Investing in leaders has long been a part of the NewSchools strategy. One of the biggest talent challenges over the next decade is diversifying education leadership.
Our goal is for Black and Latino leaders to represent at least
40 percent of education leadership by 2020.
We believe education organizations will have greater impact when their leaders understand the values, experiences and needs of the students and families they serve. Diversifying education leadership is key to this goal.
Yet, according to “Unrealized Impact,” a groundbreaking study on the state of diversity, equity and inclusion in education released by NewSchools, there is a large racial/ethnic gap in education (see figure below). The percentage of Black and Latino leaders in education, as compared to the percentage of Black and Latino students in our nation’s schools, remains unbalanced. This is especially troubling as the number of children of color in our public school system continues to climb.
We must diversify education leadership to include more people who share the background and life experience of the students we serve. And we must harness the richness of diverse leaders’ ideas and perspectives for the benefit of all students.
The Diverse Leaders strategy is focused on advancing Black and Latino leadership in education. Our goal is for Black and Latino leaders to represent at least 40 percent of PreK-12 education leadership by 2020, mirroring the demographics of U.S. students today.
Click here to learn more.
Recognizing that leaders want to advance DEI initiatives, but often struggle with how to get started or what to focus on, we enlisted Catalyst:Ed to create the “DEI Expert Hub.” The DEI Expert Hub informs and connects leaders of schools, school systems, nonprofits, funders, and ed tech companies with experts who bring deep experience assessing, designing and implementing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in education organizations.
How diverse, equitable and inclusive is the education sector? In partnership with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Raikes Foundation, Schusterman Family Foundation and Walton Family Foundation, we commissioned a study of more than 200 organizations and received responses from nearly 5,000 individuals. This is the most comprehensive data on the state of diversity, equity and inclusion in the field.
Meet the Team
Deborah McGriff | Frances Messano | Zeina Fayyaz Kim | Elise Smith
Please email us with any questions you might have. You can also sign up to receive updates on our Diverse Leaders work, including upcoming funding opportunities.
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