Equity in School Leadership

Anderson: Although more than half of our nation's public school students are people of color, many of these students do not see school leaders that look like them. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 77% of all public school principals are white, while only about 20% of public school principals are Black or brown. Hello, and welcome to "Comcast Newsmakers." I'm Tetiana Anderson. Studies show that all students can benefit from being educated by teachers of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds as the experience prepares them to succeed in a growing, diverse society. Joining me to discuss efforts to increase diversity in K-12 school leadership is Jean Desravines. He is the CEO of New Leaders, which has a flagship principal preparation program. And, Jean, thank you so much for joining us.

Desravines: Thank you so much for having me.

Anderson: So what goes on when it comes to becoming equity focused? Which is something that you talk about a lot. Explain that for our viewers.

Desravines: Absolutely. As you pointed out, the majority of our students in this country are students of color. And unfortunately, we have a shameful achievement gap where by the time our students, particularly our students of color, are in third grade, they are two grades level behind their peers. Equity- focused leaders are results oriented, setting high expectations, creating a culture of excellence for all students irrespective of race or social economic backgrounds.

Anderson: Your organization really focuses on the idea that the quality of school leadership really matters, and you say it's something that's been overlooked as a part of the national discussion around education. What have you seen that tells you that this is not being discussed enough?

Desravines: Absolutely. Here's what we know. We know that in every sector leadership matters, whether it's corporate America, government, the military, schools are no different. Leaders create the culture. They set the vision. They hire, they inspire teachers. And all too often in our schools, while there is a great focus on teachers, rightfully so, there is not enough of a focus on the leaders who create the conditions for success for teachers.

Anderson: But you're changing the game with new leaders. Explain how your model works.

Desravines: Absolutely. So our model, we are a national organization. We've developed over 8,000 leaders impacting over two million students across the country. We focus on recruitment of amazing teachers who want to become school leaders. They go through a rigorous selection process. We provide a residency similar to a medical residency model, and we ensure they have ongoing support to set them up for success.

Anderson: And you've seen some real results when it comes to the people that you're working with. Real people are changed when there's solid leadership in educational systems. Is there a story or an example that sticks out in your mind?

Desravines: We have tons of examples, but there's one that comes to mind. In Memphis, where we have developed over 25% of all of the school leaders, we have a gentleman by the name of Jeffrey Monroe. Jeffrey is a chemistry teacher who decided that I want to have a bigger impact and not only impact a classroom, but I want to impact an entire school. He joined our program. He said the program was transformative. He has just been appointed as a school leader where he is driving outcomes for an entire school.

Anderson: So, what's next for your organization? I mean, you've already achieved so much. What do you have your eye on for the future?

Desravines: Our vision is to be the largest provider of equity focused leaders in the country. After the murder of George Floyd, we felt we could do much more. We partnered with Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University, two preeminent, historically Black colleges, to say we will create a master's and a certification program for leaders who aspire to become principals. And through that partnership, we are getting hundreds of people on an annual basis who want to apply to become a new leader. So if you are interested in helping to change the life trajectory of our kids in public schools, please go to our website and see more about the Morehouse and Clark Atlanta partnership.

Anderson: So I was going to just ask you about your website because I know people have questions. What is it?

Desravines: Our website is newleaders.org, and there are three things you can go on the website to look at. The various resources that we have, the partnerships that we have with school districts, as well as the various services that we offer.

Anderson: Jean Desravines of New Leaders, thank you so much for being here.

Desravines: Thank you so much for having me.

Anderson: And thanks to you as well for watching. As always, for more great conversations with leaders in your own community and across the nation, visit comcastnewsmakers.com. I'm Tetiana Anderson.