Building Leaders and Transforming Outcomes
In 2025, Method Schools achieved some of the strongest year-over-year academic growth in California’s K–12 public education system. Both Method Schools LA and Method Schools outperformed the state by wide margins on the California School Dashboard, improving in every key indicator, from English Language Arts and Mathematics to Graduation Rate and Chronic Absenteeism.
While instructional improvement was critical, the true catalyst for this transformation was a renewed focus on leadership. Two years earlier, with the help of a supportive and growth-conscious executive team, Method Co-Founder Jessica Spallino launched the Leadership Development Program (LDP) to address a systemic issue: the absence of empowered, prepared, and accountable site-level and department leaders.
The Challenge: Leadership Gaps Limiting Student Growth
By 2022, Method had grown rapidly, expanding programs, partnerships, and enrollment across multiple regions. But as the organization scaled, it became clear that leadership capacity had not scaled with it.
Without consistent leadership training or shared frameworks for decision-making, several challenges emerged:
- Inconsistent academic oversight across grade levels and subject areas.
- Uneven staff accountability and communication structures, leading to operational inefficiencies.
- Limited data fluency among site leaders, slowing the response to student performance trends.
- A culture of isolation—strong individual contributors, but few collaborative leaders able to align teams around shared goals.
These challenges didn’t just affect adults—they showed up in student outcomes. By the 2022–23 school year, both Method charters were posting average or below-average growth on state indicators, particularly in math.
The Solution: Launching the Leadership Development Program (LDP)
Recognizing that instructional outcomes are a mirror of leadership effectiveness, Spallino designed and launched the Method Leadership Development Program in 2023.
The program was built on three core pillars:
- Intentional Leadership Pipeline
- Created clear leadership pathways for teachers, coordinators, and managers.
- Established leadership competencies aligned to Method’s core tenets: Mission Driven, Customer Focused, Data Informed, and Relationship Centric.
- Created clear leadership pathways for teachers, coordinators, and managers.
- Data-Driven Decision Making
- Trained all leaders to interpret and act on real-time academic and operational data.
- Introduced LDP collaborative sessions where leaders use data to identify instructional or engagement challenges and design rapid-response solutions.
- Trained all leaders to interpret and act on real-time academic and operational data.
- Coaching and Accountability
- Paired emerging leaders with executive mentors for ongoing reflection and skill growth.
- Instituted structured accountability check-ins tied to measurable goals in both student outcomes and team performance.
- Paired emerging leaders with executive mentors for ongoing reflection and skill growth.
By the end of its first year, nearly every Method department—from academics to student services—had at least one LDP-trained leader guiding strategy, communication, and continuous improvement.
The Results: Leadership as a Multiplier for Student Achievement
Within two years of launching LDP, Method Schools’ academic and engagement indicators shifted dramatically:
| Indicator | 2024 Result | 2025 Result | Change |
| ELA (Method LA) | 8.1 points below standard (Yellow) | 3.4 points below (Green) | +12.8 points |
| Math (Method LA) | 42.4 below (Yellow) | 6.7 below (Green) | +51 points |
| ELA (Method Schools) | 24.4 below (Yellow) | 18.7 below (Yellow) | +5.7 points |
| Math (Method Schools) | 78.6 below (Yellow) | 37.7 below (Yellow) | +40.9 points |
| Graduation Rate | 68.8% | 81.6% | +12.8% |
| Chronic Absenteeism | 9.5% | 8.3% | –1.2% |
These results represent up to ten times the statewide rate of growth on key academic indicators:
While instructional improvements, curriculum design, and student engagement initiatives all played roles, Method leaders consistently credit LDP for creating the organizational conditions that allowed these initiatives to succeed.
“We’ve learned that strong results don’t come from new programs alone — they come from strong leaders who know how to align, communicate, and act on data. The Leadership Development Program gave our team the structure and confidence to lead with purpose.” — Jade Fernandez, CAO @ Method Schools
Key Outcomes Beyond the Dashboard
The benefits of LDP extended far beyond test scores:
- Cultural Stability: Leader turnover decreased, and team morale improved as employees saw clearer pathways for growth.
- Cross-Department Collaboration: Academic, operations, and student support teams began working as unified systems rather than silos.
- Faster Response to Student Needs: Data cycles shortened from quarterly to monthly, allowing leaders to intervene early.
- Sustained Momentum: LDP alumni are now mentoring the next generation of leaders, creating a self-sustaining leadership ecosystem.
Looking Ahead
As Method prepares for continued growth and replication, the LDP will remain central to its strategy. The next phase will focus on leadership coaching across school partnerships and expanding the program to regional team leads.
The lesson learned from Method’s turnaround is clear: Instructional excellence begins with leadership excellence.
Through intentional development, accountability, and shared vision, Method transformed from a talented but fragmented organization into a unified, data-driven system—one capable of delivering results that move far beyond expectations.
Looking forward, Method Summit Academy—Method’s newest charter—will become eligible for CAASPP reporting in the 2026 Dashboard cycle. The school has already implemented the LDP framework from its inception, providing a unique opportunity to measure the program’s impact from year one. Early benchmark data suggests that Summit students are on a strong trajectory, benefiting from the leadership structures and instructional precision that drove Method’s success across its existing charters. This expansion marks an exciting next chapter in scaling the LDP’s influence and sustaining excellence across the broader Method network.
About Method Schools
Method Schools is an independent study charter network designed to personalize learning for every K–12 student through flexible instruction, data-informed teaching, and dedicated support.
Learn more about the Leadership Development Program and Method’s academic model at: 👉 www.methodschools.org
About Jessica Spallino
Jessica Spallino is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Method Schools, where she leads strategic initiatives focused on organizational effectiveness, leadership development, and student-centered innovation. Drawing on more than two decades of experience in public education, Jessica designed and launched the Leadership Development Program (LDP) in 2023 to build internal leadership capacity and strengthen instructional systems across Method’s growing network.
Her work emphasizes mission alignment, data-informed decision making, and cultivating leaders who drive both academic excellence and organizational health. Under her leadership, Method Schools has become a model for how empowered, well-trained leaders can transform student outcomes in personalized learning environments. Learn more about Jessica’s approach at: 👉 https://jessicaspallino.com/
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