Chapter 6: Equity Gains From Unforeseen Crisis: Leadership Insights From 10 Texas Superintendents

Managing crises is a part of every superintendent’s job in a school district. However, March 2020 brought to light a global crisis not seen in over 100 years. The COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools and places of business, with cities and countries on lockdown for months. There was much grief and loss during this time and long after that has impacted schooling worldwide. Yet also much learning was done as well, with school leaders identifying ways in which they were (un)prepared for meeting the needs of students. The pandemic served as a mirror for school districts, making blatant those ways in which the system and its policies and practices could be improved to ensure an equitable education for all.