Latanya Daniels, University of St. Thomas School of Education alum and the 2021 St. Thomas Day Humanitarian Award winner, recently spoke with the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder about her work to improve equity in education at Richfield Public Schools.
From the story:
After graduating Daniels went to St. Thomas, where she received her master’s in education and her doctorate. In 2021, she was named one of the University of St. Thomas’ 2021 Outstanding Tommies, receiving that year’s Humanitarian Award. The university’s website describes her as a “rock star in the world of education.”
What started as side hustle has blossomed into a very successful academic resume. Daniels’ dream job was to be a principal of a high school on the North Side, which led her to Camden’s Patrick Henry High School, where she served as principal from 2010 to 2015.
During her time there, she increased the graduation rate from around 70% to 86% – the highest graduation rate of any Minneapolis public school at the time. Under her tenure, the school was ranked the third-best high school in Minnesota by U.S. News & World Report.
Now at Richfield she is helping the district tackle racial disparities, boost retention, and increase family engagement. She has increased the graduation rate and doubled the number of students of color taking advanced courses.
