A group of Hispanic educators are in San Diego on Tuesday to talk about boosting the number of Latino superintendents in California. They say less than 10 percent of the state's education leaders are Latino. KPBS reporter Ana Tintocalis has more.
The California Latino Superintendents Association is intensifying its efforts to recruit more Latino administrators. They say it’s shameful that there's a lack of Latino superintendents, considering about half of California's students are Latino.
Sweetwater Unified School District trustee Pearl Quiñones says students need more role models.
Quiñones : I'm the second one in my family to ever graduate from a university, and I did it while I was raising my son as a single parent. And there's a lot of young girls, and they don't think they can do it, but you talk to them and they see you.
Jesus Gandara is Sweetwater's new superintendent. He says Latino leaders can connect with immigrant parents who aren't accustomed to asking questions.
Gandara : I tell them in this nation, we do business differently. We expect you to get involved.
The group hopes to produce a "rich pipeline" of bright and motivated leaders in California.
Ana Tintocalis, KPBS News.
