Why Are So Few Latinas Serving as Superintendents? A Call to Action Following a Decade of Minimal Progress

• In Event: Conceptualizing Equity in Leadership

Abstract

The superintendent is one of the most important positions within public school districts because they have the capacity to influence policies, practices, and perceptions among school staff. Yet, the lack of a national longitudinal dataset on superintendents has limited insights about who becomes a superintendent as well as the time and pathways associated with reaching the position. Drawing on 11 years of longitudinal superintendent data in Texas – a state with approximately 1,200 superintendents - we examine superintendent demographics and how they align to the state’s growing population. Our findings highlight the lack of representation and career pathway challenges Latinx women confront in accessing the superintendency. Implications for policy and future research are discussed in the conclusion.

Authors

• David E. DeMatthews, University of Texas at Austin

• Alexandra Aylward, University of Nevada - Reno

• Pedro Reyes, University of Texas at Austin

• David S. Knight, University of Washington