ABSTRACT
This chapter illustrates how, while maintaining elements of school leadership preparation program curriculum tied to standards and containing embedded accountability measures, a redesign team rejected the inclusion of neoliberal vocabulary and conceptions as the lexicon and theoretical framework for learning. While consciously discarding that language, we promote a language and lens of school leadership learning focused on student holistic outcomes of success. Using a case study of educational leadership, we examine a partnership between a school leadership program, a donor organization, and multiple districts engaged in the redesign of a Master's Degree program leading to assistant principal certification. The goal of the redesign studied was to take a comprehensive approach to school leadership that extended beyond the narrow focus/definition of achievement and accountability (based on high-stakes test scores). The partnership program redesign leadership team made a conscientious and deliberate effort to incorporate concepts of systems' interconnectedness, social justice, reflective practice, social emotional learning, in addition to leadership and change theories and models into all aspects (processes, structures, and outcomes) of the program. This model/example is presented to inform or serve as a foundation for future studies of programs aiming to have similar counter-neoliberal narratives.
