Maria Ott, a professor of clinical education at University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education, addresses educators at an event in 2017.

A vivid memory of my first superintendency was the story headline about the appointment in the local newspaper — “Latina Named Superintendent.” That was 1993 when being a woman and a woman of color moving into a top leadership post made headline news.

Things are better in 2019, but superintendents of color may still need to prove to their public that they are an advocate for all kids and that being a person of color does not define their leadership focus.

This is where a mentor or coach can make all the difference, especially for the new superintendent. I encourage experienced colleagues in school system leadership to reach out and provide support and guidance to help the new superintendent navigate the politics of ethnicity and race. 

I was fortunate that my first board of education was excited to appoint its first woman and first Latina, so they were comfortable with the headline. However, the label of being affiliated with a group defined by ethnicity or gender can marginalize a new superintendent. And not every board is as courageous as the five members in southern California who appointed me as their first.

It benefits all superintendents when superintendents of color are successful. When I became a superintendent 26 years ago, superintendents of color comprised about 4 percent of the national total. Based on the most recent AASA survey data, we have moved the indicator needle up to 6 percent — minuscule movement in improving the representation of diverse leaders for our nation’s public school districts.

A Pipeline Matter
Why increase the number of leaders of color? There are nearly 14,000 answers to this question — one for each district across the country. The answers reflect our collective commitment to be inclusive and dedicated to equity and diversity. So how do we ensure the success of the few who reach the superintendent role as leaders of color?

One powerful approach that works is mentoring and coaching. I use the professional terminology interchangeably, although coaching often is used to describe a more formal relationship that is sometimes included in a contractual relationship. For example, a school board may be advised by executive search consultants to allow a new superintendent to select a professional coach, and this may be included in the employment contract or as a separate agreement. The wisdom of school board members in providing this extra support for the new district leader demonstrates commitment on their part to a successful, long-term relationship.

Superintendents of color benefit when supported by a trusted mentor or coach who is invested in their success. Trust is foundational to the relationship and reflects that what is discussed and shared is private and confidential. While some might not see the value of mentoring and coaching, evidence from research on organizational leadership and my personal experiences have taught me this is part of a solution-based strategy for increasing the numbers and success of superintendents of color.

The crisis for leaders of color is a pipeline problem, and we need our collective sense of urgency to address the gap that continues in our leadership ranks. The solution begins with identifying future talent that reflects our students and nation. Identify the talent and place it into the pipeline with mentoring and coaching that begins early in the journey that fledgling leaders take to become superintendents.

AASA’s partnership programs with University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education and Howard University reflect a shared commitment to the goal of preparing diverse leaders for the urban environment and leading systems that serve diverse student populations. As the lead faculty member for the USC Rossier program, I am proud of the four cohorts that have completed our 18-session training program.

An Invested Connection
“I have one agenda — to ensure your success.”

This is how I introduce my role with a new superintendent or aspiring superintendent. My actions and confidential communication demonstrate that this relationship is about the success of the person I am mentoring or coaching and not about me. As a mentor or coach, you invest in someone else and offer your experiences, including successes and failures to help the leader navigate away from error and build confidence in making well-informed decisions.

In my first superintendency, I was part of a “rebel” group committed to increasing the number of Latinos leading school districts in California. With several like-minded colleagues, we founded the California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators, or CALSA, with a primary objective of increasing the pipeline and supporting Latino leaders to become and remain superintendents.

Mentoring and coaching was the strategy that distinguished our work and contributed to the advancement and success of many leaders of color in California. CALSA continues to develop and promote mentoring as a long-term strategy to diversify the leadership pipeline. The Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents, or ALAS, was born from the success of CALSA and continues the tradition of preparing Latino leaders nationally.

Critics will complain, “Why do you need to be in an affiliated group?” My response is that when our leaders of color match our student population, then we can have the discussion. It is a challenge to be a member of a small group of superintendents of color. Belonging to professional organizations that are committed to your success can provide the role models and inspiration that help you persevere.

Superintendents of color have the same challenge that I faced as a woman aspiring to leadership: We have to work twice as hard and twice as smart to advance. Mentors and coaches who understand what is needed can help as thought partners, not by giving answers. Rather, it happens by sharing experiences and asking questions that help the leader explore potential avenues of action and anticipate the possible roadblocks that show up on the way to implementing solutions.

Additionally, one of the major challenges that new superintendents of color face is culture. We know that culture is where the action takes place. A new superintendent needs to learn the culture before taking on a change agenda. The voice of an experienced mentor or coach can help the superintendent more accurately read what is present in the new district. I often think of it as the realization that Dorothy expresses in “The Wizard of Oz” when she says, “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

The realization that you are in a new place where people do not know you gives your communication immense power during your first 90 days. What you choose to share and how you frame your story and vision for the district paves a path for success. Having a mentor or coach with whom to discuss your message is powerful. A professional adviser helps the new superintendent communicate a positive message and sets the stage for a meaningful relationship with the community’s stakeholders. This is especially important to the new superintendent of color who is setting the tone about why and how they lead.

Thought Partners
When I was a new superintendent, I was invited to join a group of women professionals in school leadership who called themselves the Women of the Valley. The founder, a woman who led a major school district in the San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles County, reached out each time a woman was named superintendent. The women in this group became my mentors and coaches. They were my thought partners. I felt and believed they were invested in my success.

I think of the impact the Women of the Valley had on me as a leader, and I envision this type of support for our new superintendents of color. The new superintendent may be the only person of color in the state or county. If colleagues reach out to invite the new superintendent to join their network, they deliver a message of support and build relationships that serve to mentor and coach for long-term success. Each time we ensure the success of our colleagues of color, we make progress toward the goal of closing the leadership gap.

Urgency describes the problem, and mentoring and coaching define the solution.

Mentoring and coaching make a powerful difference for all superintendents but are especially important to help superintendents of color get and keep their jobs as superintendents. I benefited from mentors who coached and guided me during my early years as a superintendent. When I encountered resistance as a leader, my mentor asked the questions that helped develop my leadership muscles to solve problems and stay the course. I wound up spending 14 years as a superintendent in two districts and five years as senior deputy superintendent in Los Angeles Unified.

When leaders of color enter the superintendency, they have to show that as leaders, they are about all kids. If you are a person of color, some communities will question the priorities you set. Is your agenda driven by ethnic or racial identity?

When you say you are there to support the growth of all kids, you have to demonstrate continually that actions match your words. If you select individuals from diverse backgrounds to serve on your team, you may be accused of favoring a group that looks or thinks like you. These are all real and powerful influences on the superintendent who may be “the first” to serve as leader of their local schools.

Paving Pathways
Finally, mentors and coaches can serve as role models for new superintendents and make a profound difference in their leadership journey. They provide inspiration and see the difficulties that come with being a person of color, understand the insecurities of being the first, apply personal experience to give insight and build confidence.

Trust thrives in this relationship, and the success of the superintendent paves the path for others to follow, persevere and make an impact. Each success story moves us closer to the goal: school district leadership that reflects our students and our nation.


MARIA OTT, a former superintendent, is professor of clinical education in the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.