A Message for Policy Makers
THE STUDENTS IN YOUR DISTRICT ARE NOT READY.
Not ready for the workforce. Not ready for civic life. Not ready to lead themselves. The data is not ambiguous. School culture is deteriorating, discipline is rising, and students are graduating without the skills that matter most — and no one in office is treating it like the crisis it is.
77%
of employers say recent graduates are unprepared for the workplace — citing
lack of accountability, communication, and self-direction.
Source: National workforce readiness research
+41%
Increase in student disciplinary incidents reported by school administrators since 2020 — behavior that leadership education directly addresses.
Source: National School Safety Center data
1 in 3
Young adults report feeling unprepared to participate meaningfully in civic or community life after graduation.
Source: National workforce readiness research
30 Minutes
Per week is all iLead requires to begin shifting student behavior, culture, and readiness — in any school, any district.
Growing Leaders / iLead implementation data
What the Data Is Telling You
Four Problems. One Root Cause.
Behavior. Workforce readiness. Civic disengagement. School safety. These are not separate issues — they share a common failure point: students who were never taught to lead themselves. Policy can fund programs. But only leadership education changes the student.
Behavior and Discipline Are Getting Worse
Suspensions, referrals, and classroom disruptions have climbed steadily since 2020. Reactive discipline policies treat the symptom. They do not build the self-control, accountability, or decision-making skills that prevent the behavior in the first place. Students need leadership education — not just consequences.
Discipline incidents rising in districts nationwide
Students Are Leaving School Unprepared to Work
Employers are consistent: graduates lack the foundational skills that make someone employable and promotable — accountability, communication, initiative, and self-direction. These are not skills taught in a single class. They are the result of intentional, repeated leadership development starting in middle and high school.
77% of employers report graduates unprepared
A Generation Is Checking Out of Civic Life
Young voter turnout, community volunteerism, and civic participation are declining. A student who does not lead themselves will not lead their community. Civic engagement is a downstream result of character formation — and character formation starts in schools that prioritize it.
Youth civic participation at historic lows
School Safety Starts With Student Culture
You cannot legislate your way to a safe school. Safety is a culture outcome — and culture is shaped by how students see themselves and each other. When students develop self-leadership skills, peer culture shifts, ownership increases, and schools become safer — not because of mandates, but because of student character
Culture-first schools report stronger safety outcomes
Take Action Now
Three Ways to Get Informed and Get Moving.
Every day without a leadership solution is another graduating class short on the skills that matter. Pick where you want to start.
Free Research Report
The Student Leadership Gap Report
The numbers are not comfortable reading. This report documents exactly where students are falling short — and what the research says about the interventions that actually work. Required reading for any policy maker serious about this issue.
What’s Inside:
What’s Inside:
- National data on student leadership deficits
- Workforce readiness gap analysis
- Discipline and behavior trend data
- Civic engagement research
- Proven intervention models
New 2025 data — available now
Leadership Unscripted Podcast
Go on Record About What Is Not Working
Dr. Greg Steely hosts honest, direct conversations with leaders willing to say what most will not. No talking points. No political hedging. Just real discussion about the state of student leadership — and what it will actually take to change it.
What’s Inside:
What’s Inside:
- Conversations with superintendents and legislators
- Policy-level discussion on school culture
- Evidence-based solutions, not ideology
- A platform for leaders driving real change
Limited guest slots — booked quarterly
Program Overview
What iLead Actually Does — and What It Costs
iLead is not a feel-good initiative. It is a measurable, scalable leadership curriculum with documented behavior outcomes. If you are evaluating solutions for your district or state, this is where you start.
What’s Inside:
What’s Inside:
- Curriculum overview and implementation models
- Behavior and culture outcome data
- District adoption case studies
- Cost and scalability information
- Alignment with SEL and strategic frameworks
District briefings available now
Now Booking 2025 Guests
Leadership Unscripted
With Dr. Greg Steely
The Podcast
The Conversation Most Leaders
Will Not Have on the Record.
Leadership Unscripted with Dr. Greg Steely is where policy makers, superintendents, and school leaders come to speak plainly about what is happening in schools — and what it will actually take to fix it.
This is not a feel-good education podcast. It is a direct, evidence-driven conversation about leadership, accountability, and the uncomfortable truth that students are falling behind on the skills no standardized test measures.
Who We Are Looking for as Guests
This is not a feel-good education podcast. It is a direct, evidence-driven conversation about leadership, accountability, and the uncomfortable truth that students are falling behind on the skills no standardized test measures.
Who We Are Looking for as Guests
- Elected officials and policy makers with a stake in school outcomes
- District and state leaders willing to speak candidly about the leadership gap
- Voices that bring data, conviction, and a point of view
- Leaders who are ready to go on record — not just on background
Guest slots are limited and scheduled quarterly. Applications are reviewed directly by Dr. Steely’s team.
2025 Edition
The Student Leadership Gap Report
Growing Leaders / Maxwell Leadership Foundation
- 01. The State of Student Leadership in America
- 02. Workforce Readiness: What Employers Are Actually Saying
- 03. Discipline Data: Behavior Trends Since 2020
- 04. Civic Disengagement: A Generation Opting Out
- 05. School Safety as a Culture Outcome
- 06. What the Research Says About What Works
- 07. A Policy Framework for Student Leadership Development
Free Download
The Data Your Office Needs Right Now
The Student Leadership Gap Report compiles the latest national research on student preparedness, school culture, and behavior. It is direct. It is sourced. And it makes the case — clearly — that leadership education is not optional if you care about outcomes.
This is the starting point for any honest policy conversation about school culture, student safety, and workforce readiness. Download it. Read it. Then let’s talk.
Your information is confidential and will not be shared or sold.
Program Overview
iLead Is Not Another Initiative.
It Is a System.
iLead is a values-based, peer-led student leadership curriculum designed for middle and high school students. It runs in as little as 30 minutes per week. It is measurable, scalable, and built for real schools — not ideal conditions.
For policy makers evaluating student leadership solutions: iLead has a clear implementation model, documented outcome data, and a track record in districts that have treated student leadership as a strategic priority — not an afterthought
For policy makers evaluating student leadership solutions: iLead has a clear implementation model, documented outcome data, and a track record in districts that have treated student leadership as a strategic priority — not an afterthought
Why This Matters for Your Office
- Directly addresses the behavior and discipline data your constituents are raising
- Provides a scalable answer to workforce readiness concerns raised by employers
- Builds civic character at the point where it can still be shaped
- Aligns with existing SEL mandates and strategic school improvement plans
- Low cost of implementation relative to impact on school culture outcomes
- District-wide deployment model available — not classroom-level pilots only
If your office is holding hearings, writing legislation, or evaluating school improvement strategies — this is the briefing document you need first.
Request Program Information
We will send you a full iLead program overview, implementation data, and district case studies — direct to your inbox.
THE WINDOW TO ACT IS NOW
Every graduating class that leaves without self-leadership skills is a cost — to employers, to communities, to civic life. The research is clear. The solution exists. The question is whether the people in office will treat this with the urgency it deserves