Implementing Policy Priorities Through Skillful Leadership
Successful implementation of large-scale, equity-minded developmental education reforms requires sustained and skillful leadership at all levels of a higher education institution.
Individuals such as deans, chairs, vice presidents, and directors are almost always the employees responsible for translating high-level policy priorities into implementation plans, yet they have little formal authority to require change. The leadership skills of these leaders—sometimes referred to as mid-level managers—play a crucial role in student success efforts.
Mid-level managers, those who report to executive leaders and supervise frontline faculty and staff, must hone a particular set of leadership skills that expand their capacity to influence others and motivate action.
To that end the Dana Center, in partnership with Sova Solutions and Strong Start to Finish, have released a new toolkit for mid-level managers designed to help build the essential leadership capacity for equity-focused reform. The toolkit includes a variety of resources, from case studies to assessment rubrics, that support mid-level managers in cultivating an environment where student-centered reforms can thrive in their institution.
Sova and the Dana Center will be incorporating the toolkit into our work with mid-level managers from around the country.
About the Author
Jeremy Martin
In my 6 years teaching in Austin-area schools, I worked hard every day to create a caring, inclusive, and empowering classroom community for my students. Now I work on the policies that shape what happens in classrooms in Texas and beyond. One of the reasons that I remain motivated by the mission of the Center—equity, access, and excellence in math and science education—is to ensure that all students can reclaim a place in the community of mathematical learners.
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