A steady rise in the number of new administrators in California schools and districts has increased the need for coaches in the ACSA Clear Administrative Credential Program. ACSA currently has 17 local programs and the local program coordinators have a need to increase their pool of coaches to meet the demand.

In addition, many districts are embracing the concept of leadership coaching and are investing in having coaches trained in ACSA Leadership Coaching provide ongoing support to their school leaders.

ACSA Leadership Coaching is a series of online workshops designed to teach experienced school and district leaders how to provide job-embedded coaching to school administrators.

This training is the first step toward becoming a credentialed coach of candidates in the ACSA Clear Administrative Credential Program. However, the training is also beneficial to anyone who is responsible for the development of education leaders.

Studies over the past year have shown that leaders are becoming increasingly weary and that no leader can meet all of the responsibilities required of them by themselves.

“Principals are facing enormous challenges resulting in significant stress with no end in sight,” according to a nationwide survey of school leaders released last year by the National Association of Secondary Principals.

The survey findings indicated that “one of two school leaders claim their stress is so high they are considering a career change or retirement.”

Now more than ever, all school leaders can benefit from a confidential thought-partner who coaches them and helps them identify new ways to articulate their vision, build a strong and positive culture, support teaching and learning, and intentionally provide every student with a sense of belonging. Coaches trained in the ACSA Leadership Coaching program are prepared to be that thought-partner.

ACSA Leadership Coaching training provides the opportunity for leaders to give back and share what they have learned in a meaningful way, said Jeanie Cash, state program coordinator for ACSA Leadership Coaching who has been developing content, training and working with the program since its inception.

“By giving back, experienced leaders can help build a future for today’s learners,” she said. “Trained leadership coaches know how to ask the right questions and give leaders insight into the challenges they are facing in today’s politically charged environment. Experienced coaches build bridges for the next generation of leaders.”

ACSA embraces the Evocative Coaching model, a strengths-based approach to support and develop leadership skills in multiple areas including: leading the learning, supporting a positive culture, leading through a lens of equity, efficiently developing and managing school plans and budgets, working with families and community, and understanding the bigger picture of board policies, state and federal mandates.

Over four highly interactive online sessions, participants will collaborate around four important coaching behaviors: LEAD (Listen, Express empathy, Ask appreciative questions, Design next steps).