Superintendents group wants to build pipeline of diverse public school leaders

There are only 12 superintendents of color leading the state’s 291 school districts. As part of an effort to recruit more diverse district leaders, the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents held a gathering on the issue last week.

Nearly 150 administrators from 30 school districts met in Indianapolis to discuss how to attract more Black and Brown education leaders with the first "Administrators of Color: Preparing for the Future" conference.

As Indiana’s student population becomes more diverse, education leaders want to attract more teachers and leaders who look like their students. In Marion County, White students enrolled at all schools fell from about 44 percent in 2012 to less than 29 percent in the last school year, according to Richard M. Fairbanks’ Education Data Snapshot of state data.

Sharon Johnson-Shirley, superintendent of Lake Ridge Schools, was the director of the conference’s planning committee.

“We have been lacking in the state of Indiana in numbers,” said Johnson-Shirley. “So this is giving us the opportunity to grow African Americans, Latinas, and all colors to be part of this opportunity to be a superintendent.”

Robert Taylor, IAPSS executive director, said building a “robust and diverse pipeline of educational leaders” is crucial to Indiana schools.

“Through this initiative, we are not only fostering diversity but also ensuring that our educational leadership reflects and addresses the needs of all our students,” he said in a statement.

The organizing committee gave out awards for outstanding educators, including Shawn Bush, student services director at the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township, and former Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent Eugene White.

State leaders, including Senators Fady Qaddoura and LaKeisha Jackson, participated in event panels on the importance of Indiana students having administrators of color.

Contact WFYI education reporter Sydney Dauphinais at sdauphinais@wfyi.org.