PRESS RELEASE: Interim Superintendent Helps Lead National Conversation on School Leadership in New AASA Study

December 4, 2025
For Immediate Release

CONTACT:
Office of Communications
301-952-6001
communications@pgcps.org

New national report underlines Dr. Joseph’s early focus on community engagement and trust-building as PGCPS moves into a pivotal planning year.

UPPER MARLBORO, MD — Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) Interim Superintendent Dr. Shawn Joseph is a contributing author of the newly released 2025 American Superintendent Study: Mid-Decade Update from AASA, The School Superintendents Association — a national report examining how school system leaders are navigating rising political pressures, changing community expectations, and the growing complexity of the superintendency.

Dr. Joseph co-authored Chapter 5: Community Engagement in the Superintendency: Leading in an Era of Division, offering a research-based analysis of how superintendents build trust and lead in polarized environments.

The report’s release serves as a strong bookend to his first 100 days at PGCPS, reflecting his emphasis on building trust and strengthening community ties as core elements of effective district leadership.

“As superintendents, we stand at the intersection of politics, pedagogy, and public accountability,” Dr. Joseph said during a national briefing. “Our legitimacy rests on our ability to cultivate trust across lines of race, class, geography, and ideology.”

National Findings Mirror the Realities of Large, Diverse Districts Like PGCPS

The AASA study draws on responses from more than 1,000 superintendents nationwide and points to several trends that resonate with the work underway in Prince George’s County:

• Community support remains strong but uneven. While 91 percent of superintendents report feeling somewhat or very supported, only 37 percent of Black superintendents say they feel “very supported,” compared with 48 percent of White superintendents.
• Engagement has intensified since the pandemic. Two-thirds of superintendents now involve community stakeholders in advisory or planning activities monthly or more often.
• Political division continues to shape district leadership. Leaders report rising conflict around issues such as curriculum, DEI, book challenges, and LGBTQ+ inclusion — pressures that disproportionately affect superintendents of color.

These findings reinforce the national significance of the work underway in PGCPS, where Dr. Joseph has prioritized clear communication, coalition-building, and expanded community voice as core elements of his leadership.

Beyond the First 100 Days: Leading Nationally While Guiding PGCPS Through a Critical Planning Period

Now just beyond his first 100 days and entering a pivotal FY27 budget planning cycle, Dr. Joseph's inclusion in the AASA study reinforces his leadership as PGCPS begins shaping a strategic plan grounded in partnership, transparency, and accelerating student growth.

The report’s focus on superintendents as bridge-builders mirrors Dr. Joseph’s early work across the county — expanded listening sessions, steady school visits, and direct engagement with labor partners, the Board of Education, families, and community stakeholders. His approach prioritizes ensuring every group has a voice as the district moves into a decisive planning period.

“Trust cannot be episodic,” Dr. Joseph said. “It must be constant, transparent, and deeply human.”

Upcoming engagement opportunities are available at www.pgcps.org.