The School Leaders Our Children Deserve: Seven Keys to Equity, Social Justice, and School Reform

This is the updated edition of the bestselling seminal book on school leadership, equity, and social justice. Drawing on the experiences and words of successful public school principals, Theoharis shows why social justice leadership is needed and how it can be effective in creating more equitable schools. Although they faced tremendous barriers, the principals featured in this book made important strides toward closing the outcome and opportunity gaps in their schools by using inclusive, equitable practices. Featuring a mix of theory and practical strategies, this edition has been updated with new examples and frameworks relevant to today's leaders. Responding to the current context of national resistance to issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion, this timely book portrays how real school leaders seek, create, and sustain equitable schools, especially for marginalized students.

The School Leaders Our Children Deserve identifies seven keys that are crucial for social justice leadership:

Key 1: Acquire Broad, Reconceptualized Consciousness/Knowledge/Skill Base

Key 2: Possess Core Leadership Traits

Key 3: Advance Inclusion, Access, and Opportunity for All

Key 4: Improve the Core Learning Context--Both the Teaching and the Curriculum

Key 5: Create a Climate of Belonging

Key 6: Increase Student Learning

Key 7: Sustain Oneself Professionally and Personally

Book Features:

• Grounds the lofty ideals of equity and social justice in the daily work of school leadership.
• Provides rich and abundant examples, ideas, and strategies for how to be a school leader committed to issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Includes a new focus on culturally sustaining leadership and how disability studies inform practice.
• Offers an examination of how leaders conduct equity audits to improve outcomes for minoritized students.
• Shows how leaders navigate challenges to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in their communities.

George Theoharis is a professor in educational leadership and inclusive elementary education at Syracuse University, and coauthor of What Every Principal Needs to Know to Create Equitable and Excellent Schools.