Our Story
For more than ten years, Leadership ISD has empowered communities and school leaders in North Texas to drive our education system toward greater educational equity. We are so proud of the work we have accomplished in the past decade as we have grown from a single fellowship to a trusted organization that has trained nearly 2600 community leaders, engaged 500+ coalition members, and successfully influenced 28 policies and practices that are racially equitable and student-centered. Additionally, we have supported 264 school board trustees in 33 districts, giving them tools and resources to govern effectively and better serve the communities they represent.
Today, through leadership training, coalition building, and trustee engagement, we continue to build and support ecosystems of trust and accountability that lead to improved outcomes for all students. Together with our network, we are transforming public education.
Mission
Our mission is to equip community leaders to advance academic excellence and racial equity in public education through leadership training, coalition building, and trustee development & support.
Vision
We envision a public education system that prepares every student of every race, socioeconomic status, language, and ability to achieve their boldest dreams.
Our Core Commitments
Two north stars define and guide our work. Everything we do is racially equitable and student-centered.
Focusing on Racial Equity
We know all children are capable of learning and achieving at high levels, yet across the majority of campuses, districts, and counties, we see race present itself as a predictor of student outcomes. When you consider that on the 2022 STAAR tests, black and brown children across the state of Texas tested 27 and 23 points lower than white children in reading and 29 and 20 points lower in math, respectively, there is no denying that our current education system does not prepare all students for the same levels of success after high school graduation. Therefore, it is critical that we consider education issues through a lens of racial equity to ensure that each child is receiving what they individually need to thrive.
Keeping Students at the Center
Far too often, we only consider adults’ points of view when crafting education policies, ignoring the perspective and needs of those who are most affected by such decisions. If public education is for students, then we must keep our focus on students - always! That means setting aside any political differences or personal agendas and committing instead to providing children with the best possible education. Student outcomes do not change until adult behaviors change, so it is critical that we modify our behavior to center students and do what is best for them.
Our Values
Put Relationships First
We seek to engage fully and wholeheartedly with others. Building community and trust requires repeated action. So, we take the time to listen intently and get to know people, extend empathy, and seek to understand other realities without judgment or bias.
Pay Attention to Power Dynamics
Recognizing how power manifests itself in individuals and through systems, we stay alert to how we use our privilege, not taking up too much space and not disengaging. We work to see how we are perpetuating or dismantling systems of privilege and oppression.
Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
We strive to speak our own truths and seek to understand the truths of others. We engage in civil discourse and recognize that it is not about being right, it is about learning from other perspectives. We embrace discomfort and tension - that's where the magic happens.
Honor Communities
Everyone is an expert in their own experience. In every space, we do our best to enter the work with humility and a desire to lift others up, not fix or solve. We lead first with the assets of the community, seek to build genuine, reciprocal partnerships, and recognize our own learning in addition to what we can share.
Focus on Our Common Goal
We may not always agree with others on the best means to an end, but we must always stay focused on students, especially those impacted by systemic racism and oppression. We are mindful of how adult matters can become a distraction to our goal.
