2004

LILLIAN LOWERY

Former State Superintendent of Maryland

THE BROAD CENTER

For some educators, even those most dedicated to improving public schools, children from underserved communities can be an abstraction. That’s not the case for me—I once was one of those kids.

Growing up poor in Gastonia, North Carolina, a cotton-mill industrial town, I attended some of the same public schools where I would later teach. Throughout my childhood my mother demanded the best for me, and exceptional teachers brought intelligence, kindness, and determination to a resource-constrained school system. At an early age I knew my experience was different from that of most of my peers. Later, when I had become a teacher and principal, I committed myself to changing the equation across our public education system.

Joining The Broad Academy, an eighteen-month professional-development program for public-school-system leaders organized by The Broad Center, gave me the tools I needed to pursue that goal. It was thrilling to be in an environment with colleagues from a variety of backgrounds, where diversity was both celebrated and confronted. Of course, our cohort had plenty of Socratic discussions, but the real learning happened when we went into school districts to witness teams engaged in the truly impressive work of changing children’s possibilities for success. Back in our own “classroom,” we focused on strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement, and systemic change implementation. With discerning analysis, a strong team, and a visionary and thoughtful plan of action, we were taught we could make a meaningful difference for the families we served.

A student at Camino Nuevo Charter Academy, Los Angeles (Camino Nuevo founder Ana Ponce is an alum of The Broad Academy) / Courtesy of The Broad Center: Ben Gibbs

 

Lillian Lowery, taking part in a panel discussion at The Broad Center’s annual forum, Los Angeles, 2017 / Courtesy of The Broad Center: Ben Gibbs

 

That is the essence of the Academy: to demonstrate that best intentions have to be followed by strong execution and operations. After completing the Academy, when I walked into my role as superintendent of the Christina School District in Delaware, I was able to approach the challenge and opportunity with great discipline and rigor.

Since then, I’ve been involved as an alumna of the Academy, and each time I meet a cohort I’m impressed by the talent in the room. I’m reminded of the potential each of us has to make a difference in students’ lives. The Academy helps us translate big dreams into meaningful action for the public school systems and communities in which we work. No one person, no single idea is going to magically improve all schools for all students. We need to keep reflecting and refreshing.

Cities of schools across the country where alumni of The Broad Center have served / David Rumsey Map Collection, www.davidrumsey.com (map), Shiffman & Kohnke (design)