69ý

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 (“Women Superintendents Experience Bias on the Climb to Leadership,” March 22, 2024). As a Latina, the climb is even steeper. Moms shouldn’t 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 Education Week’s “What Does a School Principal Do? An Explainer,” 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 Education Week as Women Still Face Barriers to Leadership

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
AI and Educational Leadership: Driving Innovation and Equity
Discover how to leverage AI to transform teaching, leadership, and administration. Network with experts and learn practical strategies.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
Investing in Success: Leading a Culture of Safety and Support
Content provided by 
Assessment K-12 Essentials Forum Making Competency-Based Learning a Reality
Join this free virtual event to hear from educators and experts working to implement competency-based education.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — 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 Spooked by Halloween, Some 69ý Ban Costumes—But Not Without Pushback
69ý are tweaking Halloween traditions to make them more inclusive to all students.
4 min read
A group of elementary school kids sitting on a curb dressed in their Halloween costumes.
iStock/Getty
School & District Management 69ý Take a $3 Billion Hit From the Culture Wars. Here’s How It Breaks Down
Culturally divisive conflicts in schools have led to increased legal and security costs, as well as staff time spent on the fallout.
4 min read
Illustration of a businessman with his hands on his head while he watches dollars being sucked down into a dark hole.
DigitalVision Vectors
School & District Management Opinion The Blind Spot More Educators Need to Recognize
A simple activity in a training session caused a chain reaction that strengthened an educator's leadership for decades to come.
5 min read
Screen Shot 2024 10 29 at 9.19.10 AM
Canva
School & District Management Opinion 9 Ways 69ý Can Improve Life for Teachers and 69ý
Educators suggest low-cost strategies to improve the education experience for teachers and learners alike.
8 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week