From System Vision to School Impact: Greenville County’s Leadership Model in Action

Type: Podcast
Topics: Leadership Development, Principal Supervisor Podcast Series

September 29, 2025

Listen to the full conversation between Dr. Jackie Wilson Dr. Burke Royster, Dr. Susan Stevens and Karen Kapp on the ܲAVƵPrincipal Supervisor Podcast Series. You’ll hear how Greenville County is transforming leadership into a systemwide strategy for equity, excellence, and sustainability.

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Leadership is the system

Greenville County Schools is the largest district in South Carolina—and one of the most intentional when it comes to leadership development. In this episode of AASA’s School Leadership Podcast, Superintendent Dr. Burke Royster joins Assistant Superintendent Karen Kapp and Director of Professional Learning Dr. Susan Stevens to discuss how Greenville has embedded leadership pipelines into its entire educational ecosystem.

Hosted by Dr. Jackie Wilson, the conversation explores how Greenville County moved from individual leadership programs to a system-wide approach that ensures leadership quality across all 106 schools.

A clear definition of leadership

“We needed a common language,” says Dr. Royster. That’s why the district began by developing its own leadership definition, grounded in the realities of school improvement and student success. Rather than adapting a generic framework, Greenville’s team created a leadership profile that defines what effective leaders do—from instructional coaching to culture-building to community engagement.

"It helps us identify and grow leaders at every level of the organization," adds Karen Kapp.

A continuum that spans from teacher to principal

Dr. Stevens outlines the district’s leadership pipeline as a continuum, not a program. Aspiring leaders can engage in role-specific academies—like the Assistant Principal Academy, Principal Induction Program, and Executive Leadership Cohorts—all aligned to the district’s leadership profile.

"We start with teacher leaders and build upward, so there’s no gap when a leadership position opens," she explains. "Every step has a support structure."

Mentoring and coaching that’s built into the job

Greenville County pairs new and aspiring leaders with experienced mentors, not just as an add-on but as part of their professional role.

Dr. Royster stresses, "This is about leadership sustainability. When we coach our people well, we retain them longer and see better outcomes in our schools."

These aren’t just informal relationships—they’re structured, supported, and aligned to data-informed goals.

Equity and intentionality at the core
Dr. Wilson notes that Greenville’s leadership pipeline is not only about capacity, but equity.
"When we’re intentional about identifying who we grow into leadership roles, we’re also being intentional about representation, cultural competence, and understanding our students’ lived experiences," she says.

Greenville County uses school data, talent mapping, and targeted coaching to ensure leadership access isn’t left to chance.

Lessons for systems of any size

Despite being a large district, Greenville’s approach can scale to any context. The key, says Karen Kapp, is coherence.

"Everything connects—our hiring, our coaching, our evaluation—all aligned to our leadership profile. That’s what creates consistency and clarity."

Dr. Stevens adds that school systems should see leadership pipelines not as compliance, but as a strategy for long-term success: "It’s about building a bench so your mission continues no matter the personnel."

Greenville County uses school data, talent mapping, and targeted coaching to ensure leadership access isn’t left to chance.

 

The takeaway: Strong systems grow strong leaders
Dr. Royster, Ms. Kapp, and Dr. Stevens offer a compelling vision for districts that want to lead with purpose. Their model in Greenville County reminds us that leadership pipelines are not about filling vacancies—they’re about shaping futures.


AASA, with support from the Wallace Foundation, produced this series featuring school system strategies that serve to enhance the leadership pipeline.

 

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