The Carroll County Schools and Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (GLISI) will be recipients of a five year $3.9m federal grant through the U.S. Department of Education’s School Leadership Program. The winning proposal, High Calling: Coaching and Learning for Leaders in Carroll County High Schools, was one of only 20 proposals selected by the highly competitive nationwide program to recruit, train, and mentor principals and assistant principals.

The grant will support four key activities designed to accelerate improved outcomes for Carroll County high school students: 1) rigorous selection and evaluation of principals, assistant principals and teacher leaders; 2) training and coaching for leaders; 3) technical assistance; and 4) incentive compensation for school leaders.

“This is welcome news amid the continued budget pressure in Carroll County because it means we can create conditions that reward our leaders for strong performance,” said Superintendent Scott Cowart. “The work of this grant is critical work that we have had to put off in order to apply our resources to other urgent priorities. Now we have the chance to carry out our plans to improve our current leaders’ performance and build a bench of excellent high school leaders to carry Carroll County into a bright and successful future. I can think of no better partner to work with us than GLISI because they understand how important continuous growth is to keep principals excited about – and effective in – their work.”

“When principals, assistant principals and teacher leaders are growing and learning, and when they are focused on improving the quality of instruction in every classroom, it transforms culture,” GLISI Executive Director Gale Hulme noted. “Research tells us that culture and district support are the strongest factors that influence whether our most effective principals stay. And the impact of principals on instruction and student learning has been well-documented – effective principals yield more effective teachers who in turn deliver effective instruction.”

About Carroll County School System
CCSS has a student enrollment of 14,400 students across 24 schools. The system is comprised of 12 elementary, six middle, and five high schools. Additionally, the district has a Charter College & Career Academy and the nationally recognized 12 For Life Program in partnership with the Southwire Company.

About GLISI
GLISI is a non-profit organization founded in 2001. Drawing on research and best practice in K-12 education, business, and adult learning, GLISI’s mission is to develop world-class education leaders who advance student achievement and organizational effectiveness. GLISI has become the training and consulting partner of choice for districts throughout Georgia to develop strong leaders who transform lives in their communities.