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Universities and Wallace Foundation partners describe an equity‑centered principal pipeline
Summary
Representatives from Morgan State, Towson and the University of Maryland presented year‑4 work from a Wallace Foundation grant to redesign administrative preparation, emphasizing an equity‑centered definition of leadership, revised coursework, strengthened clinical experiences, and community co-design tools for Baltimore City and other districts.
Representatives from Morgan State University, Towson University and the University of Maryland outlined a multi‑institution effort funded by the Wallace Foundation to develop an equity‑centered pipeline for school leaders.
Alex Cambra of MSDE introduced the initiative and identified partners including the Wallace Foundation, Baltimore City Public Schools, Towson and Morgan State. Andy Cole, a Wallace consultant, described the national initiative and district partnership teams in seven sites, including Baltimore. Morgan State presenters described year‑4 work: redesigning the admin‑level master’s and Admin I certificate, drafting memoranda of understanding with Baltimore City Public Schools, using principal preparation self‑studies (quality measures), convening advisory think tanks, and piloting equity action research and participatory mapping.
Towson University described departmental changes: a shared definition of equity‑centered leadership, course and assessment revisions across core Admin I courses, co‑planning and co‑teaching models to increase coherence across sections, expanded clinical experiences (shadow days, learning‑walk triads), and alumni tracking via a district database. Presenters said the Wallace grant is a multi‑year investment (year 4 of 5) with sustainability planning as grant funds sunset. Several board members asked how the work might inform state standards and COMAR revisions for administration programs; presenters noted the team’s work is already informing the administrative COMAR work group.
Board members asked detailed questions about program inclusion (for example, how physical education fits into the pathway), whether equity action research could extend into doctoral dissertations (presenters said yes), and how the model could scale beyond Baltimore. Presenters emphasized community co‑design (wish boxes, participatory mapping) to surface local assets and needs and said a toolkit for leaders is in development.
