澳门跑狗论坛

Opinion
School & District Management Letter to the Editor

Women Still Face Barriers to Leadership

April 30, 2024 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

To the Editor:

I can attest that as a woman and a mother currently pursuing a leadership role in education, this climb is no easy feat (鈥Women Superintendents Experience Bias on the Climb to Leadership,鈥 March 22, 2024). As a Latina, the climb is even steeper. Moms shouldn鈥檛 have to choose between their family and their career, and young girls of color should have role models who look like them.

I agree that intentional shifts in culture, policies, and structures are necessary to create greater parity in gender and race among superintendency roles. Gender and racial biases may exist among those making top-tier hiring decisions such as district superintendents, who, according to data, are .

There is a sliver of hope: More women are pursuing leadership certifications. The challenge lies in the barriers that we face in landing those positions. According to 澳门跑狗论坛鈥檚 鈥What Does a School Principal Do? An Explainer,鈥 there are slightly more female than male principals. Despite this increase, the gap in gender equality as it relates to top leadership positions in education and other sectors still exists. We still have a lot of work to do as a society.

Elaine Centeno
Mathematics Teacher/Administrative Intern
Yonkers, N.Y.

A version of this article appeared in the May 08, 2024 edition of 澳门跑狗论坛 as Women Still Face Barriers to Leadership

Events

Artificial Intelligence K-12 Essentials Forum Big AI Questions for Schools. How They Should Respond鈥
Join this free virtual event to unpack some of the big questions around the use of AI in K-12 education.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of 澳门跑狗论坛's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in Schools
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of 澳门跑狗论坛's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Science Webinar
Spark Minds, Reignite Students & Teachers: STEM鈥檚 Role in Supporting Presence and Engagement
Is your district struggling with chronic absenteeism? Discover how STEM can reignite students' and teachers' passion for learning.
Content provided by 

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide 鈥 elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

School & District Management Principals Polled: Where School Leaders Stand on 10 Big Issues
A look at how principals responded to questions on Halloween costumes, snow days, teacher morale, and more.
4 min read
Illustration of speech/thought bubbles.
DigitalVision Vectors
School & District Management Opinion You鈥檙e the Principal, and Your Teachers Hate a New District Policy. What Now?
This school leader committed to being a bridge between his district and school staff this year. Here鈥檚 what he learned.
Ian Knox
4 min read
A district liaison bridging the gap between 2 sides.
Vanessa Solis/澳门跑狗论坛 via Canva
School & District Management The 4 District Leaders Who Could Be the Next Superintendent of the Year
Four district leaders are finalists for the national honor. They've emphasized CTE, student safety, financial sustainability, and more.
4 min read
Clockwise from upper left: Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat, superintendent of the Peoria Public School District 150; Walter Gonsoulin, superintendent of Jefferson County Schools; Debbie Jones, superintendent of the Bentonville School District; David Moore, superintendent of the School District of Indian River County.
Clockwise from upper left: Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat, superintendent of the Peoria school district in Illinois; Walter Gonsoulin, superintendent of Jefferson County schools in Alabama; Debbie Jones, superintendent of the Bentonville, Ark., school district; and David Moore, superintendent in Indian River County, Fla. The four have been named finalists for national Superintendent of the Year. AASA will announce the winner in March 2025.
Courtesy of AASA, the School Superintendent's Association
School & District Management 3 Tips for Districts to Maximize FEMA Funding After a Natural Disaster
District leaders who have been through natural disasters stress the need for thorough documentation, even if it seems excessive.
5 min read
Close up of FEMA paperwork
iStock/Getty