Leading Latinos from the Inside, Out

Dr. David Verdugo, Executive Director of California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators (CALSA), sat down with Mentoring Minds to chat about empowering more Latino educators.

Why is Latino educational leadership vital to California’s students?

David Verdugo: The future of the state’s economy and, by extension, the nation’s is largely intertwined with the fate of our Latino communities. Statistics show that Latino students continue to be the most segregated students in California, more likely to live in poverty, with higher dropout rates and fewer transitions to our universities. We need to redefine our leadership. Research shows that when leaders understand the community they serve from the inside, out, students are more successful.

What does redefining educational look like?

There is a critical need to equip students with the skills they need, but we also need to equip leaders to translate research into practice and develop their expertise. What’s required of administrators is a much more complex job now. And we cannot learn alone; we must be connected. CALSA is a platform for that development, with a strong mentoring program and institutes for continued learning.

CALSA membership has doubled this year alone. What do you owe that to?

New administrators often believe that they should be able to do the work on their own, but that’s not true. They need to reach out and create dialogue. I’ve found that there’s a real need for both contemporary and traditional mentors—someone on the cutting edge of research, but also someone who’s been through the ranks and can reflect back on their experiences. These two perspectives are critical. ■