Teacher leadership for excellence in US National Blue Ribbon Schools

National Blue Ribbon Schools (NBRS) are a select group of US schools, identified annually, in recognition for their success at either (a) overall student achievement or (b) achievement gap closing. The first purpose of this qualitative study was to examine teacher leadership in a sample of US NBRS for alignment with contemporary standards for teacher leadership. Second, this study was designed to determine what supports are available for teacher leaders in these schools. The written applications of 25 US NBRS from 2019 were examined. Results included five themes: How US NBRS Support Teacher Leadership, Teachers as Instructional Leaders, Teachers as Decision Makers, Teachers as Agents of Change and Professional Growth, and Teachers as Leaders Beyond their Schools. Results aligned strongly with the Standards with respect to instructional leadership, decision making input, and leading beyond their schools. Results did not align with the Standards with respect to teacher leadership for improving family/community connections or equity. Supports for teacher leaders included a culture of risk taking, trust in teachers, espoused leadership expectations, and shared leadership, in addition to systems within which teacher leaders could operate. Overall, teacher leadership was referenced consistently by all sampled schools, indicating its importance in their success.