
Learning While Leading (LWL)Â Project
This project is supported by a $4M, 5-year, Education, Innovation and Research (EIR)Â grant awarded to 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)Â 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 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 must actively pursue a principal position in 2023-2024 school year and participate in the New Principal Mentoring program offered through this grant (housed at DuPage ROE).
•Participant must participate in Lead|Ed Professional Learning Series during 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school year
•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 with a 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:Â 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.