Whitman Elementary - Tulsa Public Schools

Leadership Development Program
Tulsa Public Schools’ Leadership Development program is an initiative to build the district’s
talent pool by preparing school and district leaders for the challenging landscape of urban
education. Some of the components are partially funded by district funds and other private
donors, as well as the Foundation for Tulsa Schools at $202,623, which represents a number of
private donors.
Modeled after research‐based programs and best practices, the leadership development
program focuses on five components that are being piloted during the 2011‐2012 school year:
• Assistant principal internships to support learning and development of first year
administrators and build their capacity for future leadership opportunities.
• Novice principal induction and development to provide continuous support for
principals with less than three years of experience.
• Leadership development for current principals to build their leadership skills and
provided targeted training on key areas of student learning.
• Expanded opportunities for both school and central office administrators, focused on
developing leadership skills at every level of the district.
• Staff Development Teachers positions to support on‐site professional development at
school sites and further teachers knowledge in key areas of instructional improvement,
Common Core Standards and data analysis.
Teacher Leader Effectiveness
George Kaiser Family Foundation has been an active partner with Tulsa Public Schools (TPS), as
the district seeks to transform the way teachers and leaders are trained, evaluated and
supported in classrooms and school buildings.
In 2009, through a partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, TPS launched
its Teacher and Leadership Effectiveness Initiative (TLE) after months of research and
collaboration between district administrators, principals, teachers, Tulsa Classroom Teachers
Association leadership and the broader community.
Key elements of the Initiative include:
1. Deployment of a thorough and objective teacher and leader five‐tier evaluation process
to measure the effectiveness of all professional staff;
2. Use of student performance data to inform teaching strategies and personalized
professional development;
3. Remediating ineffective teachers and exiting those who fail to improve;
4. Improving the human resources department so that highly effective teachers are
recruited, retained and supported.
As TPS has focused its efforts around TLE and seriously committed to college and career
readiness for all students, GKFF has worked with the broader Tulsa community to support this
transformation. The community has warmly responded to the changes. In spring 2011, when TPS