Atlanta HBCUs, Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University have teamed up to launch a new fellowship program to boost the number of school principals of color.
The online principal certification and master’s degree program is in collaboration with New Leaders, a nonprofit focused on training equity-focused K-12 administrators.
According to NewLeaders.org, Half of all students in K-12 public schools identify as people of color—only 1 in 5 principals do. Only 11% of principals are Black and just 9% are Hispanic.
“My high school principal refused to let me drop out after my father passed away and my mother returned to Haiti when I was 17. He believed in me when I did not believe in myself. The Fellowship will create more leaders like my principal who saw what a first-generation Haitian-American student could become one day,” said New Leaders CEO Jean Desravines. “This will create the much-needed pipeline of diverse school leaders who are ready to make bold, transformational changes in service of our schools, our students and their families and our communities. This is a national crisis that demands nothing less than our full attention and strongest commitment so that every student has a chance at success.”
The research also demonstrates that principals of color produce better outcomes for students of color and are more effective at recruiting and retaining teachers of color.
The online platform for the Aspiring Principals Fellowship will be developed by Noodle, a company that creates online and hybrid higher education programs.
“Our children need guidance and nurturing from principals who understand the unique cultural experiences, proud heritage, and sometimes challenging socio-economic circumstances that affect learning opportunities for young Black students and those from other minority groups,” David A. Thomas, president of Morehouse, said.
