Enhancing Students’ Transitions to College and Careers: A Case Study of Distributed Leadership Practice in Supporting a High School Career Academy Model

Creating effective pathways for students to transition from high school to college or career is immensely important and, although challenging, some have developed promising approaches. This case study examined how formal and informal leaders in an urban high school and district collaborated to implement a college and career academy model, utilizing distributed-leadership theory as a lens. Data analysis yielded seven themes. This study’s documentation of considerable leadership distribution outside the organization is unique within the literature and underscores the need for researchers and practitioners to consider the important contribution of community leaders in promoting college and career readiness.