We are pleased to welcome our new Director of the Principal Leadership Institute (PLI), Dr. Cynthia Gonzalez, a proud graduate of PLI, TEP, and ELP, and a long-standing leader in educational equity and social justice. Dr. Gonzalez brings over two decades of experience in K-12 education and has served as a principal, the Director of LAUSD’s Pilot Schools, and a systems-level advocate for anti-racist, community-driven leadership.
The UCLA Principal Leadership Institute (PLI) trains and supports a diverse group of individuals committed to the principles of academic excellence, equity, and integrity as a way to maximize achievement and opportunity for students in urban schools. The Principal Leadership Institute at UCLA has designed a rigorous 14-month program aligned with the California Administrative Professional Expectations (CAPEs) that will prepare the next generation of urban school leaders. The program grants a Master’s degree and completion of the courses required for the California Tier 1 Administrative Credential. The program is designed to attract outstanding educators who have administrative interests and recognized potential. The Principal Leadership Institute utilizes the Reciprocal Learning Partnership Equity Framework.
Cohort 24: A Collective Vision
As democratic, social justice leaders, we believe solutions should be entrusted to those directly affected.
We believe in empowering the marginalized to take charge of their narratives and destinies.
We believe transparency is key to fostering trust through open communication.
We believe that, with diligent work on everybody’s part, we can dismantle distrust.
We believe in the betterment of not only our students but also our community.
We strive for a world where equity and justice are not just ideals but lived realities.
As democratic and social justice leaders, we plan to learn about, understand, and address intergenerational trauma in order to heal and build a supportive community.
We plan to work together to develop empathy, invoke voice, and foster the skills to advocate for ourselves and others.
We plan to empower and build leadership among our communities by creating the conditions that invite participation.
We plan to build spaces for school staff to listen and learn from one another.
We plan to challenge all stakeholders to use their influence and resources to address broader social justice issues impacting the school community.
We plan to be advocates for the students and parents that we serve.
As democratic and social justice leaders we need you to join us in building trust, understanding, and respect of one another and our differences.
We need allies, friends, and third spaces to brainstorm alternative possibilities, embedded with the assets, experiences, and values of community members.
We need autonomy in decision making at the school, because we know that our community knows what is best for our students.
We need help in meeting our students’ well-being, including partnerships for mental health services, housing vouchers, medical services, transportation, and other basic needs.
We need you to hold us accountable, participate in dialogue around difficult issues, be open minded to other perspectives, share your opinions and beliefs, and bring a commitment to taking action alongside us to work towards a more just and equitable environment.
We need you to know that we need you.
We need you to be our spirit and guide us.
We need to remember the joys and strengths we each hold to reimagine a better world.
The PLI Experience
These blog posts were written by PLI Cohort 23 students Martha Galvez and Kimberly Valencia.
20th Anniversary Brochure
featuring PLI alumni
In 2019 the UCLA Principal Leadership Institute celebrated its 20th Anniversary, along with the Principal Leadership Institute at UC Berkeley.
UCLA Principal Leadership Institute (PLI) in the News
Congratulations, Principal Leadership Institute Grad Kimberly Figueroa!
Congratulations to Kimberly Figueroa-Oliveira, PLI Cohort 20, for being named a Finalist for the LAUSD 2025 Assistant Principal of the Year! She is the Assistant Principal at Panorama High School.
The Assistant Principal of the Year Program honors assistant principals who excel in their dedication and support for the mission and vision of their school community.
Educator Profile: Michelle Staine, PLI Cohort 14
Michelle Staine, a PLI Cohort 14 graduate, was recently featured in an article talking about her National Board Certification journey, supported by the the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools. Motivated by her family and a desire to deepen her teaching practice, she focused on personalized, student-centered instruction, from English learners to students with special needs.
21CSLA Project Prepares School Leadership to Serve with Equity, Social Justice
The 21st Century California School Leadership Academy (21CSLA) is a statewide collaboration to support principals, districts, and educational leaders in learning from divergent voices, guiding with equity. Through 21CSLA, Parachini and her colleagues across California aim to provide high quality, equity-centered professional learning for educational leaders of schools and districts in California that receive Title II funds.
Partnership for Los Angeles Schools Celebrates 15 Years
Our partner organization, Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, is celebrating 15 years of accomplishments, including developing 160 Teacher Leaders, raising and investing $175 million in traditional public schools in Los Angeles, mobilizing 300 community partners to provide socio-emotional support, health care, and academic programs, and empowering 10,000 parents and families through their Parent College program.
Remembering Dr. Bruce Newlin, Inaugural Director of PLI
Alumni who attended PLI during his tenure remember him as a dedicated and compassionate educator who led with kindness and a warm heart. His commitment to equity and social justice continues to inspire the PLI community. We are forever grateful for his significant contributions to the field of education and the enduring legacy he established for PLI.
My experience with PLI was deeply insightful and an opportunity to examine and understand by own privileges, biases and stereotypes. The first summer course with Dr. Cooper was the perfect choice to set the trajectory of the program. PLI broadened my outlook and allowed me to understand how systemic racism and organizational structures that are created to uplift white people are embedded in our schools, communities, and country, and how these negatively impact the lives of people of color and those form lower socioeconomic communities on a daily basis. PLI gave me the tools to feel empowered to engage in difficult conversations that address these issues and work towards become an agent of change.”
