In our quest for equitable leadership representation, it is essential for leaders to also reflect the communities they serve. Leaders who mirror the faces and lives of those they represent are crucial in public education so the diverse student community can view them as role models. This is not only vital for the success of students and public schools, but also for the future of our democracy. During times when diversity in terms of race, ethnicity, and gender in leadership roles is marginalized, we continue to lack adequate symbols of progress for children to emulate. Additionally, we miss out on the powerful advocacy that such leaders offer as catalysts for authentic change. Marginalized leaders often recognize themselves in the children they serve, igniting a deep and personal passion for providing the quality education they deserve. The leaders whom students look up to shape their aspirations, drive, and hopes for the future. By overcoming significant obstacles, when marginalized leaders are supported and given opportunities, they foster growth and pave the way for others. These opportunities can disrupt, if not break, the cycles of poverty and inequality, especially when powered by a profound belief that education is the key to change, that powerful and selfless “why.” Many marginalized leaders were once marginalized students themselves.
The Data on Marginalized School Leaders
Representation of minorities in leadership roles, in both K-12 and higher education settings, is a concern due to continued underrepresentation. As per the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for the 2020-21 school year, 78.4% of school principals were non-Hispanic White, 9.5% were Black or African American, 8.7% were Hispanic, and 3.6% belonged to other race/ethnicities. There has been some growth since the 1987-88 school year when Black, Hispanic, and Asian or Pacific Islander principals constituted 9%, 3%, and less than 1% respectively (NCES, 2020).
Women consistently represent a substantial majority of classroom teachers in public education. In public schools, for instance, about 77% of teachers are female (NCES, 2020). While there is a large pool of potential female educational leaders, the racial and ethnic diversity of elementary and secondary public-school teachers in the U.S. does not mirror that of their students. Although the proportion of Black, Hispanic, and Asian American teachers has risen over the years, it hasn’t matched the growing racial and ethnic diversity of the student body. The representation of teachers from these ethnicities is less than their presence in the general population, affecting the potential number of diverse leaders who can be promoted to leadership roles.
However, the increase in racial and ethnic diversity among U.S. students has outpaced that of both teachers and principals. In the 1987-88 school year, 71% of American K-12 students were White, 14% Black, 11% Hispanic, and 3% Asian or Pacific Islander (NCES, 2020). By 2018-19, White students made up just 47% of the student population. Hispanic students were 27%, Black students were 15%, Asian Americans were 5%, and 4% identified as multiracial (NCES, 2020).
According to the American Association of School Administrators and Superintendents (AASA), out of 13,728 superintendents nationwide,1,984 are women. In the 1990s, not only were women the predominant gender in professional education, but they also made up the majority in university-based administrative preparation programs. However, despite the percentage of female superintendents doubling from 6.6% to 13.2% during the 1990s, a significant majority of superintendents, 87%, remain male (Cruz, 2023).