The Initiative for Leveraging Innovation is a collaboration between CSL, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, and the KIPP Charter Network Consortium. The initiative’s goals include providing certification and advanced degree pathways for a diverse cadre of teacher leaders and nontraditional school leadership candidates to serve in systemically underserved schools. The program is also designed to provide principals and other school leaders with evidence-based professional development activities that address students’ needs in underserved schools.

Academic partners in this project include the Tennessee State University College of Education and Graduate school, the Lipscomb University College of Education, and the Harvard University Strategic Data Project. Additional partners include the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.