Recruiting and New Cohorts
During the 2025–26 school year, the Office of Leadership Effectiveness (OLE) worked with administrators and teacher leaders from twenty-eight schools to implement a cohesive vision for teacher leadership roles within South Carolina’s schools. This work helps schools develop a collaborative culture and high-quality professional learning focused on student achievement. This work also supports a key component of teacher retention, creating meaningful opportunities for teachers to lead without leaving the classroom. Selected school teams will learn and implement the collective leadership framework that focuses on teacher and administrative (collective) leadership to drive student mastery of all elements in the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. More information on desired applicants and the program follows in the memo below. Applications must be completed by March 6, 2026. If you have any questions, please contact Crystal Halma at chalma@ed.sc.gov.
Collective Leadership Initiative, Cohort Nine, Request for Nominees-Memo
What is collective leadership?
- Listen to educators share experiences with CLI
- The collective leadership framework is designed to provide both coherence and local flexibility. Ongoing work will be informed by those schools participating in the initiative; our partnership will provide continuing data for testing the effectiveness of the collective leadership framework.
Who can join?
The SCDE is seeking up to twelve schools for the 2026–27 school year to implement the collective leadership framework. Professional development and technical assistance will be provided throughout the upcoming school year.
What are the expectations for participating schools?
Commitment for participation in CLI includes the following:
- Commitment to a site visit at your school for all staff members to participate in an “Introduction to CLI” workshop;
- Release time in the day for the teacher leader(s) to serve in a collective leadership role (Note: “hybrid” roles for teacher leaders may be different across our state; the teacher should be directly instructing students part of day and released to serve other educators part of the day);
- Up to five sessions (in person, virtual, or hybrid) in 2026–27 with the OLE;
- One individual school coaching conversation per semester
- Participation in Seven Conditions for Effective Leadership Survey; and
- Commitment to shape and sustain the Collective Leadership Framework for your unique school setting for a minimum of two years (Note: the OLE will provide ongoing support beyond the 2026-27 initial year for your cohort)
How can I apply?
Principals can complete the application survey. Applications must be completed by March 6, 2026. If you have any questions, please contact Crystal Halma at chalma@ed.sc.gov.
Reports
Collective Leadership Initiative Executive Summary 2022-2023
Collective Leadership Initiative Executive Summary 2021-2022
Collective Leadership Initiative Executive Summary 2020-2021
Collective Leadership Initiative Executive Summary 2018-2019
Collective Leadership Initiative Executive Summary 2017-2018
Micro-credential Report 2018
