Contann Dabney

Overview

Contann Dabney leads services that support effective school improvement projects within and across schools, districts, and states. With a focus on empowering educational institutions to reach their full potential, Dabney leverages her wealth of experience to help her clients develop effective strategies for driving meaningful change. Her keen attention to detail, coupled with her ability to work collaboratively with interest holders at all levels, ensures that her clients are equipped with the tools and knowledge necessary to achieve their goals. 

Dabney has a strong background and expertise in transformational leadership, culturally responsive leadership practices, and data-driven practices for school improvement. Dabney oversees projects at the state, district, and school levels, providing coaching to leaders and facilitating capacity-building efforts for school transformation. She assists leaders in comprehending strengths and challenges associated with research-based practices for school turnaround and improvement, and helps leaders develop strategic actions to capitalize on existing strengths and address prominent challenges. Dabney enhances the capacity of school leaders to conceive, execute, monitor, and sustain school improvement initiatives employing the Four Domains for Rapid School Improvement. By fostering a culture of continuous improvement and providing customized support tailored to the needs of each institution, she helps transform the educational landscape and improve outcomes for students nationwide. 

Before joining WestEd, Dabney served as an associate superintendent of school leadership. In this role, she led districtwide efforts in school turnaround, improvement, and instructional support. Dabney developed programs to coach probationary principals and provided professional development on data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement. As a principal, she guided schools out of CSI Status by fostering collaborative partnerships, implementing comprehensive curricular programs, and supporting staff development. 

Education

• EdD in education leadership (expected June 2025), State University of New York at Buffalo  
• MS in education administration, Canisius College 
• MAE in mathematics, State University of New York at Buffalo 
• BA in psychology, State University of New York at Buffalo 

Select Publications

The Center for School Turnaround and Improvement. (2024). Strategies and suggestions for using the Four Domains for Rapid School Improvement framework. WestEd. https://www.wested.org/resources/strategies-for-using-the-four-domains/