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ABOUT US
At Lead Co/laborative we incubate Puerto Rico’s next generation of educational champions with one central aim in mind; provide students a quality education and prepare them for a lifetime of learning and opportunity.
All children and youth in Puerto Rico have access to equitable high-quality educational opportunities.
Our mission is to build the capacity of communities and their educational leaders by equipping them with the tools needed to improve student outcomes.
There is an urgent need to improve public education in Puerto Rico. High levels of poverty and economic inequality in Puerto Rico have a negative impact on the academic performance and educational opportunities of children and youth. Schools are underfunded. Communities and children are consistently ignored. This has persisted for decades.
of Puerto Rico’s students do not demonstrate proficiency in State assessments.
of school principals felt they had escalating responsibilities assigned without adequate support.
of school directors are expected to retire by December 2023
Research has shown us that, second only to teaching, effective school leadership plays a critical role in driving student achievement. “Education research shows that most school variables, considered separately, have at most small effects on learning. “The real payoff comes when individual variables combine to reach critical mass. Creating the conditions under which that can occur is the job of the principal” (Wallace Foundation, 2011).
Principals interviewed for research led by ABRE Puerto Rico in 2022 demonstrated that the preparation and professional training they have received is not always on par with Puerto Rico’s current reality and what students really need. We aim to improve the quality of school leadership in Puerto Rico, and ensure its sustainability, through system-wide programs that support active school leaders and create a pipeline for new leadership.
“The proposition that the best investment that can be made to improve the quality of education is to invest in the development of high-quality school leadership is evident.” (Grissom, Egalite, & amp; Lindsay, 2021).
If we implement effective instructional leadership professional development, promote communities of practice, and provide individual leadership coaching, then the capacity of school leaders will be strengthened, leading to increased leader efficacy and more effective learning environments. Through effective learning environments the student experience is enriched, academic gains achieved, and opportunities opened for every student in Puerto Rico.
