2026 ACSA Women in School Leadership Forum

Want to level the playing field and build a strong, internal leadership pipeline? This interactive workshop highlights the inspiration, planning, and implementation of Carlsbad USD’s "Partners in Practice," a multi-tiered mentoring program designed to build a robust, equity-centered leadership pipeline.

This session breaks down how we structured three distinct pathways to support leaders at every career stage: Aspiring Administrators, Assistant Principals, and New Principals. We will dive into the practical realities of our successfully launched Aspiring Administrator series and New Principal mentor program, and share how we are mapping out our Assistant Principal development. We will unpack our complete monthly curriculum, covering operational training, school culture and discipline, and sustainability habits, which align with CPSEL standards. Participants will engage with real-world case studies, practice applying coaching frameworks, and leave with plug-and-play resources to launch their own local mentoring program immediately.

3 Key Audience Takeaways:
1. A comprehensive framework to design and scale a multi-tiered internal leadership pipeline.
2. A complete, month-by-month curriculum blueprint covering school operations, instructional leadership, and wellness.
3. Practical protocols for matching mentors, gathering partner feedback, and establishing non-evaluative coaching structures.