Detroit Public Schools Community District
Since 2019, Leading Educators has supported schools and leaders in Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) to nurture excellent instruction across classrooms with strategic support.
Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) is partnering with Leading Educators to strengthen instructional leadership across multiple layers within the district so all students have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to thrive in Detroit, our nation, and our world.
About the Partnership
Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD), which serves more than 48,782 students, is determined to educate and empower every student in every community every day to build a stronger Detroit.
The Challenge & Early Partnership Efforts
DPSCD students, like millions of students across the country, faced setbacks from the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the district is working to recover and rebound.
Even before the pandemic struck, leaders in the district noticed a concerning trend: there was stagnation in elementary reading achievement, and math proficiency was persistently low. These issues signaled a pressing need for improvements in instructional strategy.
With partnership from Leading Educators, DPSCD adopted Tier 1 curricula and implemented curriculum-aligned cycles of professional learning for two years, but principals perceived them as disconnected from school priorities.
- Walkthroughs revealed many classrooms where adopted curricula were not fully in use, which presented an opportunity for teachers to increase rigor and student ownership.
- Likewise, fewer than 50% of teacher leaders had consistent common planning or PLC time.
Some outlier schools were making progress, but instructional leadership needed to be built systematically. District leaders saw the need for a unified approach to building upon existing strengths and resources for overall improvement.
Looking Ahead
To ensure all students are college and career-ready, DPSCD is partnering with Leading Educators to bolster instructional recovery and growth through the following levers:
- Creating a coherent instructional system that aligns leadership practices and learning goals district-wide.
- Directly coaching principals to enhance their instructional leadership skills, including strategic planning, collecting and analyzing observation and student learning data, and facilitating collaborative problem-solving conversations.
Within instructional leadership, the district aims to build the capacity of principals, instructional coaches, and assistant superintendents to provide effective teacher feedback, lead instructional leadership teams, and analyze student data. Ultimately, DPSCD intends to foster schools where teachers are well-equipped to meet student needs and prepare all students for the future.
Read a Related StoryLeading Educators has been a key partner to DPSCD since July 2019. Over the years, our work together has shifted from supporting the implementation of a new high-quality ELA curriculum to building a consistent instructional leadership model and systems for school improvement.
Leading Educators regularly meet with district leadership, including the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction and the Deputy Superintendent of Strategy and Academics, to develop guidance, policies, and practices that promote effective instructional leadership across the district.
We collaborate closely on the design and facilitation of professional development for various stakeholders, including principals, teacher leaders, and coaches. LE also developed a district-specific playbook that is being realized in actionable learning materials.
Principals in select schools receive direct coaching aimed at refining their leadership abilities and supporting them in fostering effective instructional practices. Additionally, we offer coaching and guidance for district-level coaches, ensuring they effectively implement instructional leadership strategies.
Partnership By The Numbers
6,215 Students
empowered with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to thrive in a changing world
12 School Leaders
supported to grow strong instructional practices across schools
12 Schools
supported with coherent instructional efforts designed to yield sustainable growth
4 Assistant Superintendents
supported to develop guidance, policies, and practices that promote effective instructional leadership across the district
Meet the Team
Dr. Keli Swearingen
Dr. Michelle Brown
Marvin English
Alexa Rowek
Dr. Brittany Whitby
About Dr. Keli Swearingen
For the past 12 years, Keli has directly supported charter schools and regions with two fervent beliefs: master educators are made through years of deliberate coaching and support; and educational equality requires teachers, coaches, and leaders to pivot our practices, adapt, and maintain the resilience needed to persevere through the work required to alter-reality and provide equitable opportunity. Throughout her work with KIPP Public Schools and Democracy Prep Public Schools, Keli supported K-12 alignment, assessment, teacher and instructional leader development and coaching. Keli has a background in assessment and measurement, which she used to lead the development of next generation assessments for ELA and math, as well as aligned data-driven instructional protocols that support implementation of standards aligned curriculum and strategic interventions.
Keli founded Ascend’s second elementary school in Brownsville (serving as school director) and later coached data and analytics for all schools in the Ascend Learning network. Keli was a research fellow at the Florida Center for Reading Research and an Ed Psych and Classroom Assessment instructor for FSU’s College of Education. She has a master’s in library science and a doctorate in educational psychology. Keli started this journey as a Teach For America corps member teaching high school ELA in New Orleans (CM ’02).
Keli is from Panama City, Florida and currently resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. When not nerding out on instruction and assessment, Keli enjoys spending time with her wife, Norah. She also enjoys working on Jeeps, playing music (bass and kit), watching Florida State football (Go Noles!), and watching Saints football (Who Dat!).
Dr. Keli Swearingen in the news
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Coaching isn't about fixing what's broken
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Webinar: Using Action-Oriented, Multi-Layer Coaching to Nurture Instructional Success
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How Detroit is Building the Infrastructure and Habits to ‘Rise Up’
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Instructional Leader Success Demands Multi-Layer Support
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A Multi-Layer Playbook for Greater Instructional Leadership Success
About Dr. Michelle Brown
Before joining Leading Educators, Michelle was the Vice Principal of Academics at the New Orleans Charter Science and Math High School, the same school where she learned that teaching is the best career in the world. She was previously a teacher educator at Southeastern Louisiana University and the Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP). She began her career in education as a high school English and reading teacher in New Orleans.
Michelle holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education. Her graduate work focused on classroom observation and effective literacy practices in secondary ELA classrooms. She earned a B.A. from New College of Florida where she pursued a dual concentration in Literature and Hispanic Language and Literature.
About Marvin English
Marvin has served in communities within New York City and Detroit as a school leader. Before joining Leading Educators, Marvin managed instructional programming, curriculum and assessments, teacher and leader coaching, strategic planning, and school level professional learning at Phalen Leadership Academies.
Marvin holds a B.A. in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Michigan. Additionally he holds a M.Ed in Elementary Education from DePaul University and M.A. in Education Leadership and Policy from the University of Michigan. He lives in Detroit, Michigan. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his son, traveling, playing golf, reading, watching sports, and visiting museums.
About Alexa Rowek
Before joining Leading Educators, Alexa was the Achievement Director of Special Education at KIPP New Jersey where she supported K-12 Principals and Assistant Principals through strategic planning, coaching, and professional development to implement strong special education programming. Prior to that at KIPP, Alexa was a Special Education math and ELA teacher as well as an Assistant Principal at TEAM Academy. She began her career in education as a high school Math and ELA teacher in New York City.
Alexa holds a M.Ed in Special Education from Pace University, and received a post-masters certification as a Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant (LDT-C) from William Paterson University. She earned a B.A. from Dickinson College in Psychology and focused on studying the brain.
Alexa Rowek in the news
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Instructional Leader Success Demands Multi-Layer Support
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A Multi-Layer Playbook for Greater Instructional Leadership Success
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Webinar: Using Action-Oriented, Multi-Layer Coaching to Nurture Instructional Success
About Dr. Brittany Whitby
Before joining Leading Educators, Brittany served as the Director of Mathematics for an ECE-8 charter school in Washington, D.C., where she designed effective math programming,
coaching, and support for teachers and leaders. Throughout her career, Brittany has served as a teacher, school leader, and coach across charter and public schools.
Brittany holds an Ed.D in Leadership and Learning in Organizations from Vanderbilt University. Her capstone focused on creating meaningful leadership support for Black educators who aspire to school leadership in urban communities. She also holds an M.Ed in Elementary Education from Johns Hopkins University and a B.A. in Psychology from Hampton University. Brittany loves solo travel and running in her free time.
Dr. Brittany Whitby in the news
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A Multi-Layer Playbook for Greater Instructional Leadership Success
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Webinar: Using Action-Oriented, Multi-Layer Coaching to Nurture Instructional Success
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Instructional Leader Success Demands Multi-Layer Support
Stories & Features
Learn how our work in Detroit has evolved over the past six years to meet changing needs and help educators take their practice to the next level.
Learn About Other Partnerships
DPSCD is just one of a dozen partnerships across the country that are pushing the boundaries of what schools can offer students. Learn more about how we customize our supports to meet the needs and strengths of visionary districts.
