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Leadership: An Evolving Vision

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The Leadership: An Evolving Vision Institute at Harvard University provides you the opportunity to strengthen your leadership and management skills and revitalize your personal vision of leadership. Participants will learn new methods for improving individual, group, and organizational performance. The 2022 session will be held from July 9 to July 15, 2022.

By the end of the program you will understand how to:

  • Connect theory to practice as you examine leadership practices that enhance organizational performance and enable sustainable change
  • Discover new methods for improving individual, group, and school performance
  • Learn specific strategies for fostering a positive school culture, valuing diversity, and communicating effectively with constituents
  • Study proven techniques for increasing personal growth and improving relationships with colleagues and staff
  • Explore organizational processes that improve the learning and life chances of children under your charge

Please note that the current public health protocols at Harvard require all participants in on-campus programs to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to arriving on campus, present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result from a test administered within 72 hours before arriving on campus, and adhere to indoor mask mandates as determined by the University. More information about the Institute and Harvard’s protocols can be found here.

Please note that applicants who apply directly to The Principals’ Center, Harvard Graduate School of Education will not be eligible for funding from the Charles Butt Foundation. Charles Butt Foundation applicants must complete the application below and do not need to complete an additional application to The Principals’ Center on the Harvard website.

Application and selection is a five-step process:
  1. Online Application: The first step of the application process is to complete the full online application process by 12:00 p.m. (noon) CST on March 7, 2022.
  2. Application Review and Interview Selection: Applications will be reviewed and interview finalists selected by Friday, March 28, 2022.
  3. Interview Process: Interview finalists are required to participate in a virtual/video interview process that begins Monday, April 4, 2022.
  4. Final Cohort Selection: All selected finalists will be notified by Friday, April 22, 2022.
  5. Attendee Confirmation: Attendees must submit a signed letter of agreement by Friday, May 6, 2022.

Who is eligible to apply?

To be eligible, applicants must be a current Texas public school head principal who intends to remain principal or district leader in a Texas public school in the 2022-23 school year. A change in role after you are selected and before you attend the Institute may result in forfeiture of your sponsorship.

Applicants sponsored by Raise Your Hand Texas to participate in the Harvard Leadership Program in 2020 are NOT eligible to apply for sponsorship in 2022. Those sponsored in any previous year (2008-2019) ARE eligible to apply. If you previously attended The Principals’ Center at the Harvard Graduate School of Education through an organization other than Raise Your Hand Texas, you may apply.

Expectations of Attendees

If selected for the Charles Butt Foundation Leadership Program, we ask that participants:

Before Harvard

  • Identify a campus-level and individual problem of practice
  • Develop goals for summer learning
  • Communicate with the Charles Butt Foundation on program deadlines, travel, and other logistics
  • Submit campus plans to the Charles Butt Foundation
  • Sign a letter of agreement certifying that you agree to the terms of the partnership

During Harvard

  • Attend all classes at Harvard during the selected course
  • Participate in all Harvard activities and complete all assignments
  • Participate in all Charles Butt Foundation events

Post-Harvard

  • Construct and submit a prospectus to the Charles Butt Foundation explaining your plan for applying your summer learning to addressing your problem of practice
  • Submit related campus documents as requested
  • Make revisions to your plan and keep the Charles Butt Foundation updated on progress throughout the year
  • Present an overview of summer learning to principal colleagues in your district/charter and to your district/charter administration, and invite Charles Butt Foundation staff
  • Participate in monthly check-ins
  • Attend the 2023 Charles Butt Foundation Leadership Symposium
  • Grant the Charles Butt Foundation access to your campus data for internal program evaluation
  • Volunteer to host a Charles Butt Foundation alumni site visit
  • Attend at least one Charles Butt Foundation alumni site visit
  • Serve as a mentor for a Charles Butt Scholar

Apply to Attend

The Charles Butt Foundation is sponsoring individual principals serving Texas public schools to attend the Leadership: An Evolving Vision Institute. Sponsoring includes tuition, airfare, hotel accommodations, and a stipend.

Application Instructions

  1. After selecting the “APPLY NOW” button, there are three tasks that you must complete to submit your application.
    • Create a login and password to begin the application.
    • After logging into your account, select the first task in the application labeled, “Leadership: An Evolving Vision Application”.
    • Fill out all the necessary fields, and select the “MARK AS COMPLETE” button to move on to the essay questions.
  2. You must answer both essay questions individually before moving on to the next stage of the application process.
    • Write an essay that identifies a campus-level problem and explains why you think this institute will help you address this problem. Maximum 500 words. Questions to consider:
      • What is the problem?
      • What data are you using to validate that this is a problem?
      • What is the root cause of this problem?
      • What impact does the problem have on teaching and learning across the campus?
      • What systems and processes must improve to address this problem?
      • What barriers will you face when addressing this problem?
    • Write an essay that describes your leadership framework. Maximum 500 words. Questions to consider:
      • What traits and characteristics must a leader possess?
      • What is your decision-making process and how do situational factors influence the way you lead?
      • What do you view as your formal and informal roles as a leader on your campus?
    • Once you have submitted your essays, you must select the “MARK AS COMPLETE” button, and move to the final stage of the application.
  3. To complete the final stage of the application process you must upload a copy of your cover letter, resume and your 2020-2021 campus TAPR and select the “MARK AS COMPLETE” button.
  4. When all three tasks are complete, select the “SUBMIT” button.
  5. If everything looks correct, select the “SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION” button.

If selected, you must agree to the terms in the letter of agreement. Please review the terms closely before applying.

Preview the letter of agreement here: 2022 Letter of Agreement.

If you have questions about the Harvard Leadership Program or the application process, please contact Tim Miller, Director of Leadership Development, at [email protected]. 

Key Dates

February 1

Application for summer 2022 Harvard Institutes is available.

March 8

Application for summer 2022 Harvard Institutes closes at 12:00 p.m. (noon) CST.

March 28

Finalists are notified they are invited to interview.

Early April

Finalist interviews.

April 22

Final selections are complete and finalists are invited to attend Harvard.

May 9

Finalists confirm participation and cohort names announced to the public.