ERIC ED597851: Typology of Teacher Leadership Programs: A Scan of U.S. Programs + Initatives That Support Teachers to Take New and Varied Roles. CPRE Research Report #RR 2019-1

1.5 MB·English

by  ERIC

University of Pennsylvania
ScholarlyCommons
Consortium for Policy Research in Education
CPRE Research Reports
(CPRE)
1-8-2019
Typology of Teacher Leadership Programs
Jill Harrison Berg
Peter Horn
Jonathan A. Supovitz
University of Pennsylvania, [email protected]
Jason Margolis
Follow this and additional works at:https://repository.upenn.edu/cpre_researchreports
Part of theEducational Leadership Commons,Other Education Commons, and theTeacher
Education and Professional Development Commons
Recommended Citation
Berg, Jill Harrison; Horn, Peter; Supovitz, Jonathan A.; and Margolis, Jason. (2019). Typology of Teacher Leadership Programs.CPRE
Research Reports.
Retrieved fromhttps://repository.upenn.edu/cpre_researchreports/109
This report is made possible through support from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation.
This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons.https://repository.upenn.edu/cpre_researchreports/109
For more information, please [email protected].
Typology of Teacher Leadership Programs
Abstract
Education leaders are perennially seeking new ways to build the capacity of teachers to enhance learning
experiences for all students. Teacher leadership, which we define as teachers’ support of the improvement of
teaching and learning beyond their own classroom, has long been a source of interest and experimentation
(Wenner & Campbell, 2017; York-Barr & Duke, 2004). Teacher leadership recognizes teachers’ instructional
expertise as an asset for educational improvement, capitalizes upon teachers’ relationships with their
colleagues to support change, and may provide career advancement opportunities to improve job satisfaction
and the professionalization of teaching. For these and other reasons, states, districts, funders and teachers
themselves have become increasingly interested in the promise of teacher leadership.
In this study, we map the landscape of teacher leadership programs across the U.S. and identify commonalities
and distinctions amongst the range of programs. Using a variety of search approaches to capture publicly-
available information, we document 285 state, local, university, and foundation-sponsored programs that use a
variety of techniques to support teachers as leaders. We then categorize the forms of support, attending to
program models, objectives, sponsorship, and audience.
We identify three major forms of support provided by teacher leadership programs: (1) preparation of
teachers with knowledge and skills that can help them to lead; (2) positioning of teachers in leadership roles
to capitalize upon their expertise; and (3) recognition of teachers as leaders through awards and other forms
of appreciation or acknowledgement. While some programs focus only on one of these approaches, most
employed a combination of these forms of support. Based on this, we define seven types of teacher leadership
programs and provide an interactive depiction of this typology, with examples, to illustrate the variation
within each of the seven types.
While there are undoubtedly programs that escaped our view, as well as homegrown and informal initiatives
that we could not document, this systematic search is the broadest scan of the teacher leadership program
landscape conducted in the Unites States to date.
Keywords
Teacher Leadership Programs, Credential Programs, Fellowship Programs, Award Programs, Consultancy
Programs, Differentiated Work Programs, Communities of Practice, Professional Advancement
Disciplines
Educational Leadership | Other Education | Teacher Education and Professional Development
Comments
This report is made possible through support from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation.
This report is available at ScholarlyCommons:https://repository.upenn.edu/cpre_researchreports/109
RREESSEEAARRCCHH RREEPPOORRTT RRRR22001199--11
TYPOLOGY OF
TEACHER LEADERSHIP
PROGRAMS
A SCAN OF U.S. PROGRAMS
+ INITATIVES THAT SUPPORT TEACHERS
TO TAKE NEW AND VARIED ROLES
March 2019
This report is made
Jill Harrison Berg, Peter Horn, Jonathan A. Supovitz, Jason Margolis possible through support
from the Nellie Mae
Education Foundation.
Consortium for Policy Research in Education cpre.org
RESEARCH REPORT RR2019-1 NAVIGATION MENU
INTRODUCTION
TYPOLOGY OF
KEY TERMS
DATA SOURCES
TEACHER LEADERSHIP ANALYSIS
RESULTS
PROGRAM DESIGNS
PROGRAMS
MODELS
OBJECTIVES
SPONSORSHIP
A SCAN OF U.S. PROGRAMS + INITATIVES THAT AUDIENCE
SUPPORT TEACHERS TO TAKE NEW AND VARIED ROLES
FORMS OF SUPPORT
Consortium for Policy Research in Education PREPARE TEACHERS AS LEADERS
RECOGNIZE TEACHERS AS LEADERS
2019 POSITION TEACHERS AS LEADERS

SEVEN TYPES OF TEACHER
LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS
Jill Harrison Berg
TYPE A: CREDENTIAL
Peter Horn PROGRAMS
TYPE B: FELLOWSHIP
Jonathan A. Supovitz PROGRAMS
TYPE C: AWARD
Jason Margolis PROGRAMS
TYPE D: CONSULTANCY
PROGRAMS
TYPE E: DIFFERENTIATED WORK
PROGRAMS
SUGGESTED CITATION
TYPE F: COMMUNITIES
Berg, J.H., Horn, P., Supovitz, J., and Margolis, J. (2019).
OF PRACTICE
Typology of Teacher Leadership Programs. Research Report
TYPE G: PROFESSIONAL
(#RR 2019-1). Consortium for Policy Research in Education,
ADVANCEMENT
Univeristy of Pennsylvania.
CONCLUSION
Access this report at: https://repository.upenn.edu/cpre_ RECOMMENDATIONS
researchreports/109
FUTURE DIRECTIONS

REFERENCES
APPENDIX A: ALL PROGRAMS
APPENDIX B: EXAMPLES OF EACH TYPE
OF TEACHER LEADERSHIP
This report is made possible through support from the PROGRAM
Nellie Mae Education Foundation.
© 2019 Consortium for Policy Research in Education,
University of Pennsylvania
RESEARCH REPORT RR2019-1 NAVIGATION MENU
INTRODUCTION
KEY TERMS
DATA SOURCES
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
PROGRAM DESIGNS
MODELS
OVERVIEW OBJECTIVES
SPONSORSHIP
AUDIENCE
FORMS OF SUPPORT
PREPARE TEACHERS AS LEADERS
Education leaders are perennially seeking new ways We identify three major forms of support provided RECOGNIZE TEACHERS AS LEADERS
to build the capacity of teachers to enhance learning by teacher leadership programs: (1) preparation of POSITION TEACHERS AS LEADERS

experiences for all students. Teacher leadership, which teachers with knowledge and skills that can help them
SEVEN TYPES OF TEACHER
we define as teachers’ support of the improvement of to lead; (2) positioning of teachers in leadership roles
LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS
teaching and learning beyond their own classroom, to capitalize upon their expertise; and (3) recognition
has long been a source of interest and experimentation of teachers as leaders through awards and other forms TYPE A: CREDENTIAL
(Wenner & Campbell, 2017; York-Barr & Duke, 2004). of appreciation or acknowledgement. While some PROGRAMS
Teacher leadership recognizes teachers’ instructional programs focus only on one of these approaches, most TYPE B: FELLOWSHIP
expertise as an asset for educational improvement, employed a combination of these forms of support. PROGRAMS
capitalizes upon teachers’ relationships with their Based on this, we define seven types of teacher TYPE C: AWARD
colleagues to support change, and may provide career leadership programs and provide an interactive PROGRAMS
advancement opportunities to improve job satisfaction depiction of this typology, with examples, to illustrate the TYPE D: CONSULTANCY
and the professionalization of teaching. For these and variation within each of the seven types. PROGRAMS
other reasons, states, districts, funders and teachers TYPE E: DIFFERENTIATED WORK
themselves have become increasingly interested in the While there are undoubtedly programs that escaped PROGRAMS
promise of teacher leadership. our view, as well as homegrown and informal initiatives TYPE F: COMMUNITIES
that we could not document, this systematic search is OF PRACTICE
In this study, we map the landscape of teacher the broadest scan of the teacher leadership program TYPE G: PROFESSIONAL
ADVANCEMENT
leadership programs across the U.S. and identify landscape conducted in the Unites States to date.
commonalities and distinctions amongst the range of
CONCLUSION
programs. Using a variety of search approaches to
RECOMMENDATIONS
capture publicly-available information, we document
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
285 state, local, university, and foundation-sponsored

programs that use a variety of techniques to support
teachers as leaders. We then categorize the forms of REFERENCES
support, attending to program models, objectives, APPENDIX A: ALL PROGRAMS
sponsorship, and audience.
APPENDIX B: EXAMPLES OF EACH TYPE
OF TEACHER LEADERSHIP
PROGRAM
3
Consortium for Policy Research in Education Typology of Teacher Leadership Programs | A Scan of U.S. Programs + Initiatives
RESEARCH REPORT RR2019-1 NAVIGATION MENU
INTRODUCTION
KEY TERMS
DATA SOURCES
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
PROGRAM DESIGNS
MODELS
OBJECTIVES
SPONSORSHIP
AUDIENCE
FORMS OF SUPPORT
PREPARE TEACHERS AS LEADERS
RECOGNIZE TEACHERS AS LEADERS
POSITION TEACHERS AS LEADERS

SEVEN TYPES OF TEACHER
LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS
TYPE A: CREDENTIAL
PROGRAMS
TYPE B: FELLOWSHIP
PROGRAMS
TYPE C: AWARD
PROGRAMS
TYPE D: CONSULTANCY
PROGRAMS
TYPE E: DIFFERENTIATED WORK
PROGRAMS
TYPE F: COMMUNITIES
OF PRACTICE
TYPE G: PROFESSIONAL
ADVANCEMENT
CONCLUSION
RECOMMENDATIONS
FUTURE DIRECTIONS

REFERENCES
APPENDIX A: ALL PROGRAMS
APPENDIX B: EXAMPLES OF EACH TYPE
OF TEACHER LEADERSHIP
PROGRAM
RRREEESSSEEEAAARRRCCCHHH RRREEEPPPOOORRRTTT RRRRRR222000111999---111
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 6 SEVEN TYPES OF TEACHER LEADERSHIP
PROGRAMS 20
KEY TERMS 7
TYPE A: CREDENTIAL PROGRAMS 21
DATA SOURCES 8 TYPE B: FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS 22
ANALYSIS 9 TYPE C: AWARD PROGRAMS 23
TYPE D: CONSULTANCY PROGRAMS 24
RESULTS 10
TYPE E: DIFFERENTIATED WORK PROGRAMS 25
PROGRAM DESIGNS 11
TYPE F: COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE 26
MODELS 12
TYPE G: PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT 27
OBJECTIVES 13
SPONSORSHIP 14 CONCLUSION 28
AUDIENCES 15 RECOMMENDATIONS 29
FUTURE DIRECTIONS 30
FORMS OF SUPPORT 16
PREPARING TEACHERS AS LEADERS 17 REFERENCES 31
RECOGNIZING TEACHERS AS LEADERS 18
APPENDIX A: ALL PROGRAMS 32
POSITIONING TEACHERS AS LEADERS 19
APPENDIX B: EXAMPLES OF EACH TYPE
OF TEACHER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM 48
RRREEESSSEEEAAARRRCCCHHH RRREEEPPPOOORRRTTT RRRRRR222000111988---10033 NAVIGATION MENU
INTRODUCTION
KEY TERMS
DATA SOURCES
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
PROGRAM DESIGNS
MODELS
INTRODUCTION OBJECTIVES
SPONSORSHIP
AUDIENCE
FORMS OF SUPPORT
PREPARE TEACHERS AS LEADERS
In the U.S. education environment, where some models for supporting teacher leadership, but RECOGNIZE TEACHERS AS LEADERS
schools succeed in supporting some students to there is scant evidence about whether any of POSITION TEACHERS AS LEADERS

high levels, yet few schools succeed in educating them make a difference for students (Wenner
SEVEN TYPES OF TEACHER
all students to high levels, the promise of teacher & Campbell, 2017), and specifically for those LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS
leadership is alluring. Why not utilize experienced students who have the most difference to make
teachers—who have instructional knowledge, up. TYPE A: CREDENTIAL
PROGRAMS
the respect of their peers, close relationships with
students and their families, and an understanding To date, there exists no comprehensive inventory TYPE B: FELLOWSHIP
PROGRAMS
of their school’s context—to expand schools’ identifying programs and initiatives that support
TYPE C: AWARD
capacity for reaching all students? teachers as leaders. Indeed, the task of compiling PROGRAMS
such an inventory is complicated by stakeholders’
TYPE D: CONSULTANCY
For decades, school-, district, and state-level varied conceptions of teacher leadership and PROGRAMS
administrators have been encouraged to seek what counts as a program, the rapid proliferation TYPE E: DIFFERENTIATED WORK
opportunities for developing teacher leadership. of new programs, and the short life cycle of most PROGRAMS
Teacher leadership has the potential to tap programs. Despite these challenges, we set out TYPE F: COMMUNITIES
OF PRACTICE
teachers’ instructional expertise as an asset for to map the landscape in a way that would allow
TYPE G: PROFESSIONAL
educational improvement, capitalize upon the us to identify key distinctions among the types of
ADVANCEMENT
teachers’ relationships with their colleagues programs and initiatives and to develop informed
to support positive changes in professional hypotheses about which types of programs might CONCLUSION
practice, enrich decision-making with teachers’ be likely to have an impact on students’ access to RECOMMENDATIONS
student-centered perspectives, and possibly high-quality teaching and learning. FUTURE DIRECTIONS
even provide career advancement opportunities
that lead to increased job satisfaction and the REFERENCES
professionalization of teaching. Yet still today,
APPENDIX A: ALL PROGRAMS
education leaders struggle with how to engage
APPENDIX B: EXAMPLES OF EACH TYPE
teachers as leaders who can play a larger role
OF TEACHER LEADERSHIP
in increasing students’ experiences with high PROGRAM
quality teaching and learning. Looking across the
landscape of U.S. schools, there are numerous
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Consortium for Policy Research in Education Typology of Teacher Leadership Programs | A Scan of U.S. Programs + Initiatives
RESEARCH REPORT RR2019-1 NAVIGATION MENU
INTRODUCTION
KEY TERMS
DATA SOURCES
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
This investigation was focused on identifying what types of
PROGRAM DESIGNS
programs and initiatives in the United States education system MODELS
OBJECTIVES
support teachers to take new and varied leadership roles. SPONSORSHIP
AUDIENCE
FORMS OF SUPPORT
KEY TERMS
PREPARE TEACHERS AS LEADERS
RECOGNIZE TEACHERS AS LEADERS
POSITION TEACHERS AS LEADERS

SEVEN TYPES OF TEACHER
LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS
To steer our work, we developed the following “Teachers and Roles”
definitions: TYPE A: CREDENTIAL
Some teachers may hold full-release roles in their PROGRAMS
“Programs and Initiatives” and “Leadership” districts or special assignments with non-profits TYPE B: FELLOWSHIP
and other organizations, while others teach PROGRAMS
Teachers are supported as leaders in many full-time or hold hybrid roles. We took the widest TYPE C: AWARD
ways, well beyond those entities formally possible view of both “teachers” and “teacher PROGRAMS
organized as “programs.” We considered leader roles,” and tried to consider all ways TYPE D: CONSULTANCY
PROGRAMS
the range of ways in which teachers might those with teaching expertise and experience
be intended or understood as influencing the might influence the quality of teaching and TYPE E: DIFFERENTIATED WORK
PROGRAMS
quality of teaching and learning beyond their learning outside the classroom.
TYPE F: COMMUNITIES
own classrooms, including policies, contracts,
OF PRACTICE
credentials, awards, and web-based tools. “Support”
TYPE G: PROFESSIONAL
ADVANCEMENT
“The United States Education System” In what ways might teacher leadership
programs and initiatives assist teachers to CONCLUSION
Context matters, and teachers work in nested assume new and varied leadership roles? With
RECOMMENDATIONS
systems that include the classroom, team, scant guidance from the existing literature, we
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
school, district, state, region, and country. took a broad perspective on “forms of support”

We took an organizational perspective in the and used the forms that emerged from the
search, tracking where programs were situated scan to inform the typology. After compiling the REFERENCES
within systems and considering their scope of inventory of programs and initiatives, we sought APPENDIX A: ALL PROGRAMS
influence. For practical reasons we limited the to identify patterns of support.
APPENDIX B: EXAMPLES OF EACH TYPE
search to the United States.
OF TEACHER LEADERSHIP
PROGRAM
7
Consortium for Policy Research in Education Typology of Teacher Leadership Programs | A Scan of U.S. Programs + Initiatives
RESEARCH REPORT RR2019-1 NAVIGATION MENU
INTRODUCTION
KEY TERMS
DATA SOURCES
ANALYSIS
RESULTS
PROGRAM DESIGNS
MODELS
OBJECTIVES
SPONSORSHIP
DATA SOURCES
AUDIENCE
FORMS OF SUPPORT
PREPARE TEACHERS AS LEADERS
RECOGNIZE TEACHERS AS LEADERS
POSITION TEACHERS AS LEADERS
We employed multiple strategies to identify For all of these sources we utilized a

potential candidates for the inventory. First, “snowball” approach, following leads to
SEVEN TYPES OF TEACHER
we tapped into our own networks including identify additional programs and initiatives LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS
partnerships between the Consortium for and collecting key identifying information
TYPE A: CREDENTIAL
Policy Research in Education (CPRE) and such including program name, primary owner/
PROGRAMS
organizations as the Education Commission sponsor, location of program headquarters
TYPE B: FELLOWSHIP
of the States (ECS), the National Association (state), program scope (e.g. district, regional, PROGRAMS
of State Boards of Education (NASBE), the national), and webpage URL. We then TYPE C: AWARD
National Governors Association (NGA), and visited program websites and retrieved more PROGRAMS
others. Research team members also reached complete information including program TYPE D: CONSULTANCY
PROGRAMS
out to a range of other relevant networks, mission, activities, participants, and partners, as
TYPE E: DIFFERENTIATED WORK
including the Teacher Leadership Congress well as program logistics such as recruitment,
PROGRAMS
Network, the University of Florida’s Lastinger timeline, and cohort size. Such information was
TYPE F: COMMUNITIES
Center, and the National Board for Professional not consistently available for all programs. OF PRACTICE
Teaching Standards. TYPE G: PROFESSIONAL
Between October 2017 and June 2018, we ADVANCEMENT
Second, we conducted an internet search captured over 350 entries in the database.
CONCLUSION
for program websites as well as documented After disqualifying those programs which
RECOMMENDATIONS
programs within research literature, had ended, we retained 285 programs and
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
professional journals, conference programs, initiatives in the inventory.

Twitter feeds, and online news outlets. Third, we
paid special attention to states with licensure REFERENCES
regulations or endorsements for teacher APPENDIX A: ALL PROGRAMS
leaders, and organizations that support such
APPENDIX B: EXAMPLES OF EACH TYPE
efforts. OF TEACHER LEADERSHIP
PROGRAM
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Consortium for Policy Research in Education Typology of Teacher Leadership Programs | A Scan of U.S. Programs + Initiatives