The Distributed Leadership Toolbox: Essential Practices for Successful Schools

"McBeth provides useful tools to help educators diagnose the distribution of leadership in their schools and shows how these tools can help create powerful leadership for increasing learning capacity in schools."
―Richard Halverson, Assistant Professor
University of Wisconsin–Madison

"The strengths of this book are the examples (two-minute stories, reflections, etc.) and the reproducible tools provided."
―Bruce Deterding, Principal
Wichita Heights High School, KS

Strengthen your leadership style and capacity to inspire others toward meaningful change.

Experience and research prove that effective leadership is critical for improving school performance, yet reviewing and applying contemporary data to school leadership can be a complex challenge for busy administrators.

In The Distributed Leadership Toolbox, Mark E. McBeth translates current leadership research into a practical framework to help educational leaders improve their practice and positively influence schoolwide performance. Unlike shared leadership, which focuses on delegating responsibilities, distributed leadership fosters a dialogue between school leaders and teachers to uncover the effectiveness of leadership practices in enhancing instruction and student achievement. The author provides case studies and essential tools to help administrators:

• Increase the ability to evaluate their leadership practice
• Develop a regular reflective practice to motivate staff and support professional growth
• Improve their potential to generate and sustain school reform efforts

This guidebook includes helpful notes for facilitators and a CD-ROM with resources and reproducible templates to help you make a significant difference in your school through distributed leadership practices.

Mark E. McBeth is the director of learning and leading with Keystone Learning Services, a service center in Kansas. He has served as a classroom teacher in Grades 7–12; school counselor in Grades 4–6; a high school principal in Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, and Guatemala; and educational program consultant in the Learning Service Division at the Kansas State Department of Education. His experience at the postsecondary level includes serving as director for a leadership educational and development program, director for a non-profit leadership development program, and has taught numerous leadership courses. He designed and directed the Kansas Distributed Leadership Academy, a high-quality professional development program for district-level leadership.

He has chaired and served on numerous statewide leadership committees, and has presented at national and statewide conferences on his cutting-edge leadership perspective. In addition, he has presented on a number of other topics, including instinctual talents, student engagement, high-quality professional development, effective synergistic teams, classroom instruction that works, school-related student resiliency, and leadership facilitation. McBeth received his master’s degree in Educational Administration and Supervision and his educational specialist degree in Educational Administration and Supervision from Western Illinois University.