Texas Strategic Leadership
Region 20 ESC is proud to have been selected to participate in the Texas Strategic Leadership (TSL) Program, a focused initiative aimed at enhancing leadership capacity within school districts across Texas. The TSL pilot program emphasizes the importance of a systems thinking approach, urging district leaders to deeply understand the interconnected systems that shape the student experience.
A key element of the TSL process is growing leadership capacity through customized executive coaching. Recognizing that the superintendent's role is one of the most crucial levers for lasting change, the TSL Program provides highly targeted coaching support tailored specifically to the unique needs of superintendents. This approach not only strengthens the superintendent's ability to lead effectively but also enhances leadership capacity across the district at various levels.
In addition to executive coaching, the TSL Program emphasizes the critical task of selecting and executing the right strategic priorities for the district. Grounded in the Effective District Framework (EDF), the TSL process guides districts through a deep analysis of their current context to develop strategic priorities. These priorities are carefully aligned with district resources to maximize the impact on the student experience, ensuring that every decision contributes to a cohesive and effective educational environment.
TSL Pathways:
The Texas Strategic Leadership (TSL) pilot offers districts two distinct pathways of support. The first option includes strategic planning and executive coaching, while the second is a board-integrated pathway.
Strategic Planning and Executive Coaching
With a two-year scope, TSL addresses the dual needs of strategic planning and performance management, while also prioritizing the development of superintendent leadership capacity.
Throughout, the central focus remains on student outcomes, with regular checks for understanding to drive continuous improvement and progress.
Board Integrated Pathway
The Board-Integrated pathway provides strategic planning and executive coaching while adding a focus on enhancing a school board’s effectiveness in achieving the district’s envisioned student experience. This TSL pathway highlights important elements of effective and well governed boards using a variety of established board development activities. The program provides flexibility through various entry and exit points for board support, ensuring alignment with district needs.
EDF overview:
The Effective District Framework (EDF) is a comprehensive blueprint for guiding effectiveness and improvement in district systems. Grounded in the understanding that with planning and performance management, it's possible to gauge implementation effectiveness or adjust strategies as needed, the EDF consists of six key levers. These levers encompass the essential facets of district operations.
Lever 1 - Planning and Performance Management,
Lever 2 - Talent
Lever 3 - Integrated Student Supports
Lever 4 - Academic Experience
Lever 5 - Instructional Capacity Building
Lever 6 - Finance and Operations
By prioritizing a rigorous, supportive student experience and ensuring alignment between district—and campus-level systems, the EDF aims to drive continuous improvement and maximize student outcomes. The EDF underscores the importance of a structural and systems thinking approach to achieving district-wide effectiveness and success.
