Learning While Leading 

Learning While Leading (LWL) Project

This project is supported by a $4M, 5-year, Education, Innovation and Research (EIR) grant awarded to the ROE 17 by the U.S. Department of Education.

LWL Project Purpose

• To provide professional learning and coaching support to educators with a Type 75 or principal endorsement who are not in a school leadership position but have been identified by the district as high-potential candidates for future principal vacancies.
• To address the principal shortage by tapping into teachers and teacher leaders with principal certification (Type 75 or Principal Endorsement) and design succession planning system through a local low-cost Grow Your Own model.

LWL Participant Criteria

Participant must be an educator in a public elementary, middle, or high school that possesses a Type 75 certificate or Principal Endorsement but is not currently serving in a principal or assistant principal position.

Participant must be interested in pursuing a school principal or assistant principal position in  2023-2024 school year.

Participant must have sign off by their district and school to participate in the project, including training/coaching support and completion of a year-long continuous improvement project with a team of teachers during the 2022-2023 school year.

Participant is encouraged to participate in Lead|Ed Professional Learning Series after acquiring a principal’s position.

Participant must participate in data collection requirements of the grant, including annual surveys by West Ed (project evaluator).

LWL District/School Criteria

Public school districts that have a principal vacancy anticipated in the FY24 school year and can identify an internal high-potential candidate that is not currently serving as an assistant principal or principal.

Qualifying districts must participate in ISBE’s required annual standardized student assessment and 5 Essentials Survey.

The district must commit to supporting the LWL candidate during the project, including:

• Providing support for LWL participant to complete school improvement project, including: team of teachers.
• Allow participation of LWL participant in New Principal Mentoring program and Lead|Ed professional learning series (if the candidate is hired in the district).
• Allow participation of CALL survey in school where LWL participant is hired, if hired in the district.

Note: Districts are not required to hire the LWL participant in a principalship as we encourage all District partners to follow their customary principal hiring process, with participants in the project applying for positions in the same manner as other candidates.