The Shoulder Tap - Educators of Color on the Leadership Representation Gap—and What We Can Do About It

Oct 15, 2026

A research report examines persistent representation gaps in school leadership, focusing on how principals of color expand opportunities and improve outcomes for students of color. It synthesizes current findings, educator perspectives, and bright-spot district and state examples, then outlines actionable next steps. The work addresses language considerations, equity factors, and citation/legal notes, and proposes coordinated local, state, and federal policy actions guided by focus group and interview protocols.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages60

Reading Time2 h 31 min

AccessFree to download

About

Authors, Institutional Collaborators, and Acknowledgments

Project Overview

Purpose and Research Methodology

Notes on Language

Citation and Legal Notes

Introduction

What We Know

Current Research on School Leader Diversity

What We’ve Learned

Perspectives on School Leader Diversity from Educators of Color

What We’re Seeing

Bright Spots for Closing the School Leader Representation Gap

What’s Next

Policy Actions to Increase School Leader Diversity

Appendix

Focus Group and Interview Protocols

ABOUT 03 Authors, Institutional Collaborators, and Acknowledgments PROJECT OVERVIEW 07 Purpose and Research Methodology NOTES ON LANGUAGE 08 Diversity, Race/Ethnicity, and School Leaders CITATION AND LEGAL NOTES 09 INTRODUCTION 11 APPENDIX 59 Focus Group and Interview Protocols WHAT WE KNOW 16 Current Research on School Leader Diversity 1 There is a wide and persistent representation gap between principals and the students they serve. 2 Principals of color directly improve opportunities and outcomes for students of color. 3 Principals of color attract and retain teachers of color, whose greater presence in schools improves student outcomes. 4 Because they attract and retain teachers of color at higher rates, principals of color can help to diversify the school leadership pipeline—up to a point. 5 School system leaders recognize the importance of diversity in leadership and need help closing representation gaps. WHAT WE’VE LEARNED 23 Perspectives on School Leader Diversity from Educators of Color 1 We can inspire and remove barriers for future leaders of color before they enter a classroom or school. 2 Cultivating the next generation of school leaders of color is deeply interpersonal work. 3 School leaders of color want pre-service preparation that focuses on addressing the dynamic needs of school communities and that recognizes their identities and lived experiences. 4 District hiring and onboarding processes can pose formidable challenges for school leaders of color. 5 Networks of support, especially mentors, are critical for sustaining school leaders or color. WHAT WE’RE SEEING 37 Bright Spots for Closing the School Leader Representation Gap 1 Baltimore City Public Schools 2 Cleveland Metropolitan School District 3 Edcouch-Elsa Independent School District 4 Kentucky Department of Education 5 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education WHAT’S NEXT 48 Policy Actions to Increase School Leader Diversity 1 Local Actions 2 State Actions 3 Federal Actions 02 TABLE OF CONTENTS The Shoulder Tap // Educators of Color on the Leadership Representation Gap—and What We Can Do About It ABOUT Authors, Institutional Collaborators, and Acknowledgments Authors Dr. Nina Gilbert is the Director of the Center for Excellence in Education at Morehouse College, and the former Senior Advisor on Education Reform for the Morehouse Research Institute. She has also served as an adjunct professor at Mercer University’s Tift College of Education. Prior to her transition into higher education, Gilbert served in a variety of teaching and leadership roles in the K-12 sector, including as an educator in district, charter, international, and independent schools. She founded Georgia’s ﬁrst single-gender charter school, Ivy Preparatory Academy, in 2008. Gilbert is a national thought leader and education innovator and works closely with leaders from other sectors and who are in search of her expertise. In addition to consulting with agencies, non-proﬁt organizations, and school leaders, she also works in the ﬁlm and entertainment industry to ensure compliance with local, state, and Screen Actors Guild requirements that pertain to the education, safety, and welfare of minor actors and entertainers. She has also served as a consultant and producer for three independent ﬁlms. Jackie Gran is the Chief Oﬃcer for Policy and Strategic Initiatives at New Leaders. In this role, she oversees federal policy, state regulatory policy, accreditation, and certiﬁcation. She is also a steering committee member of the 1 Million Teachers of Color Campaign. Previously, Jackie served as National Director of Growth and Policy at New Leaders, where she oversaw expansion to new district partners, as well as federal and state policy. Jackie served at the U.S. Department of Education as a special assistant in the Oﬃces of the Secretary and Deputy Secretary, and as a senior advisor in t

FAQs

What problem does the report focus on?

The report addresses a wide and persistent representation gap between principals and the students they serve, and the impact this has on students of color.

How do principals of color affect student opportunities and outcomes?

The report states that principals of color directly improve opportunities and outcomes for students of color.

What policy actions does the report recommend to increase school leader diversity?

It proposes policy actions at the local, state, and federal levels, aiming to close representation gaps and strengthen the school leadership pipeline.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Riley West