District Office Transformation 

Developed by retired Illinois superintendents Mark Hansen, Karen Sullivan and the late Diane Rutledge, the District Office Transformation Program helps district leadership teams redesign the systems that make lasting school improvement possible. Since its launch in 2024, the initiative has expanded from an initial pilot of five districts to multiple statewide cohorts, reflecting growing demand for system-level leadership support.

The project grew from a challenge observed while coaching principals. Even the most capable school leaders struggled to sustain instructional improvement because they were working within district systems not designed to support their work. Lasting improvement requires more than developing individual leaders - it requires transforming the systems that surround them.

Grounded in the research of Meredith Honig and Lydia Rainey at the University of Washington, the program helps district leadership teams shift the role of the central office from managing operations to intentionally building the organizational systems that strengthen teaching, support school leaders, and improve student outcomes.

Through a year-long improvement process, district leadership teams participate in an orientation, five facilitated learning sessions, and individualized coaching between sessions. Together, these experiences help leadership teams examine district systems, identify barriers to improvement, prioritize high-impact strategies, and build the organizational capacity needed for sustained success.

Throughout the process, each district uses a comprehensive District Transformation Tool to assess current practices, identify opportunities for growth, and develop a practical, multi-year implementation roadmap. By the conclusion of the project, districts leave with a clear strategy for creating more coherent, aligned systems that better support principals, teachers, and students.

Why Districts Participate?

Districts consistently report that the project helps them:

• Align central office departments around a shared vision and priorities.
• Strengthen support for principals and school leadership teams.
• Improve coordination across teaching and learning, human resources, operations, and executive leadership.
• Eliminate organizational barriers that slow district improvement efforts.
• Build a sustainable, multi-year roadmap for strengthening district systems.
• Create the conditions for continuous improvement that lead to stronger outcomes for students. 

For more information, contact:
Dr. Karen Sullivan  – ksullivan@dupageroe.org
Dr. Mark Hansen - oldsup.hansen@gmail.com