Houston Public Media

Hispanic superintendents are underrepresented in Texas public schools, despite Hispanic students representing the majority of students in the state. More than 52 percent of Texas students are Hispanic, compared with about 25 percent nationally. The Houston Chronicle reports that Martha Salazar-Zamora is the sole Hispanic superintendent among 55 school district leaders in the Greater Houston area, where 51 percent of students are Hispanic. An analysis shows Greater Houston lags far behind other Texas metropolitan areas when it comes to hiring Latino leaders.

The executive director of the Texas Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents, Stan Paz, said Salazar-Zamora’s presence in the community helps break down cultural and language barriers with Spanish-speaking parents, which often encourages them to become more involved at school. Salazar-Zamora’s involvement also shows Hispanic students that they can become leaders too.