Improving Student Outcomes by Developing Excellent Teachers


The Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) recruits, trains, and supports new teachers in underserved communities to ensure every student has a great teacher and a transformative education.
Our core values


Student-Centered
We hold students at the heart of our work. We understand that we must authentically listen and keep students’ context, needs, and identities at the center of all we do to foster whole-child success.


Tenacious Service
We embrace growth and resilience. We believe in continually assessing our impact, adapting to change and persisting through obstacles as opportunities to learn.


Community-Focused
We partner authentically with communities. We know that transformative educational experiences require learning from and with community members in relationships grounded in trust, care, and respect.
AUSL’s History
In 2001, Martin (Mike) Koldyke worked with Arne Duncan and Dr. Donald Feinstein to develop the Chicago Teacher Residency, an innovative model of teacher training.
This program provided Chicago Public School with high-quality teachers prepared to succeed within the demanding conditions of under-invested schools. In 2006, to better serve the needs of Chicago’s students, AUSL expanded its operations to include school management. While AUSL no longer manages schools, we continue to recruit and train highly effective educators and have evolved in the ways we support teachers and schools. Today, our LiberatED Way advisory services partners with schools across the country to help school leaders dream, author, and create student-centered and community driven visions for learning.Â