Alliance for Catholic Education
Latino Educator and Administrator Development Program
Amplifying Latino Voices
The Alliance for Catholic Education and the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) partnered to establish the Latino Educator and Administrator Development (LEAD) in July 2020. Our aim was to develop a program that amplifies Latino voices in the classroom, at the school level, and beyond. The year-long program is designed to form, advance, and retain Latino educators in Catholic education by providing professional development and community mentorship rooted in Catholic faith. Since July 2020, over 100 Latino educators have been mentored through LEAD.
Representation Matters
Research shows that representation matters and statistics suggest that Latino leadership is critical.
We know that a shared student and teacher identity (race, ethnicity, home language, lived experiences, etc.) can lead to improved academic outcomes (Dixon, 2017). However, while Latino children are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. school population and currently represent 28% of students, only 8% of teachers, 4% of board members, and 2% of senior education leaders are Latino (National Center for Education Statistics, 2023 and Fernandez, 2018). The reality is that the majority of Latino children may never be instructed or led by a Latina/o teacher, principal, or administrator.
Now more than ever, students need Latino educators in their classrooms, schools, and dioceses. In addition to improved academic outcomes, “by exposing Latino children to more leaders who look like them, it helps them imagine what they want to become and can reinforce strong self-efficacy around the value of their identities and Latinidad. It’s been said ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’” (Fernandez, 2018).
Learn more about the lasting impact of a Latino Leader from LEAD 1 Fellow Viridiana Vargas, a former Catholic school student and current administrator in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
If you have any questions, please contact LEAD Coordinator Kenna Arana at (karana@nd.edu).