LaFetra College of Education Alumna Mary Barlow appointed Kern County Superintendent of Schools

Dr. Mary Barlow ‘14 joined the growing ranks of University of La Verne alumni who are leading large California school systems when she assumed the role of Kern County Superintendent of Schools on Feb. 1.

In her new role, Barlow supports 47 Kern County school districts serving more than 183,000 students. It is one of California’s largest and most complex education systems, with about 300 teachers, and more than 2,200 part time and full time staff providing direct services to students as well as support to school districts.

Barlow received her master’s degree in educational management and her Ed.D. in organizational leadership from the university’s LaFetra College of Education. Her appointment expands the list of university alumni who now head California school systems; approximately one quarter of the state’s school superintendents hold a University of La Verne Ed.D.

Donald Cowan, President of the Kern County Board of Education, had high praise for Barlow, who joined the Kern County Superintendent of Schools office (KCSOS) in 2009 and most recently served as assistant superintendent of administration, finance & accountability.

“Dr. Barlow has proven herself an extremely effective leader who is passionate about the services that we provide to students and about the support of Kern’s local school districts. She is a champion for collaboration and the best person to lead us into the future.”

Barlow credited her University of La Verne education with emphasizing the many qualities needed to manage such a large and complex system.

“La Verne is unique,” Barlow said. “I had highly motivated, very intelligent faculty who wanted to see me achieve. I developed my leadership skills, learned how to build an effective team, how to evaluate short and long term internal and external client needs, and how to build a high functioning organization”

Those skills will be fully employed in her new role. The Kern County Superintendent of Schools, in addition to providing support to 47 school districts, provides direct education services for special education students, students who have been expelled from their home district, students who are incarcerated or are on probation, as well as home school and preschool students.

“Kern County is a microcosm of California,” Barlow said. “We have urban and rural, large and small, and many underserved and under resourced communities and schools.”

Her priorities are clear.

“I’m focused on making sure that all of our children are college and career ready and that they have options,” she said.

Her plans emphasize support for local control and accountability plans to close the achievement gap for underserved students. She is a strong advocate for career technical education, for providing students with the opportunity to attend college courses for credit while in high school, and for building special partnerships with business, technical schools, and higher education.

“I want to make a real difference in the lives of children and families,” Barlow continued.  “I want to bring people together and identify needs and solutions for our most marginalized students. It is important to provide that voice and advocate, because we all benefit when all of us become contributing citizens.”

Barlow and her husband, Steve have three grown children, all college graduates, one of whom is a University of La Verne graduate.

“We’ve been Leos for a long time,” she said proudly. “With La Verne, it’s personal!”