LEADS, identifies five interdependent dimensions of effective educational leadership, emphasizing judgment, coherence, and responsibility rather than technical skill or compliance.
The LEADS Framework
LEADS supports ELA learning experiences
LEADS Description
| Dimension | Description | Key Question |
|
L Learning-Centered Leadership |
Leaders focus relentlessly on learning as the core purpose of the organization. • Prioritize instructional quality over tools or initiatives. • Evaluate decisions by their impact on teaching and learning. • keep student learning, not programs or platforms, at the center. |
How does this decision improve learning? |
|
E Equity-Driven Leadership |
Leaders recognize that fairness requires differentiation, not sameness. • Attend to opportunity gaps and structural inequities. • Design systems that are responsive to context. • Embed equity in leadership decisions. |
Who benefits, who bears risk, and who is left out? |
|
A Adaptive and Future Ready Leadership |
Leaders anticipate and prepare for change in a rapidly evolving digital environment. • Monitor emerging technologies (e.g., AI, cybersecurity, data systems). • Plan proactively rather than reacting to technological shifts. • Build organizational capacity to adapt over time. • Position the system to respond to future educational and workforce demands. |
Can I explain and defend this decision publicly? |
|
D Data-Informed Leadership |
Leaders use data as a tool for judgment, not a substitute for it. • Interpret data in context. • Combine quantitative and qualitative insight. • Avoid metric overreliance. |
|
|
S Systemic and Sustained Leadership |
Leaders think beyond initiatives toward what endures. • Build systems that sustain over time. • Consider capacity and coherence. • Balance innovation with sustainability. |
Will this still hold five years from now? |
Integrated Leadership Scenarios
Applied Practice
| Scenario | Learning Centered |
Equity Driven |
Adaptive & Future Ready |
Data Informed & Accountable |
Systemic & Sustainable |
|
1. Declining Student Achievement Three years of declining mathematics performance prompt district leaders to consider curriculum, professional learning, and intervention changes. |
Which proposed actions are most likely to improve student learning and outcomes? | Which groups of students are most affected, and how will solutions address disparities? |
How do proposed strategies prepare students and educators for future learning demands? | What evidence supports the need for change, and how will success be measured? | How can the district build sustainable structures that support long-term improvement? |
|
2. Budget Reductions and Resource Allocation State funding declines require difficult decisions regarding staffing, programs, and operations. |
How will budget decisions affect teaching, learning, and student outcomes? | Which students or schools may be disproportionately affected by reductions? | How can resources be aligned to future priorities despite fiscal constraints? | What financial and performance data should inform allocation decisions? | How can leaders preserve essential programs while maintaining system stability? |
|
3. Teacher Recruitment and Retention Challenges The district faces shortages in key areas and increasing educator turnover. |
How does teacher retention influence learning quality and student success? | Which schools and student groups are most affected by staffing shortages? | What innovative workforce strategies can strengthen the future talent pipeline? | What workforce data help identify root causes of turnover and staffing gaps? | What organizational systems must change to support long-term recruitment and retention? |
|
4. School Improvement Initiative A school implements a plan to improve engagement and reduce chronic absenteeism, with mixed early results. |
How is the initiative influencing student engagement and learning experiences? | Are all student groups benefiting equally from the improvement efforts? | How should leaders adjust the initiative based on emerging challenges and opportunities? | What evidence demonstrates progress, and what additional information is needed? | How can improvement efforts become part of the school's ongoing culture and practices? |
|
5. Leadership Transition and Organizational Change A new superintendent introduces a revised strategic plan that reshapes district priorities and structures. |
How do the proposed changes support improved learning outcomes? | How will the transition affect different stakeholder groups across the district? | How can leaders balance current needs with future strategic priorities? | What evidence supports the new direction, and how will progress be monitored? | How can district leaders maintain organizational coherence during the transition? |
References Supporting LEADS
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Day, C., Gu, Q., & Sammons, P. (2016). The impact of leadership on student outcomes: How successful school leaders use transformational and instructional strategies to make a difference. Educational Administration Quarterly, 52(2), 221–258. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013161X15616863
Gooden, M. A., Khalifa, M., Arnold, N. W., Brown, K. D., Meyers, C. V., & Welsh, R. O. (2023). A culturally responsive school leadership approach to developing equity-centered principals. Wallace Foundation/WestEd. https://wallacefoundation.org/sites/default/files/2023-07/Culturally-responsive-school-leadership-approach_06.29.FINALforposting.pdf
Grissom, J. A., Egalite, A. J., & Lindsay, C. A. (2021). How principals affect students and schools: A systematic synthesis of two decades of research. The Wallace Foundation. https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Documents/How-Principals-Affect-Students-and-Schools.pdf
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Marshall, S. L., & Galey-Horn, S. (2024). STEM leaders promoting resilience within equity-centered K–12 STEM education organizations. Frontiers in Education, 9, Article 1331358. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1331358
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Sebastian, J., Allensworth, E., Wiedermann, W., Hochbein, C., & Cunningham, M. (2019). Principal leadership and school performance: An examination of instructional leadership and organizational management. Leadership and Policy in Schools, 18(4), 591–613. https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2018.1513151
Senge, P. M. (2006). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization (Rev. ed.). Doubleday.
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Note:
Copyright © 2026 Dr. Jeffrey Maiden. The LEADS Framework and all associated instructional materials are protected by copyright. These materials may be cited with appropriate attribution; however, reproduction, distribution, or reuse beyond the scope of this course requires the express permission of Dr. Maiden.