Two Alma Exley Scholars played prominent roles in the inaugural conference of the New England chapter of the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) in Springfield, Mass.

Dr. Miguel Cardona and Dr. Violet Jiménez Sims

         The keynote speaker, former U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, Ed.D., whom we honored in 1998, reminded his audience “just how urgently our leadership is needed in this historical moment.” He urged Latino administrators to lead with purpose. He emphasized that everyone in a school district—from the superintendent to paraeducators—should share common values and work toward common goals.

         Violet Jiménez Sims, Ed.D. (2008), managing director of academic programming and legislative affairs for the Connecticut Teacher Residency Program (TRP), conducted a workshop on the topic “Quieting the Noise: Courageous Leadership and Advocacy for Diverse and Multilingual Learners.”

         Under her leadership, TRP is building a more diverse educator workforce by enabling university graduates to obtain their state teacher certification. Some 90 percent of the future teachers in the program are people of color.

         The Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents is dedicated to providing leadership development for school and district leaders who serve Latino youth and other historically marginalized students.

Dr. Sims explains data on English-language learners

Space to Reflect and Recommit

         Said Dr. Sims, “Huge congratulations to NE ALAS for launching their chapter and creating space for us to reflect and recommit. In times like these, we need spaces that feed our souls and reinforce the principle of lifting as we climb.

         “Let’s remember: Our collective power grows when we move with abundance, not scarcity. When we resist the temptation to gatekeep or use the proverbial ‘master’s tools’ to recreate the very systems we aim to dismantle. Representation matters, but impact matters more. And we make the greatest impact when we lead with inclusion, generosity, and purpose.”

         Congratulations to Dr. Cardona and Dr. Sims for helping to launch this new organization of Latino educational leaders by sharing the experience and expertise they have gained in their remarkable careers.

Dr. Miguel Cardona, U. S. Secretary of Education and 1998 Alma Exley Scholar, presented a strong case for educator diversity to an audience of more than 200 educators and aspiring educators on Thursday.

He spoke via video at the third annual Increasing Diversity Symposium at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT, sponsored the Connecticut Department of Education and Educators Rising, a program that encourages high school students to pursue careers in education.

Also speaking was Connecticut Commissioner of Education Charlene Russell-Tucker, who said that increasing educator diversity and strengthening the educator pipeline are among her agency’s strategic focus areas. (See story below.)

Diversity Is a “Must-Have”

“Educator diversity matters,” Secretary Cardona said. “It’s not only a good-to-have; it’s a must-have.

“The Biden-Harris team is moving toward a vision of public education that’s ambitious and inclusive when others want to privatize the public good—public education,” he said. “Our vision includes making sure that we have a beautifully diverse workforce of highly qualified teachers—a diversity that matches the diversity of our communities.

“I’m proud to say that Connecticut is leading the way. It’s one of only seven states with an educator diversity goal. From the 2015-16 school year to 2023-24, nearly 2,000 additional educators of color were hired across the state.

He noted that Connecticut has streamlined the process for educators from out-of-state to obtain Connecticut certification. He cited the NextGen program, which pays prospective teachers while they work to obtain credentials and connects them with experienced teachers as mentors. He also mentioned a new state program that provides scholarships to aspiring educators from diverse backgrounds.

National Priority

Secretary Cardona said the U.S. Department of Education is supporting educator-diversity efforts nationally. He said the Department is also fighting for teacher respect and teacher support. He cited what he calls the ABCs of teaching: A is for agency, treating teachers like professionals. B is for better working conditions, making sure they have the tools they need to be successful. C is for competitive salaries, since teachers are paid less than people with similar degrees in other professions. And he added D for diversity.

“Let’s demonstrate the courage to raise the bar for teacher diversity,” he said, “and let’s demonstrate the will to fight boldly and unapologetically for public education.

“At a time when people are attacking diversity, equity, and inclusion, at a time when people want to use vouchers to create a system of haves and have-nots, I tell you this is the best time to be in leadership. This is the best time to fight for diversity in our profession.

“We are fighting for public education,” he said. “We are fighting to lift up the great work of our public schools and our educators. We just have to make sure that they are as beautifully diverse as our country. I’m excited to continue to work together.”

Commissioner Cites Progress But Calls for More

Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker reported that the state’s educators of color increased from 7.8 percent in 2009-10 to over 11 percent this past school year. This represents an increase from 4,130 to more than 6,000 educators of color in the state’s public schools.

But she noted that students of color account for 58.8 percent of the total student body. This amounts to more than 275,000 students of color.

“We have a lot of work to do,” she said. “This work is critically important. Our collective actions demonstrate that we’re not just talking about the problem; we’re about effective solutions and we’re moving forward.

“Our goal is to create a universe of opportunities for all of our students,” she said, citing Educators Rising, scholarships for aspiring teachers, and certification reciprocity among the state’s diversity initiatives.

“We’re leading the charge to ensure that our educator workforce really looks like the students that it serves,” the commissioner said. “Together, we are changing the face of education in Connecticut.”

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Students at Mayberry School in East Hartford comprise many ethnicities, hail from many countries, and speak many languages. In fact, one-third of the students are English-learners who speak 15 other languages.

This rich diversity was celebrated last week at the school’s annual Multicultural Night.

“The purpose of the event is to invite families into our school to celebrate the community and its diversity,” said Ivy Horan, first-grade teacher and co-leader of the school’s Equity Team, which hosted the event.

The Alma Exley Scholarship Program honored Ms. Horan in 2019, when she was a student in the Neag School of Education at UConn.

Celebrating Diverse Cultures

Families were invited to wear clothing from their cultures, and they brought food representing their families. After dinner, students performed in a talent show, which included instrumental music, songs in Spanish, and the reading of a poem in Spanish.

Then everyone was treated to a performance by the Drill Team, composed of 25 fourth- and fifth- graders. “The Drill Team practices all year, while also meeting to discuss the importance of community, diversity, and equity,” said Ms. Horan, who helps lead the group.

‘Community’ Mural

Another highlight was an interactive mural, in which students spelled out the word “community,” which was the focus of the Drill Team.

Prior to the event, school staff members had created visual displays depicting the diversity of their own families and the community. Then, during the event, students and their families were invited to create similar displays. Also, the Family Resource Center hosted a table to share information about their services.The evening ended with a dance party.

Strengthening Bonds Within the School Community

“Multicultural Night is intended to help our students and their families to feel more connected to our school community,” Ms. Horan said. “Everyone has so much fun at the event, and since it’s towards the end of the school year, it is a great way to wrap up the year together.

“Our Equity Team’s main goal is to help ensure that equity is part of everything we do, and this event is a great showcase of that.”

Well over 200 people attended the event, including students, their families, school staff, and volunteers from the University of Saint Joseph, Mayberry’s educational partner.

Building Confidence

“I want to thank our Drill Team teachers for believing in me and helping me perform today,” a fourth-grader said. “I never thought I could do something like this, but they told me I could.”

A fifth-grader said, “I can’t wait to do the Drill Team again next year. This was the best experience. Thank you for helping me. Tonight was so much fun. I wish every single day at school could be just like today!”