Learning First!: A School Leader's Guide to Closing Achievement Gaps »

Carolyn Kelley is a professor of educational leadership and policy analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is an internationally recognized scholar in teacher compensation policy whose research focuses on the preparation and professional development of school leaders, and teacher evaluation and compensation as elements of strategic human resource management in schools. Her current research attempts to build a shared conception of mastery in educational leadership by examining the practices of principals who have closed achievement gaps and significantly improved learning for all students. Through this work, she seeks to build formative assessment tools and intervention strategies to improve leadership practice in schools. Kelley earned her PhD from Stanford University (1993) and conducted research with Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE) from 1989 to 2002. Her publications include over 30 journal articles, book chapters, and research reports, and she is the coauthor of two books: Learning First! A School Leader's Field Guide to Closing Achievement Gaps (with James J. Shaw, Corwin Press, 2009), and Paying Teachers for What they Know and Do: New and Smarter Compensation Strategies to Improve Schools (with Allan Odden, Corwin Press, 1997 and 2001). She has provided consulting services to numerous states, school districts, and policy and practitioner organizations, including national and state teacher unions.

Combine this research-based, collaborative framework with four critical dimensions of leadership to advance equity and excellence in student learning and close student achievement gaps in your school.

Table of Cases
Table of Tools
Preface
Part I. Introduction
1. The Case for Learning First
2. The Road Map for Learning First
Part II. Socio-Cognitive Leadership
3. Setting Direction and Building Commitment
4. Evidence-Based Plan, Value-Added Results, and Reflection for Continuous Improvements
Part III. The Dimensions of Leadership for Learning
5. Advancing Equity and Excellence in Student Learning
6. Developing Teacher Capacity
7. Managing and Aligning Resources
8. Engaging Community
Part IV. Levers of Change
9. The Principal's Role
10. The District Role
Resource A. Socio-Cognitive Leadership Rubrics
Resource B. Socio-Cognitive Leadership Friendly Observer Site Visit Protocol
References
Index