LABORATORY FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL VENTURES IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP (LEVEL)

We believe that in order for our school redesign efforts to be successful, we must train educational leaders to be social entrepreneurs who can lead and sustain changes. To mobilize all groups of stakeholders behind the effort to transform schools into social enterprises, we need to develop leaders from each of these groups. To meet these needs, we have founded the Laboratory for Entrepreneurial Ventures in Educational Leadership (LEVEL), which includes the following programs:

• Community & Education Leadership Conversations
  • A presentation series featuring national leaders in the educational field like Dr. Howard Fuller, Dr. Nel Noddings, and Mr. Marc Sternberg.
• Capital Area School Board Training Program
  • Targets school board members from high-needs districts in the greater Baton Rouge area.
  • Provides training in governance, legal roles, accountability, funding, BESE, superintendent searches, and curriculum issues.
• Baton Rouge Transitions to Teaching
  • An alternative certification program to increase the number of highly qualified teachers of math and science in our secondary schools.
  • Includes a Principals’ Academy that trains principals on how to support their new teachers and also ongoing professional development opportunities for both principals and teachers.
  • Neighborhood Meetings
    • Trained community members from high-poverty areas will gather neighborhood families to discuss school policy issues and then share their opinions with school leaders.
  • Future Programs
    • We are working to include alternative certification and leadership training for principals, Training Outstanding Principals (TOP LEVEL).
    • Another vision is to train central office employees in fulfilling leadership roles to work effectively and efficiently with schools.
    • Student leadership is vital in developing future leaders and we aspire to incorporate a Youth Leadership Academy as a program of LEVEL.