Umbrellas

Center for Educational Innovation and Improvement (CEii)

Introducing the University of Maryland School Improvement Network!

About "The Network"

The University of Maryland School Improvement Network is an innovative community of practice that supports school and district leaders. Facilitated by UMD’s Center for Educational Innovation and Improvement (CEii), the Network offers leaders the opportunity to share strategies, test interventions, and learn from those who face similar challenges. Through the Network, leaders engage in cross-district collaboration, resource sharing, and flexible learning experiences designed to meet the needs of school and district teams. In a time of high professional learning needs and limited resources, the Network is a cost-effective way for Maryland districts to engage in high-quality, relevant, and connected learning opportunities.

Pricing & Registration Information

Membership is offered at an introductory price of only $500 per school or central office team for up to five members.

Free Services for Network Members 

Workshops

CEii offers quarterly in-person half-day workshops, designed exclusively for Network members and hosted at The Anacostia Building’s conference center. Space is limited to the first 50 registrants per workshop.

WorkshopTitle
Fall 2025The Science of Learning

Webinars

Monthly 60-minute webinars are offered in alignment with Needs Assessment and Problems of Practice across Network membership. Webinars will be recorded for asynchronous viewing for members 

WebinarTitle
SeptemberLooking at Data for Impact
OctoberEmpathy Mapping and Peer Walkthroughs for Collaborative Learning
NovemberFostering Student Wellness, Wholeness, and Learning
DecemberMythBusting: the Science of Reading edition 

Additional Free Services for Network Members

Click each service below to learn more about CEii’s offerings.

Network members investigate, evaluate, and share best practices around a topic of interest following each monthly webinar. Affinity groups will be organized by role-like jobs and facilitated by a faculty member to support adult learning.

Using the tenets of Improvement Science, groups focus on some of the toughest challenges schools/districts face. Topics include:

  • Chronic Absenteeism
  • Teacher Retention and Development
  • Special Education
  • Multi-Lingual Learners
  • School Improvement Planning

PoP groups will meet quarterly to discuss research, best practices, and innovative ideas while sharing resources and expertise.

Membership begins with an Improvement Needs Assessment. The survey and follow-up will determine alignment between your goals and the offerings of the Network and broader improvement science community.

School Improvement Quarterly: Your source for insights, best practices, and stories from our network, dedicated to advancing continuous improvement efforts. We delve into the latest strategies, successes, resources, and innovations driving positive change across schools, districts, and communities.

All Network Members will have access to a customized Resource Hub platform which will store learning materials from Network webinars and workshops, as well as protocols used with PoP and Affinity groups. Additionally, Network member contact information and archived CEii Improvement Newsletters will be available through the Hub.

Discounted Professional Learning Services

Click red headings to explore related pages.

Institutes and Conferences

Organized by themes and grounded with the practitioner experience in mind, UMD Institutes and Conferences are designed to provide meaningful engagement, practical strategies and networking opportunities for members. Institutes and conferences leverage University of Maryland faculty, leaders in education and members as presenters and keynotes. Network members will have discounted registration for our landmark conference, the School Improvement Leadership Institute.

School Improvement Leadership Academy (SILA)

The School Improvement Leadership Academy (SILA) is a six-month leader development program designed to enhance the professional growth of school leaders. This comprehensive, evidence-based program, grounded in improvement science, provides school leadership teams with the skills and tools to facilitate effective school improvement processes. SILA supports principals, assistant principals, and teacher leaders as they design, plan, and implement continuous improvement strategies that address problems of practice.

Central Office Leadership Academy (COLA)

The Central Office Leadership Academy (COLA) is designed to help central office leaders, including managers, supervisors, directors, assistant superintendents, and executive cabinet members to examine and develop strategies for solving the tough problems they face on a daily basis. This is a six-month program grounded by a problem of practice that is aligned to the participant's district strategic plan. Over the course of the Academy, participants will work through the problem by obtaining critical knowledge, research, key strategies, and practices, while making ongoing application of the content.

Online Courses

For central office and school level leaders, UMSIN will develop and offer asynchronous online courses for individuals and teams to develop their improvement- leadership skills. Courses will include up to six modules, with opportunities for applied practice in between. Course topics will include: Introduction to the Cycle of Improvement, Improvement Science in Practice, and Facilitating Improvement Teams. A UMD Certificate and Badge is earned with completion of each course.

Micro-credentials

Aligned to the asynchronous courses, UMSIN members will have the opportunity to pursue and achieve educator micro-credentials that certify both knowledge and competence in key areas related to leadership, equity, and improvement.

Improvement Tools and Services

Click each service below to learn more about CEii’s improvement science tools and seminars.

RAISE (formerly known as NILS) is an online tool to facilitate the work of Networked Improvement Communities (NICs). RAISE is the only platform on the market organized to promote collaborative learning of network members through shared improvement tools such as the Fishbone Diagram and the Driver Diagram. These are central to the improvement science approach and an interactive Plan/Do/Study/Act (PDSA) tool allowing users to run multiple simultaneous short cycle tests of targeted strategies aimed at improving problems of practice.

Network members can take a deep dive into Improvement Science methods and strategies through a day-long seminar curated to the learning needs of specific schools and districts. Topics may include the Six Principles of Improvement Science, Understanding Problems of Practice and Conducting Causal Systems Analysis, Designing a Theory of Improvement to guide the selection of change strategies, and Testing strategies through short cycle inquiries using PDSA cycles.

Customized Improvement Services

Click each service below to learn more about CEii’s offerings.

Networked Improvement Communities are “scientific” professional learning communities that use the principles of Improvement Science to address tough problems schools and districts face, from student learning to systems change. CEii offers coaching and support to help schools and districts design, implement, and evaluate NICs, and to help spread and scale effective practices and change ideas from NIC work.

CEii utilizes a multi-layered coaching system involving a variety of coaching philosophies, modalities, and approaches customized to meet individual needs. Coaches are well versed in the latest coaching models and have experience as system-level leaders, including principals, supervisors, directors, chiefs, deputies, assistant superintendents, and superintendents. Each coaching experience starts with a comprehensive consultation to identify areas of need and design a tailored, unique coaching experience.

Research-Practice Partnerships (RPPs) connect teachers and/or leaders with researchers around a shared problem of practice. CEii offers strategic coaching and support for those involved in RPPs or those interested in developing them. CEii brings expertise to tailor support to your specific needs and interests.

Members of the CEii team have experience conducting program evaluations and equity audits. Based on specific program needs, the team will work with you to design evaluation tools, feedback timelines, and reporting structures.

CEii provides customized support for developing a renewed district strategic plan, vision, and mission. Using improvement science tools and frameworks, CEii helps districts track progress and adjust strategies to accelerate fulfillment of their strategic vision.

Specialized Education Degree Programs

Network members will receive first-hand information and meet faculty responsible for three University of Maryland signature programs. Each program has its own unique application process and yields either a certification, degree, or both. Click each program below to learn more.

The Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in School System Leadership is a “Practice Based” doctoral program developing leaders who can create and lead collaborative and inclusive system improvement initiatives. The program enrolls cohorts of students who work together over 42 months to identify, investigate, and solve real school system problems. The Ed.D. in School System Leadership is aligned to the NELP standards and approved by the Maryland State Department of Education for Superintendent II certification.

The Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in School Improvement Leadership, Online is an 18-credit graduate program that targets experienced teachers and leaders who aspire to become school-system administrators. This program provides a statewide, cohort-based professional learning experience in meeting the requirements for state certification. Successful completion leads to Maryland Administrator 1 certification eligibility.

The Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in School Improvement Leadership, Online is an 18-credit graduate program that targets experienced teachers and leaders who aspire to become school-system administrators. This program provides a statewide, cohort-based professional learning experience in meeting the requirements for state certification. Successful completion leads to Maryland Administrator 1 certification eligibility.