Darca’s Educational Leadership Accelerator Addresses Shortage of School Principals

HOLON, Israel, May 30, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Darca Schools, a leading school network providing equal educational opportunities for Israel’s most underserved communities, is today well underway into the second year of its innovative training program, the Education Leadership Accelerator (ELA). This groundbreaking program fully funded by the Azrieli Foundation is part of an ongoing effort to lift Israel’s entire high school education system.

“The biggest drivers of positive change in our high schools are principals, and excellent leadership is a key tenet of our successful approach. It’s clear that schools in Israel are struggling to recruit and retain exceptional leaders for these under-resourced, underappreciated and overworked roles,” said Dr. Gil Pereg, founding CEO of Darca Schools. “To fill this critical vacuum of leadership that brings about positive change, the ELA program has shown it greatly expands the pool of available leaders by offering them the training and resources they need to help their students succeed.”

A shortage of critical experienced school administrators remains a challenge across the state of Israel. As reported in a 2019 report in TheMarker, the State’s Ministry of Education generally faces a shortage of 200 to 300 certified administrators each September. Further exacerbating this problem, approximately a quarter of new principals end up leaving the job within their first two years, illustrating inadequate preparation and training of these professionals before they take on their leadership roles.

Darca’s ELA program, when fully ramped up, will provide the resources to recruit as many as 70 fellows annually and put them on a track to lead a high school as principals within three years.

The ELA program integrates theoretical learning with an experiential, on-the-ground training program. This includes job shadowing and site visits, among other components, embracing the case study method to simulate the real-life challenges a traditional curriculum is unable to convey. At the onset, ELA fellows are paired with practicing principals to observe in person the scope of responsibilities and best practices. On top of these apprenticeships, site visits reinforce the contextual grounding for new principals. These also include international tours showcasing new approaches to innovative pedagogy and social education.

About Darca
Now in its 12^th year, Darca Schools draws on its innovative and business-oriented management to transform challenge-ridden schools in Israel’s underserved communities into educational institutions of the highest quality. Impacting more than 25,000 students from 47 schools under management, Darca’s measurable achievements prove that by narrowing funding gaps and expecting nothing less than excellence, change is possible across the entirety of education systems. The Network’s highly regarded Board of Directors, with representation from its strategic philanthropic partners Youth Renewal Fund, the Azrieli Foundation and the Gerald and Gail Ronson Family Foundation, set Darca’s ambitious vision and in addition to generous philanthropic resources, contribute their respective and invaluable leadership. Through empowering school leadership, incentivizing teachers, and furnishing students with resources that spark their curiosity and instill a strong sense of self-belief, Darca is accelerating students’ paths to success. For more information, please visit www.darca.org.il.

Contact
Filizer communication
[email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/672d0744-4d6a-421a-ad4e-61360c966462