New Book to Support Transformational Leaders with School Improvement

March 27, 2024

Education leaders navigating the nuances of K–12 school improvement have a valuable new tool with the release of the book Transformational Leadership for Rapid School Improvement. This timely publication is a comprehensive guide for superintendents, principals, and education leaders tasked with improving and sustaining improved student outcomes.

Amid the ever-evolving goals and challenges in K–12 education, this new book offers a wealth of insights grounded in WestEd’s research-based and field-tested Four Domains of Rapid School Improvement framework. This framework identifies four areas that research and experience indicate are central to rapid improvement: turnaround leadership, talent development, instructional transformation, and culture shift.

Each chapter of the book is organized to correspond with one of the four domains and includes reflections from education leaders who have led successful school improvement initiatives.

“The book builds upon 10 years of research about the most effective approaches to rapid school improvement,” said Kevin Perks, director of school and district services at WestEd and the book’s editor. “We’re proud that it draws on the expertise of researchers from across both WestEd and the field of education research at large.”

The chapters cover a broad range of topics, including developing empathetic leadership, integrating social–emotional learning, implementing trauma-informed practices, ensuring culturally responsive teaching, and understanding the implications of critical race theory. Each chapter contains prompts that encourage reflection and discussion to foster a collaborative learning environment where ideas and strategies can be exchanged and put into practice.

Transformational Leadership for Rapid School Improvement is a valuable resource for education leadership courses and professional development programs, equipping new and existing generations of leaders with the knowledge to make a lasting difference in the lives of students.

The book, published through Teachers College Press, is now available for purchase. Education leaders seeking to make swift improvements in their schools are encouraged to add this title to their professional libraries.

For more information about Transformational Leadership for Rapid School Improvement, to request a review copy, or to schedule an interview with the authors, please contact Marley Arechiga at [email protected]. A high-resolution book cover image is available upon request.