Partners in Progress Leadership Conference

The Partners in Progress Leadership Conference, held twice a year, brings together educators from across Massachusetts to learn about creating more diverse, equitable, and inclusive schools. In particular, the conference aims to support individuals who have committed to educational equity by participating in Department of Elementary and Secondary Education DESE programming over the past five years.

The Partners in Progress Leadership Conference is designed to have the following outcomes:

Leaders:

• Build skills on how to transform schools rather than implement acts.
• Understand what it means to take an equity stance.
• Establish a connection with other leaders.
• Develop allyship skills.
• Affirm the cultural wealth of our leaders.

Department of Elementary and Secondary Education DESE:

• Listen and learn about creating more diverse, equitable, and inclusive schools.
• Take away ideas about possible policy changes that can help to improve outcomes.
• Educate participants on supports and resources at Department of Elementary and Secondary Education DESE to support the work.

The last conference was held on May 9, 2025, at the Four Points Sheraton in Norwood, Massachusetts MA. The theme was Taking Care of Ourselves While Building Systems of Change and included a keynote presentation and workshop sessions on leadership, mindfulness, and culturally and linguistically sustaining practices.

For more information, please contact JAKE Small .

The Partners in Progress Leadership Conference is sponsored by the Barr Foundation.

Last Updated: December 2, 2025