Leading for Equity: Pursuing an Equity Agenda

Presented by Dr. Frank Barnes, Chief Equity and Accountability Officer, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, NC, and Ms. Kimberly Vaught, Principal, Allenbrook Elementary School, NC
Hosted by Dr. Valerie Truesdale, Assistant Executive Director, AASA, The School Superintendents Association

Hosted by AASA, The Superintendents Association 
AASA’s Leadership Network, providing premier professional learning for educational leaders

Watch the Recording Listen to the Podcast

Get a CE Certificate for this edWebinar Learn more

As Chief Equity and Accountability Officer for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS), Dr. Frank Barnes provides information on one of the country’s largest school district’s approach to crafting and pursuing an equity agenda.

In this edWebinar, Dr. Barnes discusses these essential questions:

• What types of data can inform and catalyze an equity agenda in a school district?
• What are the different “key levers” for fostering equity in a school district?
• What are historical and contemporary contexts regarding equity in our schools?
• What are the ongoing efforts and connected work with equity in order to foster racial justice?

Viewers will learn about strategies to address systemic disparities and inequities in order to benefit all students.

This recorded presentation will be of particular value to school superintendents, K-12 school and district leaders, and aspiring leaders. 

About the Presenters

Dr. Frank Barnes has served for over 25 years as an educator, researcher, and organizer. Currently, Dr. Barnes is the Chief Equity and Accountability Officer of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) in North Carolina. Dr. Barnes came to CMS from the Boston Public Schools where he was both a teacher, and later held the position of Chief Accountability Officer, where he led the design and rollout of the district’s school turnaround strategy. Prior to Boston, he was a senior associate at the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, where he worked with urban school districts across the country helping them to examine and improve the conditions of schools. He has a BA from Macalester College, two master’s degrees—in teaching and curriculum and education policy and management—and a doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Mrs. Kimberly Vaught is the turnaround principal at Allenbrook Elementary School in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District. Mrs. Vaught most recently served as the inaugural principal at Lawrence Orr Elementary School where she led the school to perform in the top 2% of all schools in the State of North Carolina for several consecutive years and moved the school from a pending “F” status to a solid “B” over the course of four years. Mrs. Vaught led several turnaround initiatives and has a proven track record for developing school communities that have historically underperformed. Mrs. Vaught has worked in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District for 20 years. She holds a B.A. in Elementary Education and a Masters of Education in Reading Education from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Additionally, Mrs. Vaught earned a Masters of Education in School Administration from Gardner-Webb University.

About the Host

Dr. Valerie Truesdale joined AASA early in 2019 as Assistant Executive Director. She is responsible for guiding leadership development services and programs. With years of experience as an educational leader in roles of superintendent, chief transformation and technology officer, principal and teacher, she knows that AASA’s Leadership Network can be a substantial resource for school leaders trying to keep pace with the rapidly changing delivery of K-12 education.

Join the Leading for Equity community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.

The AASA Leadership Network drives superintendent success, innovation and growth, shaping the future of public education while preparing students for what’s next. We are the largest, most diverse network of superintendents in America. Passionate and committed, we connect educational leaders to the professional learning, leadership development, relationships and partnerships they need to ensure a long career of impact.