Leadership in Education: Insights from the 2024/5 GEM Report

December 26th, 2024

By Héctor Navedo, Ed. D.

Introduction

The 2024/5 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report examines leadership in education and the conditions in which it operates. This article distinguishes findings from that global report from my proposed applications for leaders in the United States and Puerto Rico. Those local proposals have not been tested by the report as a single intervention.

The report offers a basis for asking how leaders focus on learning, support staff, and work with communities. It does not establish that individual leadership can overcome every institutional or resource constraint.

1. Leadership: More Than Management

Leadership and management overlap. The GEM Report cautions that the distinction is not clear-cut: leaders also manage budgets, staffing, schedules, and other routine responsibilities. Institutional environments and organizational structures matter; educational improvement should not be credited to an individual alone.

My proposed application is to connect administrative responsibilities with clear educational purposes and meaningful opportunities for staff and community participation.

2. Four Essential Dimensions for Leadership Success

The report examined information on 142 principal preparation and training programmes from 92 countries. Only 18% covered all four dimensions considered: setting a vision, focusing on learning, fostering collaboration, and developing staff. This describes the programmes reviewed, not every principal or superintendent programme worldwide. The applications below are my proposals for local review.

A. Set Vision

I propose developing a clear educational vision with staff, students, and families. Leaders in bilingual settings can explicitly discuss language, cultural responsiveness, and the opportunities they want students to have.

B. Focus on Learning

I recommend examining evidence of learning, attendance, and access to opportunities. Any dashboard or coaching process should have a defined educational purpose, with attention to data quality and limitations.

C. Foster Collaboration

I propose opportunities for teachers to discuss practice, examine evidence, and address shared problems. Whether those arrangements improve retention or learning is a separate empirical question.

D. Develop Staff

I recommend reviewing the induction, mentoring, and professional learning available to educators. Staff development should be planned and evaluated rather than treated as a guarantee of stability or innovation.

3. Open, Transparent Selection of Leaders

For U.S. districts and Puerto Rico, I recommend reviewing whether leadership selection criteria and procedures are transparent, job-related, and accessible to a broad candidate pool. This is a proposal, not a verified claim that U.S. hiring practices have improved over time.

Selection procedures should make the responsibilities of the role and the evidence used in decisions explicit.

4. Building Equity into Leadership

I propose examining access to learning opportunities and support, including how policies and resources affect different groups of students. The global report should not be treated as a substitute for local evidence about Puerto Rico or a particular district.

Possible priorities include reviewing language supports, counseling access, and family participation. Leaders should identify the needs and evidence before adopting a particular program.

5. Funding and Policy Realities

The GEM Report examines the resource and policy environments in which leaders work. Its findings should not be read as an assurance that leadership can compensate for inadequate resources.

I propose exploring partnerships and funding opportunities while keeping public responsibilities clear. Leadership is not a substitute for adequate investment, and a proposed partnership should be evaluated for its educational purpose and sustainability.

6. Steps Toward Transformational Practice

Induction and Mentorship

I recommend structured induction and mentoring for new leaders, with clear expectations and opportunities to discuss both technical and relational challenges. These are proposed supports, not a guarantee of effectiveness.

Shared Accountability Structures

I propose involving teachers, families, and students in discussing educational goals and the evidence used to review progress. Learning, school climate, access to opportunities, and family participation can be considered without assuming one measure captures every purpose.

Ongoing Professional Learning

I recommend continued professional learning tied to identified responsibilities and needs. Participation in a workshop or certification should not be confused with evidence that practice has improved.

Conclusion

The report offers a global perspective on leadership, preparation, and context. My central recommendation is to use its questions to inform local inquiry, while distinguishing report findings from professional judgment.

If you already hold a leadership position, reflect on how your daily actions align with the four dimensions. Do you maintain a clear, inclusive vision? How focused are you on learning outcomes? In what ways do you promote collaboration among staff, and how do you invest in professional growth? Could you strengthen equity-based efforts to support all learners?

Educators, policymakers, and community members can discuss how best to support leadership for learning. The proposals here should be adapted and evaluated locally, not treated as a universally proven package.

Updated October 27, 2026.

References and source notes

UNESCO. (2024). Global education monitoring report 2024/5: Leadership in education—Lead for learning. https://www.unesco.org/reports/gem-report/en/2024-leadership-education