Original article found here.
By Mercedes Macumber
April 29, 2026

Commentary

California faces difficult budget decisions, and education once again sits at the center of the conversation. As policymakers decide where to invest limited resources, they risk overlooking a critical lever for school success: leadership development.

In my 20 years in education, I’ve learned that strong schools don’t come from curriculum or funding formulas alone — they come from people. Leadership shapes whether teachers stay, students succeed and families feel connected. Research supports this: School leadership is second only to classroom instruction in its impact on student learning, according to the Learning Policy Institute.

I didn’t set out to become a principal. As a second-grade student, I watched my father — an immigrant from Mexico with limited formal education — be discouraged from participating in my parent/teacher conference because of his accent. It was the first time I saw him cry. At that moment, I decided to help build schools where every family feels seen, heard and valued. That purpose led me to spend 10 years in the classroom before stepping into leadership.

Access to a leadership development program supported by California’s Diverse Education Leaders Pipeline Initiative (DELPI) Grant Program changed everything for me.

As a principal, I chose to join the program to strengthen my leadership skills and better understand the systems shaping my school and community. Continuing my own education and pursuing my Preliminary Administrative Services Credential has been vital to my professional growth and better serving my students.

The Diverse Education Leaders Pipeline Initiative program removes one of the biggest barriers educators face: cost — covering up to $30,000 per candidate to earn a Preliminary Administrative Services Credential. Without it, I would not have pursued this opportunity. With it, I invested in my development and now invest back into my school community.

Through the program, jointly facilitated by Diversity Leadership Institute, Loyola Marymount University and Aspire NorCal, I strengthened my knowledge of educational law, sharpened my leadership practices and learned how to build systems that support students and staff. I brought those lessons back to my campus and we saw results.

Today, my school retains staff at a time when districts across California struggle to keep teachers. Teachers stay not because the work is easy, but because they feel supported, respected and part of something meaningful. That’s not anecdotal — research from the Learning Policy Institute also shows that well-prepared principals are linked to stronger teacher retention and student outcomes. That kind of stability doesn’t happen by chance. It happens when leaders know how to support their teams.

Students and families feel the difference, too. At my school, where most students are Black and brown, representation and trust matter. Yet across California, while roughly 7 in 10 students are students of color, only about 1 in 3 principals are. Students see themselves reflected in leadership and begin to believe in their own potential.

Our enrollment has grown, and we now have a waitlist. Families recommend our school to one another because they trust the environment we’ve built. Programs like the diverse leaders pipeline make this possible. They create pathways for educators to grow, strengthen leadership, and build more responsive school communities. Demand is clear — nearly all available program slots were filled in the first year, according to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

But these investments face real risk. Established in 2023 with a one-time $10 million state investment, the Diverse Education Leaders Pipeline Initiative is set to sunset in 2027. Continued funding is essential to sustain and expand the program.

California’s budget deficit puts programs like this on uncertain ground at the moment we need them most. Across the state, experienced principals and administrators are approaching retirement, while many teachers leave due to burnout and lack of opportunity.

If we fail to invest in leadership development, we revert to the status quo — persistent turnover, limited diversity in leadership and uneven outcomes for students. A one-time investment is not enough; meaningful change requires sustained commitment. Without clear, affordable pathways, we risk losing both current and future leaders and undermining the stability of our schools.

The Diverse Education Leaders Pipeline Initiative demonstrates what’s possible when that investment is made: It keeps strong educators in the field, builds culturally competent leadership and strengthens entire school systems. As lawmakers weigh difficult budget decisions, the question is not whether we can afford to invest in leadership development — but whether we can afford the consequences of pulling back.

When we invest in school leaders, we strengthen the workforce, retain teachers and improve outcomes for students. Although the program began with a one-time investment, a sustained $10 million annual commitment over five years would expand leadership opportunities for a more diverse group of educators.

California invested in me through the Diverse Education Leaders Pipeline Initiative, and my school is stronger because of it. All students, educators and families deserve that same commitment.

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Mercedes Macumber is a principal at Aspire Alexander Twilight Secondary Academy 6-12 in Northern California and is a recipient of California’s Diverse Education Leaders Pipeline Initiative (DELPI) Grant Program. The grant program aims to train, place, and retain diverse, culturally responsive administrators for TK–12 to improve student outcomes and support California’s education workforce.

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