Accelerate Institute Leadership in Action
From Challenge to Impact
Across schools, districts, and education organizations, Accelerate Institute partners with leaders to strengthen systems, navigate change, and improve outcomes for students. The examples below—some in-depth case studies, others brief snapshots—show what is possible when leadership is supported with clarity, coaching, and trust.
Each reflects a real partnership rooted in a specific context, a leadership challenge, and a set of strategic actions. Together, they illustrate how strong leadership drives improvement across instruction, culture, and systems.
Across these stories, you’ll see common themes:
- Leadership development grounded in real school contexts
- Data-informed decision making paired with human-centered coaching
- Sustainable systems that support teachers and students over time
- Improved outcomes in schools serving historically underresourced communities
Elizabeth Vandlik
Principal, Success Academy Bronx 1, New York City
Focus:
"We don't have to accept that things have to be the way everybody says they have to be," Vandlik says.
Impact:
Under her leadership, 99 percent of Bronx 1 students passed the state math exam in 2016, compared to 36 percent in New York City.
And 83 percent passed the state English-Language Arts exam, compared to 38 percent of students in the district.
Dawn Sandoval
Principal, Catalyst-Maria High School, Chicago
Focus:
In her first year leading Catalyst-Maria High School, Sandoval skillfully executed the Accelerate Institute’s Framework.
Impact:
On the ACT EXPLORE test students demonstrated 3.2 points of growth over the school year.
The scores of special education students also grew by 2.1 points.
Alexa Sorden
Founding Principal, Concourse Village Elementary, New York City
Focus:
"We are a community of one," is Sorden's frequent refrain.
Impact:
In 2016, 98 percent of Concourse Village Elementary students met or exceeded expectations on the state math exam
94 percent did so in English-Language Arts.
Alexa’s students beat the district average by 62 points in math and 56 points in English-Language Arts.
Melissa Jones Clarke
Founding Principal, Atlanta Heights Charter School
Focus:
Successfully opening a new school in an urban environment.
Impact:
By Melissa Jones Clarke’s final year at Atlanta Heights, 91 percent of students were meeting state standards in reading.
Atlanta Heights jumped from the 3rd lowest performing school in the network to No. 34 out of 71 schools.
James Troupis
Founding Principal, Gary Comer College Prep
Focus:
Leveraging Data to Make School-wide Shifts
Impact:
Comer College Prep ranks in the top 10 of all Chicago Public Schools’ high schools. Eight of the top 10 schools are selective enrollment high schools, meaning students must test in to be admitted.
In 2011 and 2012 under Troupis’ leadership, Comer students demonstrated growth of +6.4 and +5.2 points, respectively, from the EXPLORE test taken freshman year to the ACT their junior year.
Lamont Browne
Principal, EastSide Charter School
Focus:
Change Management, Aspirational Environment
Impact:
In his four years leading EastSide Charter School, EastSide’s students grew 1.6 years academically per year in school
The pre-K program achieved a Delaware Star 5 rating—the highest possible—in its first formal evaluation by the state with 95 percent of students passing the “Kindergarten Readiness” test.
Joán Álvarez
Founding Principal, IDEA McAllen College Preparatory
Focus:
Commitment that goes beyond academics
Impact:
Since founding IDEA McAllen in 2012, the school has received an “A” rating from the state of Texas every year
In 2019, it was the #1 school in Texas for both student achievement and growth
Yalil Nieves
Principal, Mary Gage Peterson Elementary School
Focus:
Accelerating Student Growth in a Challenging National Context
Impact:
+118% average annual growth (national comparison)
35% of students moved up a category in reading
34% of students moved up a category in math
Juwanna Foster-Wells
Principal, Carroll-Rosenwald Elementary School
Focus:
Building Instructional Coherence Through Data and Rigorous Teaching
Impact:
70% of students met reading growth targets
66% of students met math growth targets
Principal Foster-Wells received 100% “Strongly Agree” on nearly all Accelerate Institute end-of-year staff survey items
Liz Jamison-Dunn
Principal, Catalyst Circle Rock
Focus:
Leadership Rooted in Community and Collective Growth
Impact:
+19% increase in average reading growth
+11% increase in average math growth
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