The Governor’s School Leadership Academy (GSLA) provides high-quality, selective, statewide leadership preparation and support designed to develop high-capacity school leaders across Georgia. Each summer, the program hosts statewide kick-offs for those who have been nominated and accepted into this unique program that supports educators at all levels of experience.

GSLA provides yearlong support and mentorship programs that are inclusive of every step of an educator’s professional journey: Induction Teachers; Teacher Leaders; Aspiring Principals; and Principals.

The Georgia-grown educator support and mentorship program is already achieving success in its first four years of operation.

• With support from their participation in the GSLA Aspiring Principal program:
o 23 cohort members have advanced to principalship positions in Georgia and

o 28 cohort members have advanced to leadership positions in their schools.

• GSLA has assisted Georgia schools who have been classified as low performing, to advance and move off lists that identify them as chronically underperforming. With the support of the GSLA and their partners in the Georgia Department of Education’s School Improvement Division, many of the schools whose principals participated in the Principal GSLA cohort, have now moved off the Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) Schools list. (CSI Lowest 5%: the lowest performing 5% of Title I schools in the state when ranked based on their three-year CCRPI average.)

“As the dad of an educator, I understand how important it is to empower our teachers so they can invest in the next generation of Georgians,” said Governor Kemp. “By ensuring our teachers and leaders have the tools, support, and training they need, our state will continue to recruit and retain the best teachers for our schools and systems. We are proud to give back to our tireless educators who play an instrumental role in shaping future Georgia-grown leaders.”

GSLA is proud of its strategic partnerships which strengthen Georgia’s teacher and leader pipeline by ensuring alignment and consistency among teacher and leader preparation initiatives. GSLA strategic partners include: the Office of School Improvement at the Georgia Department of Education; the 16 Regional Education Service Agencies; the Georgia Professional Standards Commission; the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders; the College of Education at Georgia Southern University; the College of Education at Georgia State University; the College of Education at University of West Georgia; Gwinnett County Public Schools; and the School of Education at Albany State University.