Highest Aspirations

How do school principals impact EL reclassification rates? Why is it important to consider the underlying spirit of policies that are passed down from above rather than simply looking at compliance? How might leaders create opportunities for school staff to engage in meaningful conversations about EL student success? We discuss these questions and much more in our conversation with professors Madeline Mavrogordato and Rachel S. White.  Madeline Mavrogordato is an associate professor of K-12 educational administration in the Department of Educational Administration at Michigan State University . She utilizes quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate how education policies shape outcomes for underserved student populations, particularly immigrants and English learners. In addition, she studies how to develop and support effective school leaders who are prepared to serve students from diverse backgrounds in today’s climate of high stakes accountability and evaluation. Her work is informed by her e