policy Briefs

Selection of School Leadership Candidates for UIC’s EdD Urban Education Leadership Program, Part II, June 2018

In the second of two continuous improvement briefs on selection, Center researchers and EdD program administrators describe how they build program capacity to assess & measure the characteristics they associate with school leader success.

Selection of School Leadership Candidates for UIC’s EdD Urban Education Leadership Program, Part I, April 2017

In this continuous improvement brief on selection, Center researchers and EdD program administrators describe the development of an admissions process to assess characteristics they associate with school leader success.

Principal Roles, Work Demands, and Supports Needed to Implement New Teacher Evaluation. June 2014

In 2014, CUEL staff released a policy brief on what principals and districts must do to support new teacher evaluation reforms across states.

 

 
Policy Advocacy in Illinois
State Legislative Task Force

The CUEL was asked by the state of Illinois to lead the state Legislative Task Force on School Leader Preparation resulting in a 2010 law which closed all existing principal preparation programs after 2012 and required programs to re-apply for P-12 state principal endorsement under a far more rigorous set of outcome-based criteria. Illinois principal policy has been recognized in studies by the Wallace Foundation and the University Council for Education Administration (UCEA) and was also recognized with the Education Commission of States Frank Newman Award for State Innovation. The Wallace Foundation in late 2016 posted a series of videos on the transformation of leadership policy in Illinois.

State and National Policy Advocacy Beyond Illinois
Professional Development for CPS 

CUEL faculty have for the last three years led professional development for CPS Network Chiefs who supervise nearly 600 principals in Chicago Public Schools.

 

Higher Education

CUEL received Wallace Foundation grants to work with the University of Connecticut and Western Kentucky University to assist them in developing their leadership development programs. The CUEL has worked with the Education Commission of the States and the National Governor’s Council as well as higher education leaders in Connecticut, Minnesota, North Carolina, New York, Tennessee, Texas, and Vermont on school leadership development policy.

 

National Associations

In May 2013, the National Governors Association cited UIC’s work in a paper on early childhood.  The National Association of Elementary School Principals featured UIC’s program in its early childhood leadership handbook for principals.  CUEL staff also served on the review panel of the Institutes of Medicine/National Research Council volume, Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8.

 

Policy Organizations

Local, state, and national organizations look to the Center for Urban Education Leadership for counsel and leadership. UIC has worked with national policy organizations, such as:

National Council of State Legislatures

    • National Governors’ Association
    • State Higher Education Executive Officers
    • Education Writers Association
    • Education Trust
    • Wallace Foundation
    • Illinois Large Unit District Association
    • Council of the Great City Schools

 

Practice Dissemination

Videos that Feature CUEL Work
Center for Policy Research in Education. (2016, January). K-3 Policymaker’s Guide to Action: Learning from the Education Commission of the States 

This video discusses the workforce development of teachers and leaders with an increased emphasis in K-3.

Center for Urban Education Leadership. (2016, July 16). Center for Urban Education Leadership: Preparing great school leaders 

This video discusses how CUEL and the EdD program transform high-needs urban schools by developing and supporting skilled and visionary school leaders.

Chicago Bar Association. (2016, August 30). Educational inequality in America 

This video discusses the inequities of America’s schools and what must done to turn this situation around.

The Wallace Foundation. (2016, Oct. 18). Episode One: The State – creating a bold plan 

This video discusses how Illinois transformed principal preparation and licensure with the help of UIC.

The Wallace Foundation. (2016, Oct. 18). Episode Three: The University of Illinois/Chicago – rethinking principal training II 

This video discusses UIC EdD program’s development and evolution as a means to improve urban schools.

The Wallace Foundation. (2016, Oct. 18). Episode Four: The district – Pulling the plan together 

This video discusses how elements of Illinois’ work to upgrade principal training and licensure have contributed to Chicago’s recent success.

Expert Panels Regarding Principal Preparation
Select Tweets

Special Leadership Topics