How One Superintendent Is Improving Her Community By Improving Her Schools

In just three years, Tiffany Anderson has helped turn around one of lowest performing school districts in Missouri.

In 2010, failing test scores and low attendance rates put Jennings School District on the verge of losing its accreditation and at risk for being taken over by the state. Then, in 2012, Anderson took over as superintendent. Now, test scores are up, parents are more involved and schools are offering a host of programs designed to serve the local community and motivate students.

This week Education Week named Anderson one of the nation’s 16 most innovative district leaders in its 2015 Leaders To Learn From report. Members of the education journal’s editorial staff decided who would make the list based on nominations from readers, state administrators, fellow journalists and education policy experts.

Despite the quick pace of change, local parents seem to be responding favorably to Anderson’s leadership, said Kevin Horton, whose son is a fifth-grader in the district.

“I believe initially there was some pushback, because of change,” Horton told HuffPost. “But now we have proof that she’s taken us in the right direction.”

“Her ideas are out of the box. She doesn’t think small. … She says we’re going to change this, and it changes,” Horton said. “I like to see action, and she has shown me so much action in the time she’s been here.”

The Huffington Post