Teacher Leader Model Standards: Implications for Preparation, Policy, and Practice

Teacher leadership is increasingly recognized as a resource for instructional improvement. Consequently, teacher leader initiatives have expanded rapidly despite limited knowledge about how to prepare and support teacher leaders. In this context, the Teacher Leader Model Standards represent an important development in the field. In this article, we use findings from the content analyses of four preexisting teacher leader preparation programs to identify strengths and gaps in these new standards. Our aim is to invite critical dialogue about the standards to improve their utility for strengthening teacher leadership preparation, policy, and practice.