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Recently, a variety of leadership the Texas Turnaround Leadership
development programs have been Academy (TTLA) to build the capacities
established to support school leaders of schools and districts to identify
working in high-need, low-performing qualified turnaround specialists,
schools. Although university leadership establish improvement strategies for
preparation programs have been underperforming campuses, and
overlooked as potential sources of collaborate with other schools engaged
support (Duke, 2013), a notable in turnaround initiatives.
exception is the Virginia School
Turnaround Specialist Program (VSTSP) One of the most ambitious state-wide
housed at the University of Virginia turnaround specialist programs has
since 2004. Sponsored by the Virginia been created by the Southern
State Department of Education, each Educational Research Board in
year the program provides professional collaboration with the Florida
learning experiences and coaching for Department of Education, referred to as
10 Virginia principals in high-need the Florida Turnaround Leaders
schools (Duke, 2012b). Based on the Program (FTLP) (Duke, 2013). Rather
successes of the VSTSP, other than working with practicing school
programs aimed at developing school administrators, this program identifies
turnaround specialists have emerged. teacher leaders with the potential to
For instance, Microsoft, Carnegie become turnaround specialists. Aimed
Corporation, and Mass Insight have at improving the performance of
contributed funding to support Florida? middle, secondary, and charter
principals serving in low-performing schools, the first cohort of 110 teachers
schools across the country. In addition, began the two-and-a-half-year program
educational agencies have elected to in the spring of 2012. The major
support and prepare school components of the program include a
turnaround specialists. The Texas year-long practicum with four-person
Education Agency (2013) established teams assigned to a low-performing
school in their district followed by a six-
month internship, working in an under-
achieving school.
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