Across all of Wallace’s leadership work—PPI, UPPI, Equity-Centered Leadership, and now the RAND report—one message is consistent: Leadership must be developed through practice, not position. Simulations bring that principle to life.
For more than 35 years, I’ve had countless conversations with leaders—both inside and outside of education—about the challenges that keep them up at night. Over the last decade, in my work with SchoolSims where I have been focused on the challenges in Education, I’ve come to believe that leading a school or district is among the most demanding leadership roles anywhere.
People rarely leave because they’ve lost faith in kids or the mission. They leave when they feel stagnant, unseen, or under-supported. Retention isn’t about keeping people in seats; it’s about giving them room to grow.
When professional learning becomes meaningful—inviting reflection, building confidence, and honoring experience—educators rediscover purpose and begin to see their district as a partner in their growth, not merely their employer.
Simulations provide the missing link between education and employment.
They create immersive environments where learners can explore the complexities of professional behavior and decision-making without risk. Scenarios mirror real workplace challenges—miscommunication, interpersonal tension, ethical gray areas, or the pressure of competing priorities.
Every teacher knows the moment: you’ve planned carefully, differentiated thoughtfully, and then—something unexpected happens. A student challenges your grading policy. Technology fails in the middle of a lesson. The class dynamic shifts in a way you didn’t anticipate. In those moments, teaching stops being about content and starts being about judgment. But here’s the paradox—while we tell teachers to “trust their judgment,” we rarely give them the space to practice difficult classroom decisions.
For leaders, ambiguity can feel like vulnerability—especially when under the scrutiny of parents, boards, and communities. Teachers, too, experience this discomfort when instructional expectations shift or new technologies emerge. The fear isn’t only about being wrong; it’s about being seen as unsure. This threatens school leader and teacher confidence.
“How are you today?”
It wasn’t meant to be a polite greeting—it was a very real question. I was intentional with my tone and body language and made eye contact with several teachers as I asked. Almost immediately, I saw tears streaming down some faces. In that moment, I knew my planned content could wait.
Self-efficacy isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about believing you can handle the challenge in front of you. It’s the mindset that gives leaders the courage to take initiative, respond under pressure, and keep going when things get hard.
This year, I had the privilege of seeing nine new assistant principals step into their roles — seven of whom came through our Dean pipeline program. Part of their preparation included SchoolSims leadership simulations, which provided a safe space to practice decision-making before they faced those challenges in real life.