Berkeley Leadership Programs

05/28/2026

Last call to join the Systems Leadership Lab—sign up by June 1! The Lab is a unique opportunity for current and aspiring educational systems leaders to engage in deep, systemic inquiry and skill-building alongside world-renowned faculty and peers in senior-most roles. Join us to network with fellow equity-focused practicing leaders as we imagine new possibilities for public education. Register by June 1:

The School of Education welcomes visionaries and dreamers – people who don’t wait for change. They work to make it happen. If you're ready to apply today, start your application using the Graduate Division's online application.

05/26/2026

This past weekend, we were honored to celebrate the Leaders for Equity and Democracy (LEAD) EdD Cohort 2 at the End of Cohort Reception.

It was a joyful evening filled with student reflections, toasts from faculty and community, and meaningful time together with family, loved ones, and colleagues who have supported our students throughout their journeys. We are deeply proud of all that this cohort has accomplished and grateful to everyone who joined us to celebrate this milestone alongside them.

Congratulations to LEAD Cohort 2! Your leadership, scholarship, and commitment to equity continue to shape the future of education, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.

05/22/2026

As 21CSLA concludes its second three-year grant cycle (Cohort 2, 2023–2026), the initiative’s statewide community and special guests gathered in Sacramento on May 7 to celebrate the impact of California's historic investment in school leaders and ongoing commitment to students and families. Read more about the Showcase:

As 21CSLA concludes its second three-year grant cycle, the initiative’s statewide community and special guests gathered in Sacramento on May 7 to celebrate the impact of California's historic investment in school leaders and ongoing commitment to students and families.

05/22/2026

Places of worship should always be places of peace. Muslims should not have to fear for their lives to practice their faith or be in community.  

Our hearts are with everyone impacted by this violent attack and the families of those who lost their lives. We must remain united in rejecting Islamophobia, racism, and all forms of hate targeting our fellow Californians. 

Anyone in need of support can call CA vs Hate to be connected with counseling, mediation, and community-based organizations. Our services are here for you.

05/22/2026

Developed with UC Berkeley Equity and Excellence in Early Childhood (E3C), a new brief challenges common assumptions about instructional leadership in the era of Universal Transitional Kindergarten. The authors identify four persistent myths and offer a clear call to action: improving early childhood instruction requires shared leadership, stronger professional learning systems, and deeper collaboration across P–3 settings. Read the brief: https://bse.berkeley.edu/publications/dispelling-common-myths-instructional-improvement

05/21/2026

Congratulations to the graduates of Leaders for Equity and Democracy (LEAD) Cohort 2 and Principal Leadership Institute (PLI) Cohort 24!

We are incredibly proud of these equity-centered leaders and all they have accomplished throughout their journeys at UC Berkeley. Your commitment to educational justice, transformative leadership, and creating more inclusive schools and communities continues to inspire us all.

As you step into this next chapter, we celebrate the impact you have already made—and the even greater impact still to come.

05/20/2026

🎓 Last but certainly not least, meet LEAD graduate Sara Stone! With nearly 30 years in education and leadership roles spanning teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, and now superintendent of Albany Unified School District, Sara has dedicated her career to building safe, inclusive, and academically rigorous schools where all students can thrive.

Her dissertation explores how white women superintendents can lead lasting, equity-focused change across PK–12 education systems, reflecting her deep commitment to transformational leadership and student opportunity.

Learn more about Sara: https://bse.berkeley.edu/sara-stone

05/20/2026

🎓 Meet the next graduate of our LEAD cohort, Rosanna Ayers! As an instructor at UC Merced, a partner to multiple California districts and counties, and an engaged member of multiple state projects, Rosanna is steadfast in service of her passion: leading equitable science education efforts for PK–12 youth.

A fierce advocate for rural education and her beloved Central Valley community, Rosanna's dissertation explores the unique barriers rural educational leaders face in meeting the science education needs of minoritized students, and the powerful moves they leverage to support this mission.

05/19/2026

🎓 Our next soon-to-be doctor from LEAD Cohort 2 is Mohammed Soriano-Bilal, a seasoned higher education leader with cross-sector experience designing and leading diversity, equity and inclusion efforts that focus on building alliances to increase belonging and further justice-oriented goals.

Mohammed's research examines the role of communities of practice in supporting high-level higher education leaders in enacting transformative diversity, equity and inclusion efforts that lead to meaningful organizational change.

05/19/2026

🎓 Meet Malcolm Norrington, a graduate of LEAD Cohort 2! As principal of Amador Valley High School and a longtime educational leader, Malcolm is known for leading through an equity lens and building safe, inclusive, and collaborative school communities. With experience spanning roles from teacher and vice principal to custodian and child nutrition services worker, Malcolm brings a holistic systems-thinking approach to educational leadership.

Malcolm focused his dissertation research on the experiences of African American male principals as they navigate systemic barriers to create equity-centered school environments.

Learn more about Malcolm: https://bse.berkeley.edu/malcolm-norrington