People. That’s what matters most when it comes to the long-term success of any organization.
Why should public schools be any different?
Investment in human capital
Human capital is the largest single investment K-12 districts make. The importance of leadership in managing those investments is critical.
Yet, there is little appetite in public education to invest in growing the skill, ingenuity and effectiveness of the nearly 720,000 professionals we depend on to education Texas’ 5.4 million children.
Running a district or school is complex work that requires expertise in curriculum, pedagogy, budget management and school operations.
But it also requires strong leadership – teachers, principals and district leaders who know how to partner with caregivers and their local community to navigate the shifting landscape of education in America.
Impact of effective principals
The principal role is especially critical. Over two decades of research has shown that an effective principal can add the equivalent of 2.9 more months of learning in math and 2.7 more months of learning in reading during a single school year, according to a 2021 report by the Wallace Foundation.
“It is difficult to envision an investment in K–12 education with a higher ceiling on its potential return than improving school leadership,” the report noted.
That’s why Holdsworth exists. Our leaders come to us as experts on education. We help them become experts on leadership.
Leaders are made, not born
Holdsworth is focused on building stronger leaders at every level.
Leaders who know how to solve complex problems with no easy answers.
Leaders who know how to inspire, engage, empower, and, ultimately, retain talented staff.
Leaders are made, not born. The great ones share common mindsets and behaviors that can – and should – be taught: Courage, resilience, empathy and the ability to reflect on oneself and to learn from mistakes.
Over time, Texas’ 8,091 public schools will become stronger by cultivating more leaders who can innovate and drive toward equitable outcomes for all students.
With our help, Holdsworth-trained leaders will be profoundly changed and the districts we’ve partnered with will continue the work of developing leaders without us for years to come.
The demand for talent never stops
Between 2007 and 2017, students enrollment in Texas’ 1,201 school districts grew by 16 percent, one of the fastest in the nation. In Texas alone:
2,200
principals are needed each year (25% turnover rate)
250
superintendents are needed each year (20-25% turnover rate)
1/3
of public school teachers quit before their fifth year
