A Superintendent's High Expectations

This article profiles Wanda Bamberg, superintendent of the Aldine (Texas) Independent School District. Bamberg is used to high expectations regardless of the circumstances. She is a firecracker of sorts who talks much and expects much from her staff members, teachers, and students, who are mostly at-risk, Black and Hispanic, and economically disadvantaged. In just one example of success, Bamberg, who was the assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for six years before she became superintendent, steered the district toward narrowing the achievement gap among low-income middle school students in math compared to their non-low-income counterparts statewide. In 2007, Aldine outperformed other Texas districts serving students with similar income levels in reading and math at all grade levels. In the same year, Aldine's Black, Hispanic, and low-income students were more proficient that their state counterparts in reading and math at all grade levels.