Texas Strategic Leadership

Texas Strategic Leadership (TSL) is a statewide initiative designed to support superintendents and district leadership teams in building sustainable systems that improve the daily student experience and accelerate academic outcomes. TSL provides districts with structured, high-impact support to move from vision to execution, anchored in research, grounded in data, and aligned to the Effective District Framework (EDF). 

At its core, TSL helps districts answer a critical question: Are our systems intentionally designed to deliver the student experience we want—every day, in every classroom?

Why Texas Strategic Leadership? 

District leaders operate in a constant whirlwind of competing priorities. Without a clear focus, even strong initiatives can fail to produce lasting impact. TSL helps superintendents and leadership teams “keep the main thing the main thing” by prioritizing the highest-leverage strategies and aligning district systems around them. 

TSL supports districts to: 

  • See and understand the systems producing current results 
  • Ruthlessly prioritize a small number of high-impact academic strategies 
  • Align people, processes, and resources to those priorities 
  • Monitor progress through clear, actionable performance management 
  • Build internal capacity to sustain improvement beyond the engagement 

The Foundation: The Effective District Framework (EDF) 

TSL is built on the foundation of the Effective District Framework, a research-based model that defines the district-level systems required to consistently deliver strong student outcomes. 

Through TSL, districts apply the EDF to strengthen: 

  • Planning & Performance Management 
  • Academic Experience 
  • Instructional Capacity Building 
  • Talent Systems 
  • Integrated Student Supports 
  • Finance & Operations 

Rather than addressing these areas in isolation, TSL helps districts align systems to work together, recognizing that sustainable improvement requires coordinated change across the whole organization. 

Academic Strategic Planning: From Vision to Focused Action 

TSL supports districts through a strategic planning process grounded in academic outcomes and student experiences. 

Districts engage in a comprehensive Landscape Analysis to understand their current systems, identify root causes, and surface patterns across campuses, classrooms, and student groups. This analysis leads to: 

  • A clear Envisioned Student Experience 
  • Strategic priorities aligned to EDF levers 
  • Research-based initiatives connected directly to district goals 

This work ensures strategic plans are not compliance documents, but living tools that guide daily decision-making and resource allocation. 

Performance Management: Turning Plans into Results 

Strong plans only matter if they are executed well. TSL provides districts with a structured performance management system that enables leaders to know at any moment whether they are winning or losing on their most important priorities. 

Performance management in TSL is: 

  • Routine and cyclical 
  • Focused on learning 
  • Designed to guide action 

Districts engage in Beginning-, Middle-, and End-of-Year Performance Routines that examine: 

  • Input metrics (capacity and preparation) 
  • Output metrics (implementation and system fidelity) 
  • Leading student outcome metrics (early indicators of impact) 

These routines help leadership teams reflect, adjust, and take timely action, ensuring that improvement efforts stay on track throughout the year.

Value to Superintendents 

TSL is intentionally designed around the realities of the superintendency. 

Superintendents receive: 

  • Dedicated 1:1 executive coaching to strengthen leadership, change management, and strategic decision-making 
  • Best-in-class consultative support from Executive Coaches and Performance Management & Data Specialists 
  • Structured leadership routines that align cabinet, campuses, and the board around shared priorities 
  • Statewide access to peer superintendents and content experts 
  • Support in engaging boards in meaningful, data-informed governance 

TSL empowers superintendents to lead with clarity, focus, and confidence, while building sustainable systems. 

Value to Districts 

Districts that engage in TSL gain: 

  • A clear, aligned strategic plan grounded in evidence and focused on academics 
  • Stronger district-level systems that support campus execution 
  • Improved coherence across initiatives, reducing fragmentation 
  • A culture of continuous improvement and learning 
  • Internal capacity to independently sustain planning and performance management routines 

TSL is not about adding more work, it is about doing the right work, better.

  • Bring Your District’s Vision to Life with Texas Strategic Leadership

    Overview

    Texas Strategic Leadership (TSL) is a statewide initiative that helps superintendents and district leadership teams build sustainable systems that improve the daily student experience and accelerate academic outcomes.

    Through structured support from a TSL Approved Provider, participating districts move from vision to execution by:

    • Identifying the systems producing current results
    • Prioritizing a small number of high-impact academic strategies
    • Aligning people, resources, initiatives, and systems
    • Establishing clear measures of progress
    • Implementing frequent performance-management routines
    • Strengthening superintendent and district leadership capacity through executive coaching

    TSL is anchored in research, grounded in data, and aligned with the Effective District Framework (EDF).

    Choose the Right TSL Pathway

    Strategic Planning Pathway

    Designed for districts that need to develop or significantly strengthen an academically focused strategic plan.

    Support includes:

    • Reviewing the district’s current context and needs
    • Establishing or refining the district’s vision, mission, and goals
    • Defining the envisioned student experience
    • Identifying a small number of high-leverage strategic priorities
    • Aligning initiatives, resources, systems, and responsibilities
    • Developing progress measures, implementation plans, and board-monitoring structures
    • Preparing the district to transition into performance management

    Performance Management Pathway

    Designed for districts that have a current, academically focused strategic plan and are ready to strengthen implementation.

    Support includes:

    • Establishing district-level performance-management systems and routines
    • Reviewing implementation and outcome data regularly
    • Triangulating assessment, observation, and implementation data
    • Monitoring progress toward strategic priorities
    • Identifying high-leverage action steps
    • Strengthening superintendent and leadership-team execution
    • Supporting board monitoring and communication

    Additional Support

    Both pathways include executive coaching for superintendents to strengthen leadership, change management, decision-making, and accountability.

     

    Learn More: District Information Webinar

    Texas Strategic Leadership District Webinar

    Date: October 2, 2026
    Audience: Superintendents and district leadership teams interested in applying for TSL

    Date & Time: Oct. 2nd @ 9 am
    Registration: Registration Link

    District Application Process

    Step 1: Learn About TSL

    Review the pathway descriptions, participation expectations, timeline, and available resources. Attend or watch the district information webinar.

    Step 2: Determine the Appropriate Pathway

    Districts identify whether they are applying for:

    • Strategic Planning support; or
    • Performance Management support.

    Performance Management applicants should have a current strategic plan and needs assessment.

    Step 3: Complete the Application

    The superintendent or designee submits the TSL application and required documentation.

    TSL District Application – Coming Soon!

     

    Step 4: Participate in an Interview

    Selected districts will participate in an interview designed to:

    • Clarify application responses
    • Assess district and superintendent readiness
    • Confirm pathway
    • Better understand current systems and support needs

    Step 5: Provider Matching and Selection

    Selected districts are connected with an eligible TSL Approved Provider based on various factors.

     

    TSL Support Timeline

    Timeframe Phase Primary Focus
    October–December 2026 Application and Launch Preparation Application, interview, selection, provider matching, contracting, and initial readiness activities
    January–March 2027 Strategic Planning Support Strategic-plan development or refinement, district vision and goals, priorities, strategies, measures, and implementation planning
    April 2027–May 2028 Performance Management Support Implementation, data review, monthly performance-management routines, executive coaching, board monitoring, and continuous improvement

     

    Contact and Call to Action

    Ready to strengthen the systems that turn your district’s priorities into results?

    Date & Time: Oct. 2nd @ 9 am
    Registration: Registration Link

    [View the Approved Provider list] - Coming Soon 

    Contact the TSL team: texasstrategicleadership@tea.texas.gov 

  • Texas Strategic Leadership Approved Provider Hub

    Approved Provider Overview

    TSL Approved Providers, including Education Service Centers and approved vendors, partner with districts to build and sustain the leadership systems needed to improve instruction and student outcomes.

    Approved Providers support districts through:

    • Academically focused strategic planning
    • District-level performance management
    • Executive coaching
    • School board engagement
    • Data analysis and visualization
    • Change management and stakeholder engagement
    • Alignment of district systems to the Effective District Framework

     

    Role of an Approved Provider

    Approved Providers are expected to:

    • Support districts in implementing the TSL model with fidelity
    • Maintain staff with the expertise required for assigned services
    • Participate in required TEA training and calibration
    • Support superintendent and district leadership-team development
    • Facilitate strategic-planning and performance-management activities
    • Help districts establish strong observation, feedback, assessment, and data systems
    • Review district data before performance-management routines
    • Facilitate frequent, evidence-based performance discussions
    • Support districts in identifying and monitoring high-leverage action steps
    • Complete required artifacts and deliverables accurately and on time
    • Participate in TEA check-ins, observations, feedback cycles, and continuous improvement activities

     

    TEA Learn Courses and Prerequisites

    Approved Provider staff should complete all required TEA Learn courses associated with their roles.

    [Access TEA Learn]
    Insert direct TEA Learn link

    [View Required Courses by Provider Role]
    Insert training crosswalk or downloadable guide

     

    Approved Provider Webinar Information

    Approved Provider Orientation Webinar

    Date and Time: Sept. 23rd @ 3:30 pm
    Register: Registration Link

     

    Recordings and presentation materials will be posted as they become available.

     

    TSL Support Timeline

    Timeframe Provider Activities District Support Focus
    Fall 2026 Provider orientation, training, district outreach, application support, interviews, matching, and launch preparation District application and selection
    January–March 2027 Facilitate planning sessions, analyze district needs, coach leaders, and complete strategic-planning deliverables Strategic Planning Support
    April 2027–May 2028 Facilitate performance routines, analyze data, provide executive coaching, support board monitoring, and monitor action steps Performance Management Support