Use this table for individuals and leadership teams who want to enhance and strengthen equitable practices.

DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN A GOOD LEADER AND A SOCIAL JUSTICE LEADER

Good Leader

Social Justice Leader

Works with sub-publics

to connect with
community

Places significant value on diversity and extends cultural respect

and understanding of that diversity

Speaks of success for all

children

Ends separate and pull-out programs that block both emotional

and academic success for marginalized children

Supports variety of
programs for diverse
learners

Strengthens core teaching and curriculum and ensures that

diverse students have access to that core

Facilitates professional
development in best
practice

Embeds that professional development in collaborative structures

and a context that ties to make sense of race, class, gender,
sexuality, and disability

Builds collective vision of

a great school

Knows that a school cannot be great until the students with the
greatest struggles are given the same rich academic,
extracurricular, and social opportunities as those enjoyed by their
more privileged peers

Empowers staff and

works collaboratively

Brings a personal vision of every childs being successful, but

collaboratively addresses the problems of how to achieve that
success

Networks and builds

alliances with key
stakeholders

Builds and leads coalitions by bringing together various groups of

people to further agenda (families, community organizations, staff,
students) and seeks out other activist administrators who can and
will sustain her/him

Acts as a positive
ambassador for the
school

Builds a climate in which families, staff, and students belong and

feel welcome

Uses data to understand

realities of the school

Sees all data through a lens of equity

Understands children
have individual needs

Knows that building community, collaboration, and differentiation

are tools for ensuring that all students achieve success together

Engages in school
improvement with a
variety of stakeholders

Combines structures that promote inclusion and access to

improved teaching and curriculum within a climate of belonging

Works long and hard to

create a great school

Beyond working hard, becomes intertwined with the schools

success and life

Scanlan, M & Theoharis. G. (2015). Leadership for Increasingly Diverse Schools. New York, NY: Routledge.