“Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate

integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and

bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by

which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover

how to participate in the transformation of their world.”

—Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

The Perrone-Sizer Institute for Creative Leadership (PSi) develops a network of adaptive leaders who mobilize teams by championing racial justice and equity, integrating artistic and design thinking, and engaging with youth and families to transform schools and community-based organizations.

Named after Vito Perrone and Ted Sizer, the Institute is a leadership certificate program that can also lead to graduate credit and/or completion of the Massachusetts Performance Assessment for Leaders (PAL), a requirement for principal licensure. It is designed for working professionals and teachers, and combines face-to-face, virtual, and immersive experiences in schools and community-based settings to enable participants to hone their leadership skills and practices. The program introduces participants to a design thinking approach to program and leadership development.

PSi develops leaders from the perspective of 3 Lenses:

1. Art—accessing inspiration and utilizing creativity, design thinking, risk taking, and experimentation to solve complex problems; artists persist and consider, refine, and illuminate many different approaches.

2. Education—committed to racial justice and equity, and informed and driven by research and data; drawing upon a deep knowledge of child and adolescent development; and applying a profound understanding of theories of learning to prepare students for academic and personal success.

3. Community-Based Leadership—employing a culturally competent understanding of the needs of youth and families in a given community to engage effectively in a dynamic collaborative process of community growth, development, networking and organizing.

PSi’s Theory of Change

If we prepare leaders to continuously apply a creative, adaptive, anti-racist approach to challenges and to engage in meaningful and collaborative relationships with each other to cultivate student- and family-centered education, and if we build a network to support these leaders, then they will have the skills, knowledge and agency to create equitable schools and community organizations that align with the research on learning and challenge the status quo, resulting in improved academic and social emotional outcomes for all students.

Program Expectations

• August & February Intensives and Monthly Cohort Sessions

PSi requires participant attendance at, and active participation in, all PSi classroom sessions, field experiences, and events, including a multi-day August Intensive and extra days during February vacation week, and one or two full-day class sessions each month from September through June.

• Personalized Coaching

One-to-one, customized, in-person and virtual coaching meetings occur at least three times across the year and up to monthly, with a PSi faculty member. This includes regular meetings with each participant’s supervisor. District Fellowship awardees have additional meetings and receive other support customized to prepare them for leadership roles in their districts.

• Monthly Assignments in Preparation for Sessions and Projects

On time completion of monthly reading and homework assignments in preparation for each session is required. Participants are notified of assignments at least one month in advance.

Grading Rubric
All submitted assignments are assigned a score of 1 to 3.

Here are typical criteria for reading responses:

• Capstone Leadership Project

The Capstone Leadership Project, which PSi builds toward throughout the year, is participant-driven and independently designed to suit the professional goals and interests of each individual in the cohort. The Capstone Leadership Project must: (1) address an opportunity for growth in the participant's learning community, (2) leverage a partnership between a community-based organization and their home organization, and (3) be aligned with the school’s improvement plan and instructional focus. Participants are expected to develop a project that improves outcomes for youth and schools using the resources of their home organization as well as a community-based organization. All projects must apply an anti-racist and equity lens. Significant class time will be dedicated to discussing the details and timeline of this project. Basic components include:

1. Clearly define the community of learners you are prioritizing, as well as the need or opportunity you are trying to address. What theory of change are you testing?  Support your claims through data analysis, interviews and focus groups, as well as a literature review. Also, help us understand why this is important to you and why you wish to take on this effort, as well as why this work is important now.  Discuss how you are applying an antiracist and equity lens.
2. Identify at least one community-based organization (CBO) whose mission and values are aligned with your own organization, and whose mandate could include addressing the need or opportunity you have identified.
3. Observe and deepen your understanding of your own organization as well as the identified CBO and community you hope to engage.
4. Ideate various solutions to the need or opportunity you have identified and identify the technical and adaptive problems you will face in the target organizations.
5. Narrow down your ideas to one proposed solution and test your idea with the leadership of the two organizations as well as a sample of your target community. Describe how your idea is creative and/or revolutionary.
6. Using at least three PSi leadership practices as well as the three PSi lenses, define how you will provide leadership in implementing the solution you have selected.
7. Develop a detailed project plan that clearly defines:

• your project idea based on (1) to (6) above
• content standards and instructional approaches, and is aligned with your school improvement plan, where applicable
• the target outcomes and outputs of your project and how these will be measured
• the project action steps with corresponding timelines. Ensure you build in at least two test-refine-implement cycles in your action plan and logic model - the January Consultancy is the first time you begin to test-refine-implement.  
• the resource (people, time, and funds) requirements for the project and how you will obtain these resources
• the technical and adaptive challenges you expect to face and how you propose to address them
• the political and social support you will need to implement your project, and what political and social capital in your organization and the CBO you will leverage to build this support

Course Sessions – Schedule of Dates & Topics 2024-2025

Below is a schedule of PSi class sessions planned for the year.
Dates, times & topics subject to change

All session locations will be in the greater Boston area

Graduate Credit

PSi partners with Cambridge College, which has developed and offers the Perrone-Sizer Institute for Creative Leadership Certificate program. If you are interested in applying to this program and receiving graduate credit for your work in PSi, please click here for more information, or email Rudy Thomas or call him directly at 617-873-0417.

Massachusetts Performance Assessment for Leaders (MA-PAL)

For participants seeking to qualify for Massachusetts principal licensure, PSi provides significant coaching support to complete PAL Tasks at no additional cost.

Participants seeking to qualify for Massachusetts principal licensure are also required to arrange their own placement in a 500 hour apprenticeship under the supervision of a licensed principal in a Massachusetts public or charter school. Learn more at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website.  

Cost

In 2024-2025,  the cost of participation is $12,500 per person.  In the past, through various forms of financial aid, many individual participants have paid anywhere from $1000-$5000.

Please do not let cost be a barrier to applying. Contact Lisa Sankowski if you would like to discuss cost.

Future costs are subject to change.

Required Texts

A diverse range of assignments, including readings and writing responses, will be assigned in preparation for each session, with links provided for shorter readings. We require participants to purchase:

• Aguilar, Elena. Coaching for Equity: Conversations That Change Practice. Wiley, 2020.
• Heifetz, Ronald, Marty Linsky, and Alexander Grashow. The Practice of Adaptive Leadership. Harvard Business Press, 2009.
• Singleton, Glen. Courageous Conversations About Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools, 3nd edition. Corwin Press, 2021.