The Role of a District Teacher Leadership Program in Supporting School and District Improvement Initiatives

Distributed leadership and collaboration was the focus of one district’s investment in teacher leadership as a way to improve instruction and better serve a changing student population. The district’s five-year teacher leadership initiative became a vehicle to introduce new programs, recognize the expertise of teachers, and provide teacher leaders with opportunities to be involved in implementing changes in their classroom, school and district. This study examined the school and district impact of the program in developing teachers’ leadership skills and the ways in which teachers subsequently engaged in school and district leadership activities.