UMD School Improvement Leadership Academy

The University of Maryland College Park School Improvement Leadership Academy (SILA) is a new three-year project funded by the US Department of Education Support for Effective Education Development (SEED) grant program. SILA will support principal development by providing comprehensive, evidence-based professional learning to 140 principals and assistant principals in Title I schools, Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) schools, and/or high need schools in Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey. The project is designed to support effective principals, increase educator diversity, promote equity in student access to educational resources and opportunities, and meet students’ social, emotional, and academic needs.

Project Goals

Increase principal and assistant principal knowledge and capacity in three areas: Instructional Leadership, Equity Leadership, and Improvement Leadership.
Improve principal and assistant principal competence with School Improvement Planning
Prepare assistant principals to be effective principals
Improve student achievement results and narrow achievement gaps, in literacy and mathematics

Expected Outcomes

Measurable progress toward goals of School Improvement Plans related to student achievement in literacy and numeracy, social and emotional learning, and school safety and climate
Improved leadership practices
Increased principal retention
Assistant principals promotion
Improved student achievement outcomes in mathematics and literacy

SILA participants will engage in a rigorous 2-year academy model designed to increase school leadership capacity, to elevate the quality of school improvement planning and implementation and to advance student achievement outcomes. Through project participation, principals and assistant principals will have an opportunity to achieve micro credentials and UMD graduate credits as outlined in the curriculum summary below.

Year One:

Participate in in-person 3-day Institutes at the University of Maryland (transportation costs covered)
Engage in 3- day long virtual seminars
Participate in monthly 1 hour virtual webinars

Year Two:

Participate in in-person 3-day Institutes at the University of Maryland (transportation costs covered)
Principals will institute improvement and equity change ideas and participate in monthly executive coaching sessions
Assistant Principals will lead school improvement projects and participate in monthly AP fellowship seminars

SILA is offered at absolutely no cost to participants and offered substantial benefits, including:

Six EdD level graduate college credits (applicable to the UMD EdD program or transferable to other programs)
A $1000 stipend for program participation and completion
Executive coaching from proven school leaders
Networking opportunities with other school leaders across the region
Learning from and with highly accomplished leaders and professors
Content focused on evidence-based practices directly related to their everyday work as school leaders

MIRA Education: Mira Education is a design and implementation partner to P20 education organizations seeking sustainable innovation and improvement.

Learning Forward: The preeminent organization for promoting and developing high-quality educator professional learning policy, practice, research, and standards.

Policy Studies Associates: Accomplished partners in conducting research, policy analysis, program evaluation, and program planning.

Participating in SILA:
SILA is open only to principals and assistant principals from districts that have signed on as SILA partners. If you are a district interested in participating in SILA or a Principal/Assistant Principal interested in the program, please contact any of our Academy Team listed below or leave a message at (301) 405-5601.

Academy Team



Dr. Segun Eubanks, Project Director seubank2@umd.edu	Dr. Jean Snell, Director of Learning jsnell@umd.edu	Dr. Doug Anthony, Training & Curriculum Director danthony@umd.edu	Dr. Cherise Hunter, Project Manager cjunter@umd.edu	Damaries Blondonville-Ford, SILA Director damaries@umd.edu