Black Women Superintendents Leading With Excellence

Ed Trust and the School Superintendents Association (AASA) held an event, Black Women Superintendents Leading With Excellence, in which Black women superintendents from across the country shared their experiences. Watch the video.

Date: Wednesday, May 10, 2023, 6 p.m. ET

Panelists:

• Dr. Latonya M. Goffney, Superintendent, Aldine Independent School District (TX)
• Dr. Sonja Brookins Santelises, CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools (MD)
• Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt, Superintendent of Alexandria City Public Schools (VA)
• Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell, Superintendent of Oakland Unified School District (CA)

Moderator: Arthur Jones II, ABC News Producer/Reporter

Featuring a discussion on the research of the experiences of Black women superintendents with:

• Denisa R. Superville, assistant editor at Education Week, focused on principals and school leadership.
• Dr. Angel Miles Nash, program officer at the Wallace Foundation

With remarks by:

• Kamau Marshall, Senior Advisor, U.S. Department of Education
• Dr. Monifa B. McKnight, Superintendent of Montgomery County (MD) Schools
• Dr. Christina Grant, State Superintendent of Education for Washington, DC
• Dr. Adrienne Battle, Superintendent of Metro Nashville Public Schools

Description:

Black women make up only 1.4% of people leading school districts nationwide. However, in today’s environment, where classrooms have become sites of cultural and political conflict, Black women leaders are best positioned for the job. Black women know firsthand what it takes to thrive amid racism and sexism — overcoming systemic barriers and challenges that many of their peers do not endure. This lived experience fuels them daily as they work to meet their student’s academic and social-emotional needs and ensure that, despite the challenges of the pandemic, all students leave the K-12 school system with precisely what they need to succeed.

In this candid conversation, Black women superintendents shared their experiences, the pressures of leadership, and how to support students’ mental health, plus more. These leaders also discussed what must be done to diversify the school leadership pipeline and, notably, how to support Black women school leaders once they take the helm.