UCLA Women’s School Leadership Academy (WSLA)*
*open to people of all gender identities
WSLA was designed by K—12 women educators to provide practical sessions on leadership that focus on collaborating for change, problem solving, mentoring, career expansion, connecting voice to vision, promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, and navigating professional and personal lives.
PreK—12 educators participate in WSLA to increase their effectiveness in their schools, systems or districts. They add to the scope of their leadership by expanding their knowledge about school or district leadership roles.
The number of women school leaders has remained static. They comprise 28.5% of the school superintendents, 56% of school principals and 62.8% of the heads of independent schools. Although women’s share of doctorates awarded in education grew to 70% in 2016, women continue to be underrepresented in top educational leadership positions. Existing programs have done little to change this.
Academic Information
WSLA participants learn from each other and from instructor/facilitators who are leaders in varied areas of Pre-K – 12 education. Participants have the opportunity to expand their understanding of themselves and others
Educators participate in WSLA to strengthen their leadership skills and to expand their confidence in their own leadership ability in times of calm and in times of crisis. They seek to increase their value to their schools and districts. They want to collaborate on solving problems and on reducing inequities in their own schools and districts. Small mentoring circles enable participants to discuss and brainstorm issues related to their leadership objectives and actions. Members provide support for each other. Some participants consider new career options while others want to expand their leadership effectiveness in their current positions.
Program methods include leadership identity activities, readings and individual practice in facilitating a meeting, promoting equity diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The Four WSLA Themes Are:
- 360° leadership
- Communicating for impact
- Leading for success across the organization
- Promoting equity, diversity and inclusion
These through-lines are informed by four themes:
- Leading as a woman in times of calm and crisis
- Making decisions considering multiple social, cultural and political perspectives
- Supporting each other’s professional growth
- Navigating professional and private lives
K – 12 Critical Issues That Inform the Themes Are:
- Fiscal problems
- Hiring and retaining talent
- Declining student enrollment
- Artificial Intelligence
Leadership
- Leadership in Times of Calm and in Times of Crisis
- Identifying Effective Strategies for Communicating Your Leadership Identity
- Making Decisions Using Multiple Perspectives: Cultural, Social and Political
- Leadership Learning through Solving Problems
- Act Like a Leader. Think Like a Leader. (Herminia Ibarra)
Supporting Yourself and Supporting Others
- Good Mentoring
- Mentoring Circles
Building Leadership Capacities
- Your Leadership Voice
- Networking
- 360° Leadership (John Maxwell)
- Negotiation
Leadership for Equity, Access and Inclusion
- Processes and Practices
- Using Growth Mindset
Navigating Public and Private Lives in Times of Calm and in Times of Crisis
Career Options and Growth
- Preparing for Career Development
- Alternatives for Careers in Education-Related Areas
Some Critical Issues in K-12 Education – 2025
- Fiscal problems compounded by declining enrollment
- Recruiting, retaining, building human capacities (classified staff, teachers, substitute teachers)
- Post pandemic issues with student behavior, attendance, exhaustion, and frustrations of educators)
- The impact of Artificial Intelligence
Norms of Acceptance
- Minimum of five years of leadership experience in a PreK—12 related school (public, charter or independent), district or organization
- A master’s degree, a doctoral degree or the equivalent beyond a bachelor’s degree
- A commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion
- A commitment to using leadership knowledge and skills to improve educational outcomes
- A commitment to supporting women’s efforts to increase their value to their organizations
Application Materials
Email the following three documents to Dr. Linda Rose at lrose@g.ucla.edu :
- A letter of intent that briefly describes your leadership experience related to PreK—12 education, your commitment to improving student outcomes, your short-term and long-term goals for doing the UCLA Women’s School Leadership Academy, and specific topics for the Academy that are of interest to you. One-to-two pages.
- A current resume.
- Application form (below).
APPLICATION DEADLINE: OCTOBER 15, 2024
Early Bird Registration paid by November 20, 2024 – $2,100 per person
Registration fee paid by two or more participants from the same school or
district/organization – $1900 per person
Registration Fee paid after November 20, 2024 – $2,400 per person
Payment may be made by check, credit card or through a Purchase Order
*Please contact Linda Rose (lrose@g.ucla.edu) if more than four people from the same
school or district/organization plan to enroll in the Academy.
- Two In-Person Saturday Intensives at UCLA, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (PST) January 11 and May 31
- Ten Virtual Tuesday Evenings, 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM PST:
January 14 and 28, February 11 & 25, March 11 & 25, April 15 & 29, May 13 & 20
The application deadline is October 15, 2024
For questions, contact Dr. Linda Rose at lrose@g.ucla.edu.
“More women leaders need to be instrumental in the critical decisions that improve organizational and student outcomes. WSLA helps women to leverage their experiences and expertise in leadership positions. WSLA seeks to act as a cornerstone of creating support for women. Many women educators are deeply engaged in the complex issues confronting schools and educational organizations, but their voices are often neglected when it comes to policy development and decision making. One of the key goals of WSLA is to provide a platform to raise the voices of women leaders in education.”
Linda Rose, Ph.D., Founder WSLA
