BES equips leaders at every stage of their journey with the skills and
resources they need to deliver for their students and communities.
In many states, BES’s leadership development programs and services are an allowable use of federal COVID-19 relief program (ESSER) funding. Read on for details.
At BES, we recognize that leaders need to be supported and challenged in the right way at the right time. From yearlong cohort-based trainings to short, two-day intensives, to coaching tailored to specific needs, our leadership and organizational development programs do just that.
In many states, BES training is an allowable use of federal COVID-19 relief program funding. Public schools can use ESSER funds for school leadership development. Email partners@bes.org to learn how your school might leverage this funding for BES training or services.
Principals, Assistant Principals, Directors (Operations, Curriculum, Instruction, Culture, etc.), Deans, Grade-Level and Department Chairs
FORMAT
Cohort-based
In-person and virtual training
Visits to exemplar schools
Remote coaching
DURATION
One year, part-time with monthly coaching
scroll down for program details
LENS Equipping leaders to sustain equitable and excellent schools
LENS is a valuable tool for schools looking to build the capacity of their leaders and strengthen their leadership bench. Through year-long, part-time training and coaching, LENS prepares its participants to lead with equity and advance their leadership potential in their schools.
LENS participants study the best practices of successful schools from across the nation and participate in robust training and skill-building exercises differentiated to the leader’s role and school. Leaders will learn how to lead with equity; manage, inspire, and develop adults; set strong student and staff culture (including routines and systems); and deliver culturally relevant instruction.
4 virtual trainings throughout the year, tailored to participants’ roles
Cohort A: Sept. 28, Nov. 29, Feb. 7, Apr. 25
Cohort B: Sept. 29, Oct. 1, Feb. 8, Apr. 27
Click here for a list of 2022-23 LENS training topics.
2 in-person cohort visits to study the practices of excellent and equitable schools
Cohort A: Oct. 18-19, 2022 and March 14-15, 2023 (Location TBA)
Cohort B: Oct. 20-21, 2022 and March 16-17, 2023 (Location TBA)
Monthly 1:1 remote coaching with BES coach, including observations and feedback via live Zoom or recorded video
Structured network of support with LENS cohort colleagues
Access to exemplar resources from schools across the U.S.
Individual Torsh video platform account for virtual coaching
Leader’s choice of skill-building projects based on their school/role
In-person school visits and training are an important component of the 2022-23 LENS program. If you are looking for support for your leaders, but you or your leader(s) are not comfortable with a full-year program that includes 3 in-person activities, please reach out to us at lens@bes.org to discuss virtual support options.
What’s new:
LENS leaders choose their projects based on their work priorities and will decide when to complete the projects given their schedules.
We’ve changed the mid-year LENS leader evaluation to a mid-year leader reflection, creating a more transparent process that allows for two-way feedback.
We plan to hold 5 days of in-person training instead of entirely virtual modules.
Instead of 1 training per semester, we will hold virtual trainings throughout the year.
We’re holding in-person visits to study the practices of excellent and equitable schools.
We’ve revised our LENS leader registration process (outlined below) to be easier for the school leader and their LENS participant.
2022-23 cost:
$16,000/ LENS leader. The total cost of LENS includes accommodations for summer training and 2 in-person cohort meetings (spring and fall), breakfast at those activities, and refreshments/supplies during training. LENS leaders’ schools are responsible for their transportation (airfare and ground transportation) to and from in-person activities.
Multiple leaders from a campus/school can take part in LENS. Schools that register 3+ leaders receive a 10% discount on the total cost of LENS.
Add-on: $2,000 – School site visit from BES coach (includes coach travel expenses)
In many states, BES training is an allowable use of federal COVID-19 relief program funding. Public schools can use funds from the ARP Act of 2021, the education portion of which is known as the ESSER Fund, to use for school leadership development. Email partners@bes.org to learn how your school might leverage this funding.
BES takes the health and safety of its staff and participants very seriously. If we are forced to cancel any planned in-person LENS activities during the year due to ongoing concerns over COVID-19, the programming will move to a virtual format and we will offer refunds for the travel portion of the planned activities.
LENS leader qualifications:
LENS leaders hold various roles, including Principals, Assistant Principals, Directors (Operations, Curriculum, Instruction, Culture, etc.), Deans, and Grade-Level and Department Chairs. LENS leaders should hold responsibilities beyond classroom instruction.
LENS leaders must be coaching and/or managing adults in schools for at least two hours per week or be responsible for a schoolwide program or initiative in the 2022-23 school year to fully access the content of the program.
LENS leaders are aligned with BES beliefs about excellent, equitable leaders and schools and are available to participate in the full calendar of LENS training.
Register a LENS leader:
Step One: The school leader completes a brief registration form for the LENS participant. We accept registrations for multiple leaders per campus. Note that LENS participants must meet the qualifications outlined above in order to take part in the program.
Step Two: The LENS participant completes a short written questionnaire in order to finalize their registration. The LENS participant should indicate the cohort they would like to participate in based on training dates.
Candidates must both be registered by their school leader/manager and have a completed questionnaire in order to secure a spot in LENS. BES may decline registration if the LENS participant does not meet the qualifications as outlined above.
LENS for partner organizations:
LENS is the ideal program for education champion organizations, charter associations, TFA chapters, or districts looking to support multiple leaders with highly customized professional development that meets their unique needs. Partner organizations benefit from a streamlined registration process and timeline to enroll their leaders in the program. Contact partners@bes.org to learn more about sponsoring LENS seats for leaders in your region.
For more information about LENS, please email lens@bes.org. Click here to download an info sheet.
BES coaching is designed to support and challenge experienced leaders in an executive, instructional, operational, or culture role on the skills and mindset they need to execute at the highest level. Coaching sessions include tailored feedback, strategy, and problem-solving support in which leaders are equipped with the lens, mindset, and tools required to consistently perform at the top of their game.
School leadership coaching packages consist of varying hours of support broken up into 1:1 phone calls; document review; TORSH video review of leaders at their school site; and meetings for co-planning, relationship building, hiring support, and/or practice. Some packages also include site visits from the BES coach. Click here for coaching packages and associated costs.
Cost
Cost varies depending on coaching frequency and school leader needs. To learn more or express interest in receiving coaching, please contact info@bes.org.
Additional coaching components:
Each additional on-site visit from BES coach: $2,000 (includes travel costs)
DiSC Survey, 360 Survey: School covers cost of survey(s) (minimal)
School site visits will take place in person, health and safety of travel permitting. BES takes the health and safety of its staff and leaders very seriously. If we are forced to cancel any planned in-person activities during the year due to ongoing concerns over COVID-19, the visits will move to a virtual format.
In many states, BES’s leadership development programs and services are an allowable use of federal COVID-19 relief program funding. This means districts and charter schools can use funds from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021, the education portion of which is known as the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund, to partner with BES for school leadership development. The purpose of ESSER funding is to support schools to reopen safely, sustain safe operations, and meet students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Contact us at partners@bes.org to learn more about how your school or district might leverage this funding.
Executive Search
Get expert recruitment support in your search for executive leadership.
The BES talent and recruitment team offers a variety of supports to schools in their search for executive leadership (principals, executive directors, heads of school, deans).
Support From Posting Through Selection
BES develops and manages your executive leadership search process, from job postings via hiring platforms and paid social media, all the way through semi-finalist candidate interviews and the selection of a slate of finalists. Candidates who apply go through our multi-stage process. Once BES has identified finalists, schools conduct independent interviews, formal background checks, and reference checks, and make a final hiring decision. BES supports in this process by debriefing all finalists with the school’s leadership team and providing finalist application packets that include the initial application, video interview notes, and a thorough online presence check.
Access to BES Network and Resources
With a BES Fellowship acceptance rate of just 3-4% per year, BES has a talent pool of 115,000+ leaders to draw from. We conduct targeted outreach to these leaders via email, cultivation calls, paid social media advertising, and virtual information sessions.
Benefits of BES Support
Access to a national network of education leaders, an established talent team, and a streamlined recruitment process
School leaders can focus on the highest-level, vetted candidates rather than the nuts and bolts of the recruitment process
Talent search, candidate screening, and interview coaching from a team of education-focused and equity-driven recruiters that will operate within your hiring timeline
Cost
The base cost of this service is $10,000 + 15% of new hire salary (discount available for BES Fellow-founded schools). For more information, email cjackson@bes.org or download an info sheet.
In many states, BES’s leadership development programs and services are an allowable use of federal COVID-19 relief program funding. This means districts and charter schools can use funds from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021, the education portion of which is known as the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund, to partner with BES for school leadership development. The purpose of ESSER funding is to support schools to reopen safely, sustain safe operations, and meet students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Contact us at partners@bes.org to learn more about how your school or district might leverage this funding.
Follow On Support
To ensure that schools start strong and sustain excellence over time, BES provides Follow On Support to school founders in their planning year and first two years of operation. Follow On Support consists of various coaching activities – site visits, weekly coaching calls, remote training, document review, and video feedback. Leaders in their planning years also take part in small group intensives that mirror a cohort-based learning experience, led by BES coaches and leaders of high-performing BES schools.
Follow On Support consists of a minimum of four hours per month for leaders in years 0-2, broken up into:
Coaching calls with BES coach
Video feedback
Review of leader’s documents and systems including school schedule; routines; and instructional, operational, and hiring plans
Site visit(s) to the leader’s school with BES coach (when safe travel resumes)
Leaders in year 0 receive one visit/year
Leaders in years 1-2 receive four visits/year
Access to Follow On Support resource hub
Planning year only: Monthly cohort-based professional development webinars led by BES coaches and school leaders on focus areas such as community and family outreach and engagement, organization and project planning, facilities, staff recruitment and hiring, family onboarding, instructional leadership, adult management, school culture, data systems, and professional development
Cost varies based on age of school and level of support needed.
School site visits will take place in person, health and safety of travel permitting. BES takes the health and safety of its staff and leaders very seriously. If we are forced to cancel any planned in-person activities during the year due to ongoing concerns over COVID-19, the visits will move to a virtual format.
In many states, BES training is an allowable use of federal COVID-19 relief program funding. Public schools can use funds from the ARP Act of 2021, the education portion of which is known as the ESSER Fund, to use for school leadership development. Email partners@bes.org to learn how your school might leverage this funding.
Follow On Support is open to founders of public schools in their planning year and first two years of operation. To inquire about receiving Follow On Support and the associated costs, email info@bes.org.
Leadership Intensives
Leadership Intensives support leaders to sharpen the skills they need to run a transformational school that ensures opportunity and success for students in their communities. Through action planning and analysis of proven practices, participants learn how to effectively manage their organizations so that they can concentrate on the goal at hand: educating all students at high levels.
Leadership Intensives are fully virtual two-hour workshops facilitated by BES veteran educators with extensive school leadership experience. The workshops include actionable frameworks, examples from successful schools, tools and resources, work time to apply learning to your own practice, and opportunities to build skill and process learning with like-minded leaders across the US.
Whether you’re a school leader, instructional coach, network director, or leading from the operations office, Leadership Intensives have something for you. Pick a targeted leadership training, devote a few hours to your professional development, and tackle the next day with sharper focus and stronger skills.
Across our 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 Leadership Intensives, 95% of participants have either agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “I took away from this session tangible ideas and strategies to improve my practice” on post-program surveys. Ninety-four percent of participants have agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “This session will help drive student achievement outcomes in my school.”
Upcoming Trainings
Know Thyself: Leading From a Place of Love
At times we get so caught up in our work that we begin to lose our identity. In order to show up as our full selves, it’s important to reassess who we are and why we got into this work. This session will require participants to be vulnerable while exploring who they are, and who they are inspired by. Participants will also grapple with questions like: “What do I want?” and “How will I serve?” Ultimately, participants will leave with a clearer vision of how loving and taking care of themselves is directly connected to loving the communities they serve.
We are offering this session during two different days/times. Please click register now and select the day and time that best fits your schedule! September 13 | 9am – 11am ET
September 14 | 1pm – 3pm ET Register Now >
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Identifying and Interpreting Data Through an Equity Lens Sometimes data can be intimidating, misleading, and harmful. Leaders will examine mindsets and approaches that will help them to more confidently, accurately, and equitably engage with data and the review process, so they can determine the most effective and just solutions to their most pressing challenges.
We are offering this session during two different days/times. Please register for the one that best fits your schedule!
September 13 | 1pm – 3pm ET
September 14 | 9am – 11am ET Register Now>
2022-23 Cost
$300 per participant, per 2-hour session.
In many states, BES training is an allowable use of federal COVID-19 relief program funding. Public schools can use funds from the ARP Act of 2021, the education portion of which is known as the ESSER Fund, to use for school leadership development. Email partners@bes.org to learn how your school might leverage this funding.
For more information about Leadership Intensives, please email info@bes.org. If you have a group of 5 or more leaders from the same school, network, district, or organization, consider partnering with BES to host a customized Leadership Intensive tailored to the needs of your leaders. Email partners@bes.org for more information.
School Review and Consultancy
Our team of experts works alongside the school’s leadership team to identify the highest-leverage shifts that will lead to sustained improvement for years to come.
School Review and Consultancy Components
Team of school reviewers including two seasoned BES coaches
Pre-visit consultation call with the school’s leadership team and survey of all staff to gain insight into the school’s strengths and growth areas
Two-day, on-site guided and independent visit by the BES team, including interviews with key leaders across departments and observations across grade levels, subjects, and time of day.
Observation of professional development sessions (if schedule allows)
Review of key documents including budget and academic materials
School Review and Consultancy Results
Culminating feedback session with the school’s leadership team to understand goals, strengths, and areas of growth that can be addressed quickly
Detailed review report with recommendations to further equip the school’s leadership team to accelerate student achievement and ensure the school’s operational health
2022-23 Cost
This service costs $15,000 (travel included). Final price dependent on the scope and components of the review. Review can be conducted virtually in 2022-23 at a reduced rate.
Through One Day School Reviews, the BES team works with school leaders to unpack and analyze a specific issue that the leadership team has identified as key to the organizational health of the school. The review includes a pre-visit consultation call, three hours of observation on-site (when safe travel resumes) by two BES staff members, then time to debrief and strategically plan with the school leadership team to strengthen their impact and improve the quality growth of their organization.
At the end of the review, the BES team will create a detailed report for the school, including an action plan intended to equip leaders to accelerate student achievement, ensure operational health, and lead the school to its next stage of success.
Cost
$5,000 + associated BES travel costs. Cost includes pre-visit consultation and material review and post-visit check-in. Review can be conducted virtually in 2022-23 at a reduced rate.
In many states, BES’s leadership development programs and services are an allowable use of federal COVID-19 relief program funding. This means districts and charter schools can use funds from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021, the education portion of which is known as the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund, to partner with BES for school leadership development. The purpose of ESSER funding is to support schools to reopen safely, sustain safe operations, and meet students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Contact us at partners@bes.org to learn more about how your school or district might leverage this funding.
Why BES
What Leaders Are Saying
Monique Chavez, 2021 LENS Leader
“LENS has helped me create strong systems and protocols with my teachers to grow in their skills. LENS has also provided empowerment in my role as a leader in my school building and I am just so grateful for that!”
Monique Chavez, 2021 LENS Leader
Dean of Academics - ELA, University Prep, Denver, CO
Angela Mu, 2020 LENS Leader
“It’s exciting that I have been able to use many things I learned in LENS in my new position as assistant principal, including how to effectively coach and support adults; lead my team to plan for inclusion, diversity, and equity; and use data to drive goals and priorities, which is a big focus at Forte Prep. I completed LENS knowing that being a school leader is not an easy job – especially after the pandemic began – but it is a really important job that makes a big impact.”
Angela Mu, 2020 LENS Leader
Assistant Principal, Forte Prep, New York, NY
Jeff Kuhne, 2021 LENS Leader
“I can’t imagine navigating my first year as a principal without LENS. The trainings have supported me as I grow into my new position, allowing me to practice my leadership presence when coaching the adults in my building and planning for challenging meetings. The relationships I’ve made with the leaders in my cohort and my LENS coach have been a lifeline for me this year.”
“As a founding leader, I see building a solid leadership bench as the most critical component of school sustainability, and this begins before a school even opens. LENS has developed the mindsets, knowledge, and skills of our emerging leaders and equipped them to make a seamless transition from the classroom into leadership roles to help our school stay strong.”
Emily Castillo León, 2015 BES Fellow
Founder and Head of School, Ethos Classical, Atlanta, GA
Dr. Trevor Ivey
“BES’s approach to helping us find the perfect candidate for our Founding Executive Director role was intentional, thoughtful, and personalized, and more than exceeded our expectations. Eight months later, it is clear that Dr. Graham’s leadership is the game-changer in redefining excellence in public education in the Sumter community.”
Dr. Trevor Ivey
Chief of Staff, Liberty STEAM Charter School, Sumter, SC
Megan Murphy
“Working with my coach develops my leadership lens as well as how my orientations/values impact our organization and growth. He is a wealth of resources and is always quick to respond when I have one-off questions/challenges – thus striking a good balance between the immediate and the long-term support I need. The coaching is more transformational rather than task or scenario-driven.”
Megan Murphy
2015 BES Fellow, Founder and Head of School, Circle City Prep, Indianapolis, IN
Graham Browne
“My coach is really strong at providing me perspective outside of the work I’m doing at my school. The resources that he has offered to me in our coaching sessions have allowed me to contextualize what I’m seeing on the ground at my school with my leadership team.”
Graham Browne, 2015 BES Fellow
Founder & Executive Director, Forte Preparatory Academy, Queens, NY
Beatriz Gutierrez
“BES Follow On Support has been absolutely critical to our school success. We were faced with unprecedented challenges over the last two years and I really could not have pushed through without the support of my coach. I feel honored to have a mentor that is accessible, relatable, and experienced.”
Beatriz Gutierrez, 2016 BES Fellow
Founder and Executive Director, Soleil Academy, CA
Sharifa Blackwell
“LENS provides a blueprint to current and aspiring leaders. During LENS school studies, I was able to take what another school was doing well and then adapt it to my school to meet the needs of our students and families. Being able to go into another school virtually and observe has been a tremendous blessing in terms of implementing, adjusting, and constantly improving the instructional practice in my building.”
Sharifa Blackwell
Principal, St. Louis Language Immersion School, MO
Cynthia Rodriguez
“LENS provided an opportunity for me to see schools in other parts of the country. The models were not cookie-cutter; we really had the opportunity to see people in different facets of the school. It was eye-opening to see what charter schools are doing and how they define success, and I was able to think about how we could bring some of these practices into the public school system. It was also really nice to be able to work with leaders in charter schools and get to see that their struggles are our struggles, and their triumphs are our triumphs. Our shared purpose is successful outcomes for students.”
Cynthia Rodriguez, 2020 LENS Leader
Instructional Coach, Lemon Grove School District, CA
Briana Marquez
“LENS provided me the opportunity to grow as a leader by enhancing my leadership skills. Despite the challenges we’ve faced this year in regards to COVID, LENS allowed me to receive both whole group and individual training provided by a phenomenal coach. She continuously pushed me to sharpen both my lens and vision so that I could be a better leader not only for my team but for my scholars that deserve an equitable education.”
Briana Marquez
Dean of Instruction, Legacy College Prep, NY
Daniel Bryant
“As a department chair who also teaches, I can’t say enough about how the LENS program has boosted my time management skills and increased my confidence as an educational coach. LENS has provided me with a supportive environment where I can polish my leadership skills, evaluate how I communicate and coach my team, and become more confident in having difficult but crucial conversations with teachers, staff, students, and parents. My teacher observation, appraisal, and coaching skills are miles above where they were last school year. My LENS coach has been a blessing to me and her impact on my leadership development is already leading to positive changes on campus that will impact our students this year.”
Daniel Bryant, 2020 LENS Leader
Dean of Science Dept., St. Thomas High School, TX
Vanessa Charles
“As a teacher transitioning into a leadership role, LENS played a major role in my professional growth. Through LENS, I have received hands-on training in providing effective professional development sessions, coaching educators, managing data analysis conversations, and culture building. My monthly meetings with my coach prove increasingly more meaningful as we work together to transition from my teacher leader mindset to that of a school-wide leader. I also appreciate the LENS team’s seamless and swift response to our current virtual world. They have not skipped a beat in providing high-quality training and connections with other BES schools. I am grateful to be a part of it and I know that what I learn here will impact teachers and scholars for years to come.”
Vanessa Charles, 2020 LENS Leader
Founding Lead Teacher, Ethos Classical, GA
Isaac Rivas-Savell
“Working alongside my BES Follow On Support coach has been critical in identifying how education has rapidly evolved under the circumstances of 2020 and pivoting our model to be responsive to those changes.”
Isaac Rivas-Savell, 2018 BES Fellow
Founder and Head of School, Voz Collegiate Prep, Albuquerque, NM
Leadership Intensives Participant
“Thank you for the opportunity to attend BES’s Adult Management & Operations training. I gained an enormous amount of insight from both of them and they provided excellent resources. BES did an amazing job on the Zoom platform and it was a neat experience to be with educators all over the country.”
Leadership Intensives Participant
Florida
Dr. Khalil Graham
“Working with BES this year has been a breath of fresh air, even to someone like myself who has worked with high performing CMO’s for the greater part of the last decade. Having executive coaching that is tailored to my individual needs, skills, and goals has helped me be a more focused and effective leader as I develop our network, and is something I have desired for a long time. The partnership with my coach truly feels aligned, and because of his support I am 100% confident we will open with amazing results this year!”
Dr. Khalil Graham
Executive Director, Liberty STEAM Charter School, SC
Leadership Intensives Participant
“It was a great experience to hear from educators all over the country. Overall, the workshop was highly insightful and I feel tremendously more equipped.”
Leadership Intensive Participant
Florida
Christian Toledo
“LENS equipped me with the skills that I need to effectively and equitably lead a school in the South Bronx. The intensive small group training, school visits, monthly coaching calls, and networking opportunities have elevated my leadership skills and allowed me to bring back innovative ideas that have improved our overall school community. As a result, Legacy College Prep has achieved higher scholar growth while creating a safe and engaging learning environment for all.”
Christian Toledo
Middle School Principal, Legacy College Prep, NY
LaTrina Johnson
“LENS is the first program I’ve participated in that affirms leading with heart and passion, which was important to me as a woman of color in leadership. The uncompromising level of excellence in this program compels new leaders to courageously reach for the highest bar, even when we don’t yet know the pathway to get there. Educational inequity won’t be undone in a day, but LENS armors us with the skills and voice for us to be brazen enough to believe that we can end it in our lifetime.”