Although The Leader in Me is a fairly new process, research on The Leader in Me is advancing quickly and is very promising. Initial evaluation studies conducted by third-party researchers, as well as related studies and articles, are available below. In the coming months and years, we look forward to sharing updates from the many active research investigations, which are exploring various aspects of The Leader in Me. We thank you for your interest in our growing body of research and hope you will soon visit this page again.
Evaluation of The Leader in Me in Two School Districts based on
Teacher and Students' Reaction, Learning, Application, and Overall Impact
The ROI Institute was commissioned by FranklinCovey to use their trademarked evaluation process to independently measure the impact of The Leader in Me within two school districts. The ROI Institute selected two school districts and examined four Leader in Me schools within each district (eight Leader in Me schools in total). Available data from non-Leader in Me schools within each respective district served as an appropriate comparison for academic analyses. Many positive benefits related to implementing The Leader in Me are discussed in the report, leading to the conclusion that: "The results from this evaluation effort indicate that The Leader in Me is successful and making a positive impact in the schools where it is implemented.”
Nationwide Assessment of Common Whole-School Improvement
Programs based on Principals' Experience and Perceived Impact
Commissioned by FranklinCovey, Education Direction researchers surveyed a random selection of 669 principals across the United States to learn the common challenges faced in their schools, and how some of the most common whole-school programs (i.e., PBIS, RTI, PLC, or The Leader in Me) aid in addressing these challenges. The researchers specifically examined how The Leader in Me compares with other programs in terms of educational impact, stakeholder satisfaction, and value. The comparisons reveal The Leader in Me is an equally, if not more successful, whole-school improvement program, with unique value in establishing student leadership capabilities and transforming school culture.
Comprehensive Report of the Initial Measured Impacts of
The Leader in Me on Schools Partnering with the Leader Valley Initiative
Researchers from the University of Northern Iowa were commissioned by the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber to collect and analyze both quantitative and qualitative data on the 17 Leader in Me schools involved in the Leader Valley Initiative, as well as conduct several in-depth case studies to closely examine certain affects of the implementation process. The report details the promising findings, including improvement in chronic absenteeism, decreased incidence of bullying, and dramatic improvements in staff morale and job satisfaction (compared to baseline).
The Leader in Me Principals Appraise Stakeholder Reaction, Overall Impact,
and Level of Endorsement for The Leader in Me Process: A Randomly-sampled Interview-based Study
Westgate Research, Inc. was commissioned by FranklinCovey to conduct a large-scale research project interviewing 260 randomly-selected principals involved with The Leader in Me program for one year or more. Among other findings detailed in the report, the interviewed principals indicated The Leader in Me was positively impacting their school and most frequently cited decreased discipline problems and improvements in communication, student responsibility, leadership skills, school culture, and academics most commonly in open-ended interview questions.
Parental Evaluation of The Leader in Me process on their
Child’s Leadership, Character, and Academic Development: A Multi-school Survey Study
Lighthouse Research surveyed parents whose children were attending one of five regionally-diverse Leader in Me Schools across the U.S., to provide FranklinCovey with an independent assessment of the awareness, satisfaction, and experiences of this important stakeholder group. With a statistical confidence rating of 95%, the researchers report an overwhelmingly positive response of parents towards The Leader in Me in all areas of measured impact.
Quantitative Analyses Comparing The Leader in Me and Control-schools
on Standardized Assessments and Behavioral Indicators
The United Way of Arcadiana partnered with The University of Louisiana’s Picard Center to evaluate the impact of The Leader in Me on participating local schools. The researchers compared two cohorts of Leader in Me Schools to control schools (i.e., schools within the same district that were not implementing The Leader in Me) and analyzed growth within each school. Behavioral analyses (e.g., discipline referrals) from this initial study were inconclusive due to “poor data quality” at the school district. However, analysis of academic outcomes provide preliminary evidence that The Leader in Me may play an indirect role in supporting academic growth.
Culture, Leadership, and Academics are “pillars” in The Leader in Me conceptual framework. Download the entire framework here. Each pillar contains effective practices that are experientially supported by measurable successes within Leader in Me schools and supported by complementary educational research. Take a moment to explore each practice and read the related research quotes to better understand the evidence-based logic of The Leader in Me model. As we continue to grow the research base of The Leader in Me, we rely on research like this for guidance, clarity, and support.
