Building a strong educational leadership team: Key strategies and best practices

Teacher leadership presents challenges and opportunities. According to the National Education Association, it remains an underutilized school resource. Challenges include perceptions of favoritism and its impact on classroom teaching.¹

Developing educational leadership teams is crucial for fostering collaboration and driving school improvement. When empowered, teacher-leaders can build strong leadership teams in their schools.¹

Building leadership capacity in schools can impact students beyond a single classroom, as demonstrated by Dr. Kim Moore’s journey from military leader to school administrator. ² After 20 years in the military, she found joy in teaching science, and her principal immediately saw her leadership potential. ² Embracing the call to lead, Moore now serves as the first Black female superintendent of Richland School District 2 in South Carolina.^2,3 She applies her military values—leading by example, mentoring, and fostering continuous improvement—to guide her district.^2,3 Recognizing the link between trauma and academic success, she prioritizes mental health resources and creates a culture where students feel safe and valued.^2,3

This post explores leadership strategies for experienced teachers, effective leadership styles, and measuring the impact of your leadership in education.

Transitioning into leadership roles involves more than experience—it requires continuous learning and collaboration.^1,2

Educators can enhance their leadership and policy skills by enrolling in reputable degree programs that cultivate effective educational leaders. These programs focus on advanced leadership strategies, educational policy development, and practical administrative skills essential for navigating the complexities of today’s schools.

Additionally, by leading professional development for fellow educators, mentoring peers, or managing departments, educators can leverage their first-hand knowledge and newly acquired master’s level qualifications to shape school culture and drive decision-making.^1,2

To maximize their influence as leaders who can elevate students and the school community, consider, educators should consider these impactful strategies:²

• Embrace innovation: Lead by example in adopting new teaching methods, staying current with educational technology, and encouraging adaptability among staff to meet evolving student needs and challenges
• Enhance educational programming: Collaborate with school leadership to refine curriculum, manage resources effectively, and engage in continuous improvement initiatives that benefit both students and teachers
• Foster a culture of growth: Create a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive environment that promotes teamwork, open communication, and professional growth, ensuring that both staff and students thrive
• Advocate for policy and reform: Take an active role in shaping school policies, advocating for reforms that align with best practices and the needs of your school community and participate in discussions at district or state levels to drive systemic improvements

Effective leadership is not about control; it's about empowering others by fostering adaptability and encouraging initiative to uplift colleagues. Educators who are effective leaders proactively seek ways to improve student motivation and enhance school performance. They create a positive culture that benefits staff and students through collaboration and a shared purpose.

While teacher-leaders can adopt a range of leadership styles, autocratic leadership might be least suited to modern education because it could limit collaboration and creativity.

Increasingly, schools value shared decision-making and empowerment, making more democratic and transformational leadership styles a better fit for promoting student success and talent development.⁴ This means instructional leadership is an area where teacher-leaders could have the most impact.

In this role, the focus is on improving teaching practices and student outcomes.⁴ By choosing the right approach, teacher-leaders can drive student success and contribute to professional development.

A thriving school community is at the heart of effective educational leadership. Educational leaders play a key role in creating an environment where all community members—from students to teachers—feel valued and motivated to contribute to the school's overall success. Building a strong sense of school life encourages collaboration, which may help student performance and student outcomes.

Effective leaders understand that the strength of a school lies in its ability to foster connections among teachers, students, and families. This is why leadership teams work to ensure that every community member is engaged and supported. From organizing professional learning opportunities to improving classroom instruction, these strong leadership teams can contribute to a positive and inclusive school culture. The result can mean measurable progress in student achievement and the school's performance.

By prioritizing collaboration and growth, teacher leaders and administrators can inspire lasting change that benefits students, educators, and the entire school community.

How do teachers know if their leadership is having a positive impact? Key metrics—student achievement, teacher retention, and school culture—can provide insight into leadership effectiveness.

Special education teacher Dana Wrann advises collecting regular feedback from colleagues and students to refine efforts to lead change within the school or community that is effective and meaningful.⁵

When she introduced mindfulness activities in her classes, she didn’t know what to expect. She conducted pre- and post-surveys to measure their impact.⁵ The findings showed significant improvements in student engagement, relationships, and conflict management. After sharing the data with her principal, the school began a soft rollout of mindfulness practices with other teachers. Since then, Wrann has conducted community trainings and applied for a grant to further expand the program.⁵

Effective school leadership is about more than individual decision-making—it’s about creating effective educational leadership teams that collaborate to drive systemic improvement and create a supportive environment for both educators and students. School leadership team building can help identify, develop, and empower talent to strengthen their schools:^6,7

• Teacher-leaders as principals: Select and prepare expert teachers with proven success to become principals, enhancing leadership at struggling campuses

• Professional development: Provide development for principals and their teams to address pedagogical and institutional changes needed for equity and to counter systemic inequalities
• Challenging the status quo: Foster an environment where adults challenge the status quo and drive change through equitable policies, collaboration, and advocacy for marginalized groups
• Coaching for improvement: Support coaching to improve effectiveness among principals, leadership teams, and master teachers, integrating theory into practice and offering practical solutions
• Investing in human capital: Build a school-wide professional learning community to support shared vision, mutual responsibility for growth, and focus on student learning through reflective inquiry and best practices
  

There are numerous pathways for experienced teachers to transition into formal leadership roles, but the key is being actively involved beyond your classroom. Whether it’s serving on leadership committees or coaching sports after school, teacher-leaders need to be visible, using their influence to advocate for innovative programs that can transform students’ lives.

Tabatha Rosproy, who holds a master’s in education and teaches in Kansas, made history as the first early childhood educator to receive the National Teacher of the Year award.⁸ She has used her platform to champion the importance of early childhood education and social-emotional learning.⁸ Her innovative classroom is located within a retirement community, fostering meaningful interactions between young children and elderly residents.⁸ Serving in multiple leadership roles, she has helped develop the next generation of preschool educators—through roles as co-president of the Winfield National Education Association and on the Cowley County Special Services Cooperative Early Childhood Academy Team.⁸

Pursuing advanced degrees in educational leadership, obtaining certifications, or enrolling in leadership development programs can open doors to positions such as instructional coach, assistant principal, or principal. Other opportunities, such as department head roles, curriculum development, and committee leadership, offer experienced teachers a chance to shape the future of their school while remaining connected to the classroom.

Build strong leadership teams and create a school culture that prepares students for the future.

Begin your leadership journey in the University of Kansas’ online master’s in educational administration program. With the flexibility to study at your pace, you can earn your advanced degree in as few as two years.

Don’t wait to make a difference.

Contact a KU admissions outreach advisor to learn how to begin to lead with purpose and passion so you can make a difference in the lives of teachers, students, and your community.