Rexford, N.Y. – WEBWIRE – Friday, July 22, 2022

 The International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE), a division of learning technology company HMH, announced that celebrated education leader Dr. Joshua P. Starr has been appointed as Managing Partner. ICLE, one of the nation’s leading education consultancies, researches and disseminates best practices for district-wide achievement and is known for its high-impact work around school transformation. In this critical leadership role, Dr. Starr will oversee the organization’s strategic direction, working hand-in-hand with ICLE’s partners, consultants and fellows in service of creating impactful change and growth for students and teachers in districts nationwide.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Starr to ICLE,” said Amy Dunkin, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Professional Services, HMH. “Dr. Starr’s visionary approach to school improvement and deep experience transforming educational systems make him particularly well-suited to lead ICLE, building upon its strong history, as we serve more school districts.”

Most recently, Dr. Starr served as CEO of PDK International, one of the oldest professional membership organizations for educators, helping members deepen their expertise, advance their careers, and experience better results in education research, classrooms and schools. During his time there, he led the expansion and implementation of Educators Rising, a national program that inspires high school students to become educators. Dr. Starr began his career as a teacher in Brooklyn, NY and has held a variety of administrative and executive positions in urban and suburban districts, among them Director of School Performance and Accountability for New York City Public Schools. As Superintendent in both Montgomery County, Md. and Stamford, Conn., he led system-wide transformation efforts grounded in equity, excellence and engagement.

“I’m excited to join the ICLE team and accelerate our work to help educators improve their practice and ensure more students in our nation’s schools are learning at high levels in safe, supportive and equitable schools,” said Dr. Starr. “Educators throughout the country have experienced significant hardship these last few years and I want ICLE to continue to be a source of strength and learning for teachers and school and system leaders as they advance equity and excellence agendas in their schools and districts.”

ICLE also recently concluded its 30^th annual Model Schools Conference in Orlando, Fla. (June 26-29). Model Schools is the nation’s largest gathering for rapidly improving K-12 schools and districts, and this year’s hybrid event brought over 5,500 educators together for a powerful slate of nearly 100 future-focused workshops and sessions focused on making a difference within learning communities. The conference featured key insights from educators within ICLE’s 2022 cohort of Model Schools, Innovative Districts and Epic Educators (learn more here), in turn fostering an environment of collaboration, relationships and team building amongst attendees.

From networking to sharing best practices to inspiring keynotes and panel discussions, the conference experience reflected an energized education community focused on fostering positive, innovative learning environments, harnessing the power of technology, nurturing school culture, preparing for school this fall and much more.

Dr. Starr, who officially began his post last week, holds a bachelor’s degree in English and history from the University of Wisconsin, a master’s degree in special education from Brooklyn College, and a doctorate in education from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. He is a prolific writer and speaker, and his most recent publication is Equity-Based Leadership: Leveraging Complexity to Transform School Systems. He can be found on Twitter @JoshuaPStarr.

About the International Center for Leadership in Education

The International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE), a division of HMH, challenges, inspires, and equips leaders and teachers to prepare their students for lifelong success. At the heart of ICLEs work is the proven philosophy that the entire system must be aligned around instructional excellence- rooted in rigor, relevance, and relationships- to ensure every student is prepared for a successful future. Founded in 1991 by Dr. Bill Daggett, ICLE, through its team of thought leaders and consultants, partners with schools and districts to implement innovative practices to scale through professional learning opportunities. Additionally, ICLE shares successful practices that have a positive impact on student learning through keynote presentations, the Model Schools Conference, and a rich collection of publications. Learn more at LeaderEd.com.

About HMH

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Nasdaq: HMHC) is a learning technology company committed to delivering connected solutions that engage learners, empower educators and improve student outcomes. As a leading provider of K–12 core curriculum, supplemental and intervention solutions, and professional learning services, HMH partners with educators and school districts to uncover solutions that unlock students’ potential and extend teachers’ capabilities. HMH serves more than 50 million students and 4 million educators in 150 countries. For more information, visit www.hmhco.com