萝莉网

Listen to the full conversation between Dr. Jackie Wilson and Dr. Adrienne Battle on the 萝莉网Principal Supervisor Podcast Series. You鈥檒l hear how Metro Nashville is building a sustainable leadership bench rooted in equity and excellence.

A systemwide strategy to develop leadership from within

When Dr. Adrienne Battle became Superintendent of Metro Nashville Public Schools, she knew leadership stability couldn鈥檛 be left to chance. 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 have the right leader in the building, that school is not going to be successful,鈥� she says. In this episode of the 萝莉网School Leadership Podcast, Dr. Battle discusses how the district moved from isolated leadership training to a full, strategic pipeline.

She and Dr. Jackie Wilson explore the intentional development of future principals by identifying, nurturing, and preparing leaders from within鈥攅specially those with a deep connection to the district and community.

Identifying high-potential leaders early

Dr. Battle highlights the importance of creating on-ramps for educators who show strong leadership potential鈥攅ven before they hold formal administrative roles.

"We ask: Who's the instructional leader in their building already? Who鈥檚 coaching teachers? Who鈥檚 making student data actionable?" she explains. These individuals are invited into leadership cohorts and provided with structured mentorship opportunities.

This early identification helps avoid last-minute hiring and ensures a diverse, prepared pool of candidates.

Coaching and mentorship aligned to district values

Once candidates enter the pipeline, they receive support tailored to the district鈥檚 leadership framework. Dr. Battle emphasizes that this is not a one-size-fits-all program. Instead, coaching is personalized, ongoing, and aligned to school improvement strategies.

"Our coaches work side-by-side with aspiring leaders," she says. "We want them grounded in equity, data-driven practices, and people-first leadership."

Dr. Wilson notes that Nashville鈥檚 pipeline offers not only skill-building, but also confidence-building鈥攈elping educators see themselves as the next generation of system leaders.

Supporting leaders at every stage

Metro Nashville鈥檚 model doesn鈥檛 stop with principal preparation. It includes leadership support across every phase of a principal鈥檚 journey鈥攆rom aspiring leader to seasoned school administrator.

Lessons for other systems

The takeaway: Leadership pipelines are a lever for system equity

From classroom to central office, Dr. Adrienne Battle makes it clear that strong leaders are essential for strong schools鈥攁nd that building those leaders takes time, strategy, and care.

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AASA, with support from the Wallace Foundation, produced this series featuring school system strategies that serve to enhance the leadership pipeline.