The Academy is the first initiative of its kind in the field of Human Resources reform and is dedicated to the development of central office leaders with Human Resources/Human Capital responsibilities. The Academy will work with teams from Human Resources/Human Capital division. The focus on best practices will help them implement a range of functions targeted at improving teacher and principal quality and supporting education reform.Read More →
The Urban Schools Human Capital Academy focuses on issues such as:
- Recruitment and Selection
- Staffing and Deployment
- Performance Management
- Career Management
The Urban Schools Human Capital Academy was founded as an initiative in Human Resources reform supported by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Academy has been established in response to the many critical issues urban school districts face that could be addressed--at least in part--by more integrated Human Resources support for Human Capital initiatives.Read More →
Become Part of The Urban Schools Human Capital Academy (USHCA)…
USHCA provides a dynamic environment focused on urban school districts' human resources and human capital functions. Academy participants address mission-critical issues such as recruitment, retention, principal and teacher quality, and many others through a series of sustained interactions over a three-year period. If you are interested in having your district considered as part of our next cohort, please contact us at info@ushcacademy.org by May 1, 2013.
Highlight’s from the April Academy
The third convening of the USHCA Inaugural Cohort was held April 28-May 1 in Princeton, NJ, at the Chauncey Conference Center on the grounds of the Educational Testing Service. Almost 40 participants from across the 10 districts attended the event, along with external presenters from the Parthenon Group and ghSmart.
The three-day convening primarily focused on providing differentiating service to principals by understanding school needs, planning for improvement, and organizing efficiently and effectively with a major focus on monitoring and evaluating results.
Participants engaged in a variety of learning opportunities aligned to this focus, including lecture bursts, in-district team and cross-district discussions, and interactive "hot topics” such as “Using a Research Protocol to Turn Data into Action” and “Managing Teacher Resignations” among others in a setting that simulated learning centers. Each district had an opportunity to present a significant learning or improvement strategy that the team had focused on over the past year, culminating in a valuable resource of "promising practices."
Additional tools were introduced to the USHCA toolkit around improvement planning, organizational structure, and differentiating service and teams were given time to explore and modify these tools for use in their district. The intense sessions led to high engagement and extensive interpersonal activity.
The fourth convening of Cohort One will be held in October 2013.

