Entry Planning for Equity-Focused Leaders: Empowering Schools and Communities - Paperback

by Jennifer Perry Cheatham (Author), Rodney Thomas (Author), Adam Parrott-Sheffer (Author)

A vital resource for educational leaders, Entry Planning for Equity-Focused Leaders introduces an equity-minded process for intentional entry planning that sets the stage for sustainable change within organizations.

In this practitioner-focused and action-oriented work, Jennifer Perry Cheatham, Rodney Thomas, and Adam Parrott-Sheffer consolidate their extensive experience centering equity in leadership. They affirm that the entry of a new leader, or the pivot of an established one, affords an unparalleled opportunity to garner the insight, trust, and commitment that will establish a basis for positive, equitable transformation within a system.

This essential work provides a flexible framework for leadership entry that is customized to fit the complex social, political, and economic demands of a given organization and the community it serves. It highlights how such an approach prepares leaders to begin addressing one of the most entrenched and persistent issues in education: structural and systemic racism.

Appealing to community and school leadership at all levels--superintendents, principals, project managers, and nonprofit partners, among others--the book presents seven components needed to enact an entry plan, from understanding context, to establishing transparency, to galvanizing partners for action. Through case studies and interviews, the authors explore the key skills necessary for each component. They then offer a wide range of supplementary tools and exercises to help leaders begin or recast their tenures and advance their agendas successfully.

The process outlined here encourages readers to reflect, take calculated risks, and chart new paths. This book gives leaders the means to make necessary, meaningful progress.

Back Jacket

A vital resource for educational leaders, Entry Planning for Equity-Focused Leaders introduces a process for intentional entry planning that sets the stage for sustainable change within organizations. Jennifer Perry Cheatham, Rodney Thomas, and Adam Parrott-Sheffer affirm that the entry of a new leader, or the pivot of an established one, affords an unparalleled opportunity to garner the insight, trust, and commitment that will establish a basis for positive, equitable transformation within a system.

Appealing to community and school leadership at all levels--superintendents, principals, project managers, and nonprofit partners, among others--the book presents seven components needed to enact an entry plan, from understanding context, to establishing transparency, to galvanizing partners for action. The authors offer case studies, interviews, supplementary tools, and exercises to help leaders begin or recast their tenures and advance their agendas successfully.

"Courageous vision and planning are the bedrock of any successful implementation, especially when it comes to blending an equity-centered approach into the frontier offered by a new job. This book offers neophytes and seasoned school leaders guidance, tools, and a charge to effectively navigate politics, long-held norms, and misplaced energies in pursuit of opportunities for all students." --Sonja Santelises, CEO, Baltimore City Public Schools

"Entry Planning for Equity-Focused Leaders will change how superintendents think about entering a new role or school district. Offering both a conceptual framework and hands-on guidance, the authors provide leaders with what they need to begin their role proactively and deeply from an equity stance. Stories throughout the book provide additional inspiration and modeling to show what can be done on behalf of students, families, and communities." --Max Silverman, executive director, University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership

Jennifer Perry Cheatham is a senior lecturer on education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and cochair of the Public Education Leadership Project at Harvard University. Rodney Thomas is an independent consultant and speaker. Adam Parrott-Sheffer is managing partner at Post Script Coaching and Consulting. Carl A. Cohn is professor emeritus at Claremont Graduate University.

Author Biography

Jennifer Perry Cheatham is a senior lecturer on education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and cochair of the Public Education Leadership Project at Harvard University. Rodney Thomas is an independent consultant and speaker. Adam Parrott-Sheffer is managing partner at Post Script Coaching and Consulting.