Established in 2013, Leading from the Middle (LFM) grew out of conversations among a small group of administrators and faculty within the California community colleges who wanted a source for professional learning and leadership development for practitioners with middle organizational responsibilities — deans, directors, department chairs, faculty coordinators, classified staff, and teaching faculty. Now in its sixth year, the LFM Academies have served almost 400 middle leaders from over 40 community colleges to help them address large and small change agendas in their colleges.
Today, there is a growing sense among community college educators that the colleges can develop and implement structural changes that will substantially improve student outcomes. Through project and problem-based learning, LFM’s academies help participants hone individual and collaborative leadership skills needed for this transformative work.