AASA Leading for Equity: Courageous Leadership – A Systems Approach to Equity

Presented by Dr. Tammy Campbell, Superintendent, Federal Way Public Schools (WA)
Moderated by Dr. Valerie Truesdale, Assistant Executive Director, AASA, The School Superintendents Association

Hosted by AASA, The School Superintendents Association 
AASA’s Leadership Network, providing premier professional learning for educational leaders

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Closed captioning will be added to the recording within 2 weeks of the live presentation.
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The work of closing opportunity gaps for students of color and realizing excellence for EVERY scholar can be done! All too often we read about equity, race and inclusion with few real and tangible examples of what it can look like. This edWebinar is designed to provide multiple examples of what equity looks like when it is embedded throughout a school district. It requires superintendents, school boards, principals, support staff, and central office teams to hold an unshakeable belief in the potential and brilliance of every child. This belief and value are the basis for working in a systemic, collaborative, and focused manner to transform the culture of our districts and schools.

Dr. Tammy Campbell spends time outlining Federal Way Public Schools’ (FWPS) journey in closing gaps for all scholars. Viewers will reflect on the work they are leading in their districts and schools while considering areas to build out more broadly and more deeply to ensure equitable access and individual scholar success.

Essential questions include:

• How did district leaders assess where they are in establishing a vision of what equity looks like in your district?
• What are board, superintendent, central office, and principal best practices and implications for your work as equity leaders?
• What are key strategic actions to ensure equity is woven throughout your organization?
• Why should districts share the promising outcomes in FWPS as a result of systems leadership focused on equity?

This recorded presentation will be of particular value to school superintendents, K-12 school and district leaders, and aspiring leaders.

About the Presenter

Now in her sixth year as Superintendent of Federal Way Public Schools (FWPS), Dr. Tammy Campbell has led the district in positioning its scholars to seize very bright futures. Under her leadership, FWPS has realized both regional- and state-level accolades with the FWPS School Board of Directors named as the Large District Board of the Year by the Washington State School Directors’ Association, and Dr. Campbell having been recognized as one of the 25 most influential leaders in the Seattle Region by Seattle Magazine.

However, her most impactful achievements include:

• Graduation rates have increased for the last eight consecutive years, currently at 88.2% for the class of 2020. This includes significant narrowing of graduation gaps for scholars of color.
• FWPS has received regional recognition for college-going rates and attainment.
• As the most diverse district in the state, FWPS has some of the highest numbers of scholars enrolled in advanced placement courses and those who persist in college during their second year.
• Scholars in Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses are earning industry-recognized certifications and are participating in field trips and internships offered at Microsoft, Boeing, STEM companies, and more.
• Scholar Voice as a ubiquitous lever at all schools including every principal meeting with their scholar advisories every month to examine data, elicit strategies, and gather feedback on continuous improvement.
• In 2017, the community supported the passage of an unprecedented bond package of almost half a billion dollars—the largest bond measure in FWPS history and one of the largest in the region.
• A systems approach to racial equity where EVERY staff member engages in professional learning on dismantling systems that close doors for scholars of color and other scholars who are furthest away from educational justice—FWPS has a culture where they lead for equity throughout the organization.

Dr. Campbell’s upbringing as a young girl in the Louisiana Delta, in a time of de facto segregation, convinced her that schools are “game changers” for students and communities. That awareness led her to accomplish many firsts in her family including high school valedictorian, first college graduate, and first to receive her doctorate. At every milestone, she would reflect on her journey and the key people who lifted her toward her dreams. Almost always without fail, they were teachers who lifted her up and believed she could do incredible things. Dr. Campbell began her career in education as a classroom teacher and brings over 21 years of experience to her role as Superintendent of Federal Way Public Schools. She has served as a principal, executive director of teaching and learning, executive director of instructional programs, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, and higher education faculty.

About the Moderator

Dr. Valerie Truesdale joined AASA early in 2019 as the assistant executive director responsible for guiding leadership development services and programs. With years of experience in the superintendency and roles in instructional technology, she knows that AASA’s Leadership Network can be a substantial resource for school leaders trying to keep pace with the rapidly changing delivery of K-12 education.

Closed captioning will be added to the recording within 2 weeks of the live presentation.

Join the Leading for Equity community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.

The AASA Leadership Network drives superintendent success, innovation, and growth, shaping the future of public education while preparing students for what’s next. We are the largest, most diverse network of superintendents in America. Passionate and committed, we connect educational leaders to the professional learning, leadership development, relationships, and partnerships they need to ensure a long career of impact.