The University of New Mexico’s College of Education & Human Sciences is reworking how it prepares educational leaders, an initiative faculty say is intended to better equip future principals and system-level administrators to meet the needs of New Mexico’s schools and communities.
What’s changing and why it matters
Faculty in the Educational Leadership unit spent the past year reviewing programs, consulting with current students, alumni and education partners, and drawing on research to develop a more intentional approach to leadership preparation. The effort goes beyond course updates; it aims to rethink what educational leadership should look like in settings shaped by distinct cultural, linguistic and community needs.
Those changes have been supported by strategic funding from the State of New Mexico, the New Mexico Legislature and the New Mexico Public Education Department, investments the college says enabled recruitment of three internationally recognized scholars whose work will inform the redesign.
New expertise joining the program
The college has added three faculty members whose areas of scholarship are expected to shape new course offerings, field experiences and program priorities:
- Matthew Witenstein, Ph.D. — scholarship in leadership, governance, organizational improvement and international higher education;
- Brandelyn Tosolt, Ph.D. — focus on leadership preparation, critical pedagogy and educational justice;
- Jenna Doane, Ph.D. — expertise in bilingual education policy, supports for newcomer students and mental health.
| Faculty | Primary focus |
|---|---|
| Matthew Witenstein, Ph.D. | Leadership, governance, organizational improvement, international higher education |
| Brandelyn Tosolt, Ph.D. | Leadership preparation, critical pedagogy, educational justice |
| Jenna Doane, Ph.D. | Bilingual education policy, newcomer supports, mental health |
Grounding reform in community needs
College leaders describe the redesign as collaborative and reflective, seeking input from those with direct experience in New Mexico classrooms and districts. The goal is to produce leaders who understand local contexts and who can strengthen systems to serve diverse student populations more effectively.
Program officials said the approach will also make the university a destination for leaders from beyond the state, signalling an ambition to influence practice regionally and nationally while addressing the particular needs of New Mexico’s communities.
Implications for schools and students
While details about revised course requirements, practicum placements and timelines were not included in the initial announcement, the stated emphasis on governance, educational justice, bilingual policy and newcomer supports points to priorities that could affect school hiring, professional development and the kinds of supports offered to students with varied linguistic and mental-health needs.
For districts and school communities, the redesign could mean a pipeline of leaders trained specifically to contend with challenges such as multilingual classrooms, trauma-informed supports and system-level improvement practices.
The university framed the work as a long-term commitment to strengthening educator preparation through faculty excellence and sustained partnerships with schools and policymakers. As the program unfolds, educators and district leaders will be watching for concrete changes in candidate experience and in the kinds of leadership practices graduates bring to New Mexico schools.
