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Chiefs for Change, a bipartisan network of diverse state and district education chiefs, today announced it is accepting applications through November 26 for the fourth cohort of its Future Chiefs leadership development program. The year-long program is designed for people who are one or two steps away from becoming a chief and is built around a robust curriculum. It provides in-person and virtual training sessions, placement supports, and learning experiences with guidance from experts and some of the nation’s most impactful chiefs.
State and district chiefs have enormous influence over what America’s 50 million public school students learn and how schools function. Yet there are few pathways to help identify and prepare excellent candidates for these leadership roles. Chiefs for Change created the Future Chiefs program to address that need.
“The training and support I received through the Future Chiefs program allowed me to hit the ground running when I became superintendent of the Clark County School District,” explained Jesus Jara, head of the nation’s fifth-largest school district and a member of the third cohort of Future Chiefs. “It gave me the opportunity to work directly with chiefs who served as my mentors and helped me prepare for the complex job of leading a major urban school system.”
Those selected for the Future Chiefs program have a strong track record of results and are well positioned to dramatically improve teaching and learning for all students. Each cohort includes eight to 10 people from across the country who are diverse in terms of race, gender, and political affiliation. At least 75 percent of participants are people of color, and 50 percent are women. This is in contrast to national statistics that show just 6 percent of district chiefs and 12 percent of state chiefs are leaders of color, and only 25 percent of district chiefs are women.
“When I was selected to lead The School District of Palm Beach County, I became the district’s first African American superintendent,” said Donald Fennoy, a member of the second cohort of Future Chiefs. “I’ve heard from a lot of people who have said how much it means to have a leader who looks like them. That should be the case for more of our students. Chiefs for Change is helping to make this happen by creating a pipeline of talented, diverse leaders.”
If you would like to nominate a Future Chief, please complete this form or share this initial application with the person. For more information about the Future Chiefs program, please watch this video or email Chiefs for Change at info@chiefsforchange.org.
About Chiefs for Change
Chiefs for Change is a nonprofit, bipartisan network of diverse state and district education Chiefs dedicated to preparing all students for today’s world and tomorrow’s through deeply committed leadership. Chiefs for Change advocates for policies and practices that are making a difference today for students, and builds a pipeline of talented, diverse Future Chiefs ready to lead major school systems.