Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.
Walter P. Paepcke, Aspen Institute Co-Founder
Aspen Institute
Blog Posts, and Publications
Revolutionizing the Principalship: Bold Bets to Elevate School Leadership
The U.S. education system is facing severe challenges, including student learning loss, declining academic performance, a youth mental health crisis, and increasing absenteeism. Yet these challenges also provide a catalyst for transformational change. But a new paradigm for education cannot be done without the support for transformative school leaders.
This paper advocates for reimagining the role of principal as pivotal agents of change, moving beyond outdated managerial frameworks to empower them as visionary leaders. It outlines innovative policy solutions, or “big bets,” aimed at reshaping principal preparation, support systems, and responsibilities. These proposals call on educators, policymakers, and communities to embrace new models of school leadership that can drive lasting success for students and schools.
While there have been historic funding investments in education, we are at risk of accelerating back to a system that never served students well, one that saw stagnant achievement in reading and math, declining student engagement, and students who were tired, bored, and stressed, even before the pandemic. To face the challenges of the last few years, we need new solutions.
