How Teacher Leader Pipelines Drive School Success

By Kelsey Brown, Master Teacher, Laurens County School District 55, South Carolina 

Kelsey Brown began her career in education in 2012 and has primarily taught 2nd and 3rd grades. This year, she began a new role at Hickory Tavern Elementary and Middle School as a Master Teacher. Brown received her Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from Winthrop University, her Master's in Education Teaching from University of South Carolina, and her principal certificate from Lamar University. She maintains a professional goal to motivate teachers, improve academic performance, increase parent engagement, and build rapport with students and faculty in order to improve overall school performance. Read more about her selection as an NIET Fellow here.

I still remember the overwhelming feeling of my first few years in the classroom. I was juggling lesson plans, learning classroom management, and facing the immense responsibility of teaching 3rd-grade students how to read. Literacy instruction wasn’t just another subject on the schedule; it was the key to unlocking a child's entire educational journey. But as much as I believed in its importance, I often felt unsure if I was doing it right. 

I wasn’t alone. 

As a novice teacher, and even later in leadership, I observed a lot of frustration from teachers due to the many challenges that come along with the profession. Some leave the profession altogether, not because they don’t love teaching, but because they lack the support and tools needed to be successful. It wasn’t until I stepped into a teacher leadership role that I truly saw the impact that structured support, coaching, and a clear growth pathway could have - not just on students, but on teachers themselves.

Educators who have found this support through NIET structures and leveraged them at every level - including my district, Laurens County School District 55 in South Carolina, can speak firsthand on the transformation that improved instruction has brought to their schools and classrooms. One of the most powerful parts of establishing these strong systems of support is the pipeline it fosters for career teachers to become leaders, like me.

The transition from classroom teacher to instructional coach opened my eyes to the importance of growing strong teacher leaders within a school. When teachers are supported, especially in critical areas like literacy instruction, they feel more confident, capable, and invested in their careers. This pipeline, that nurtures teachers and empowers them to lead, can be a powerful tool in strengthening retention and ensuring that more educators stay in the field, making a lasting impact.

Drive Change and Confidence With Consistency

NIET’s tried and true system of coaching and leadership supported me during a particularly challenging year of instruction. I found myself struggling to implement a new writing strategy for my class in preparation for our state assessment. The pressure was high, and I often questioned whether I was effectively reaching my students. But what made all the difference was a teacher leader who stepped in - not as a distant administrator, but as a “boots-on-the-ground” coach - the staple approach of NIET practices that makes teacher support so effective.

She was consistent, present, and provided real-time feedback that helped me refine my instruction. Rather than simply offering advice from the sidelines, she developed a co-teaching model that allowed us to roll out the strategy together. Between our real-time coaching sessions, the filming of lessons, and support of smaller group work to address individual student needs, I was able to make progress with my students and prepare them for our state assessment. Her willingness to step into my classroom, model techniques, and coach me through the process gave me the confidence I needed to implement it on my own.

The ‘Go First’ mentality was key in building my confidence alongside this teacher leader, and is a core value of NIET, ensuring that educators don’t face challenges alone and are equipped with the support to try new instructional strategies to best suit student needs. Field-testing lesson plans and ensuring they align with assessment needs truly helped drive student progress and my own.

Each week, we took time to reflect on how the lessons went, making adjustments as needed. What stood out most during this process was that I never felt like just another teacher struggling to keep up - I felt like a valued colleague. The support she provided wasn’t just about improving my instruction; it was about empowering me as an educator. That experience shaped my belief in the power of teacher leadership and reinforced the importance of creating structured support systems to help teachers thrive.

My journey through the teacher leadership pipeline has given me a comprehensive view of how supporting teachers, especially in critical areas like literacy, strengthens retention by building confident and capable educators. Beyond professional development, another powerful element can support teacher retention and strengthen our leadership pipelines, as it did for me - the ‘Grow-Your-Own’ model.

Building Capacity and Growing Roots

Laurens County School District 55 is more than a district for me - it is home. I have taught in these classrooms for more than 10 years through my educational career, and now I am a parent of two students who go to schools in the district. When teachers remain invested in their own communities over time and eventually rise to leadership levels, both formal and informal, we call it “growing your own.”

NIET has been an avid supporter of “Grow-Your-Own” models nationwide, and its work with partners is designed to help strengthen pipelines of development and leadership for educators within their communities and effectively retain educators. By creating a springboard to leadership for teachers embedded in their communities, NIET partners build confidence, trust, and positive outcomes for students with invested teachers as a key factor.

Teacher investment in their communities and work can show itself in different ways, but the strategies, structures, and support that allow them to set up their students for success are key to retention. Without effective professional development like what NIET and my district provide in their partnership, the ability to build teacher capacity, strengthen instructional practice, and set up teachers to help their students achieve is diminished.

As a result of this structured support, made possible with the coaching and scaffolding of NIET, we’ve seen measurable improvements in student learning, particularly in areas like small-group instruction, data-driven teaching, and literacy/math skills. It’s intentional and expert support that builds confidence across schools, retains teachers in their classrooms and communities, and promotes a stronger school culture and connection across generations. 

The Lasting Impact of Teacher Leadership

Looking back, I realize that the support I received from that teacher leader didn’t just help me navigate a difficult year - it shaped the way I view teacher retention and professional growth, and set me up to succeed in a district for over a decade. When educators have access to consistent, hands-on coaching and opportunities to refine their practice in a collaborative environment, they feel more capable, confident, and connected to their work.

NIET’s mission has always resonated deeply with my work as a teacher leader because it reinforces the idea that student success is directly tied to educator growth. This is why building a strong teacher leadership pipeline is essential. Investing in growing teacher leaders, especially in critical areas like literacy instruction, creates a culture where teachers are supported rather than isolated, empowered rather than overwhelmed. As more educators receive the guidance they need to feel successful in their craft, they are more likely to stay in the profession and continue making a lasting impact on students.

In every role I’ve held - from career teacher, teacher leader, and a parent of students, I know firsthand how transformative it can be when teachers are given the support they need to thrive. By investing in teacher leadership and fostering a culture of collaboration, we not only strengthen instruction but also ensure that our best educators remain in the classroom, creating a lasting impact for generations to come.