Justin Baeder

Justin Baeder

Justin Baeder is director of The Principal Center, where he helps school and district administrators build capacity for instructional leadership. Driven by the belief that leaders belong in classrooms—where the most important work is being done—he created the 21-Day Instructional Leadership Challenge, which has helped more than 10,000 leaders from 50 countries develop the habit of getting into classrooms and having evidence-based conversations with teachers. His professional interests focus on strategic planning, goal-setting, organizational learning, and productivity. Prior to starting The Principal Center, Dr. Baeder served as a teacher, head teacher, and principal in Seattle Public Schools, finishing his 10-year career in Seattle as principal of Olympic View Elementary.

He has contributed to The School Administrator (AASA), Principal News Magazine (AWSP), Principal Magazine (NAESP), Principal Navigator Magazine (OAESA), and Education Week. Dr. Baeder presents regularly at state and national conferences, including ASCD, Learning Forward, and NAESP, and has been an invited keynote speaker at numerous state principals’ conferences in California, Pennsylvania, Washington, Texas, Arkansas, Utah, North Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Dr. Baeder earned a doctorate in educational leadership and policy from the University of Washington and is a graduate of the Danforth Educational Leadership Program at UW. He holds an MEd in curriculum and instruction from Seattle University and a bachelor’s degree in science education from Harding University. He resides in Heber Springs, Arkansas, with his wife and two daughters.

Presentations by Justin Baeder

• Making Time for Classroom Conversations
• Beyond the Feedback Sandwich: Evidence-Based Classroom Conversations for Instructional Improvement
• Improvement Mapping: Hypothesis-Driven Strategic Planning
• The Inbox Overhaul: How to End Email Overload Forever