The institute for Courageous Principal Leadership

Minnesota continues to have one of the largest racially predictable achievement gaps in the nation. Research suggests schools succeeding against all odds share certain traits and beliefs. Most notably, they are led by strong principals who hold students and teachers to the highest standards. These principals believe children of all races and income levels can meet high academic standards.

The Institute for Courageous Principal Leadership commits to development of principals to lead with fearlessness, skill, self-knowledge and racial competence to eliminate achievement, teaching and participation gaps. Achievement is advanced through leadership driven by results and a moral imperative to create schools that fully engage, educate and include every child.

The purpose of the Institute for Courageous Principal Leadership is to build the cultural agility of principals to provide effective leadership in their increasingly diverse school communities.

The Institute provides a two-year instructional leadership development program. The goals are:

1. to increase principals’ ability to advance educational equity and eliminate gaps in racially predictable achievement, teaching, and participation; and
2. to build principals’ leadership capacity to facilitate, create and sustain technical and adaptive change that significantly improves achievement for all students.

The Institute for Courageous Principal Leadership currently partners with twelve school districts in Minnesota: Tri City United Schools; Minneapolis; St. Paul; St. Peter; Rosemount/Apple Valley/Eagan; Robbinsdale; Burnsville; North St. Paul; Inver Grove Heights; Shakopee; Mankato; and White Bear Lake.