Developing collective leadership
We work with educators to collectively lead and create co-ownership of improvement in schools, districts, and education systems.
At CTQ, we believe teachers and administrators working together can transform public schools for every student. The work of leading schools is too complex for any educator to do alone. School improvement is a collective effort, focused on shared goals and work. But how can you ensure your team stays focused on the right things, gets results, and continuously improves?
Collective leadership is a set of practices ensuring that team members participate in important decisions impacting student learning and schoolwide success. Traditional approaches to leadership tend to focus on developing individual leaders in general ways. Collective leadership practice is different in that it considers the purpose for leadership first, then embeds relevant skills within every classroom and team in a school or district. The result is the development of leaders collectively focused on the work across a school rather than the development of an individual leader.
CTQ can support your team’s collective leadership efforts through
Consulting – Not sure where to start? We can help your team clearly define challenges, identify root causes, and develop a strategy to address both.
Design days – Want to be sure stakeholders are involved in designing how collective leadership is structured and implemented? Our team has extensive experience working with diverse stakeholders to design solutions that work.
Facilitating communities of practice – Want to make sure teams are learning from and with each other? CTQ has facilitated communities of practice at all levels of the education system.
Online learning through interactive webinars – Interested in learning from experts from across the country without the expense of travel? Join the CTQ collective leadership webinar series. You can engage in real time as the webinar takes place, or watch the recording when the time fits your schedule. (See below for more information)
Online tools and resources – Want to learn more before jumping in? Access our extensive online tools and resources that include school stories, voices from the field, and the collective leadership playbook.
Online resources
Interactive webinars
School stories
Interested in what collective leadership looks like? The school stories linked below provide insights into two schools that have implemented collective leadership.
Voices from the field
State Superintendent of Education in South Carolina, Molly Spearman
In her blog, Collective leadership: An approach, not a program, Molly Spearman said, “Teachers stay in schools where there is a culture and climate of meaningful collaboration and commitment to growth.” This sentiment is what drove her support of the Collective Leadership Initiative (CLI), a partnership between CTQ and the South Carolina Department of Education. CLI provides direct support to educators in schools who are working to start or strengthen collective leadership. Now with multiple cohorts collective leadership is scaling across the state.
Program administrator for Innovative Professional Development (iPD) in California, Nader Twal
In Building collective leadership from the central office, Nader Twal provides insight into why and how collective leadership can make a difference for students and educators. In his blog, he shares how administrators at both the school and district levels can help start or strengthen collective leadership.
True leadership isn’t threatened by the leadership of others. Every leader should want to bring his/her best to a team.
Nader Twal
Intervention specialist for gifted students in Hartville, Ohio, Tricia Ebner
In Three keys to foster collective leadership, Tricia Ebner shares her perspective as a practicing educator about how teachers and administrators alike can create a climate for collective leadership to thrive.
The collective leadership playbook
Are you ready to get started? Complete the form below and someone from our team will connect with you soon.
