Vision
The Midwest Instructional Leadership Council is committed to improving the education of ALL children by promoting data-based practices in a unified system using evidence-based resources through a collaborative network.
Mission
The mission of the Midwest Instructional Leadership Council is to build and sustain capacity for improving the achievement of ALL children.
Values
The Midwest Instructional Leadership Council embraces the following values:
- Dialogue with various stakeholder groups inside and outside of the educational institution is the only vehicle for improving outcomes and achievement for ALL students.
- Dialogue and collaboration with a variety of stakeholder groups is critical in closing the research-to-practice and the practice-to-research gap.
- The most important variable in increasing and achieving high outcomes for ALL students is through improving instruction and not through better ways of labeling and/or categorizing students.
- Leadership is vital in creating schools and educational opportunities that meet the needs of ALL students. The concept and construct of leadership must be expanded and intensified beyond traditional ideas and frameworks of leadership.
Core Beliefs
- We believe the most important question is: "How will we reposnd when students enter our doors unequally prepared for success?"
- We believe that scientifically validated instructional processes, procedures, and strategies are the foundation on which strong educational systems are constructed.
- We believe in the value and synergy of professional dialogue and discourse in shaping educational practices that build and sustain capacity for increasing student achievement.
- We believe that student performance data are the currency of any decision-making process that affects children.
- We believe that high quality, embedded professional development and coaching are required to equip staff with the skills to teach a diverse student population.
- We believe that the voices and perspectives of stakeholders inside and outside the educational community are of utmost importance.
- We believe that district and school culture are critical in meeting the needs of diverse learners.
- We believe that leadership matters and that leadership must be shared and intensified through all aspects of the schoolhouse.
- We believe that teachers deserve the best curricula and curricular tools for meeting the needs of diverse learners.
Core Values
- We value being politically aware, but remaining politically neutral.
- We value being aware and responsive to practitioner needs and challenges in "real world" contexts.
- We value remaining focused on practical applications.
- We value providing information that is "evidenced-based" and empirically-validated".
- We value providing ongoing support rather than individual support events.
- We value facilitating communication between and among all stakeholders with a specific focus on communication between practitioners and researchers.
- We value serving as a resource for information about research to guide practice.
- We value providing support and information that is easily used and understood by practitioners.
- We value promoting credible purveyors of knowledge regarding research and practice.
- We value respect for the challenges and needs of teachers and other direct service providers.
- We value representation of all educators voices in guiding decisions.