Ed.D. Alumna Hosts U.S. Secretary of Education for School Site Visit

Adriana Gonzalez, a doctoral alumna and principal of De Anza Middle School in Ontario, recently hosted a visit by U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to share several programs that she developed in partnership with her team to expand equitable access to all students under education funding from the American Rescue Plan (ARP). 

ARP funding provided support for the school’s High School Credit Math Program, which allows students to earn high school credit for math and Spanish classes taken through Chaffey Joint Union High School district; a World Language Program offering Arabic, Mandarin and Spanish classes to De Anza students; and the Academic Success/Elective Flip” program, which supports students who are performing below grade level by offering academic assistance and access to elective opportunities in art, coding/robotics and music. 

“Secretary Cardona’s background as an educator was clear as he wanted to spend time with the students and teachers,” said Gonzalez. “I found him to be genuinely interested in what he saw.  He asked questions that showed he was able to relate to our challenges and circumstances from the perspective of a former middle school principal.” 

In addition to Secretary Cardona, De Anza was also visited by Congresswoman Norma J. Torres. Gonzalez escorted the two dignitaries on a tour of four classroom spaces, including De Anza’s $11 million Wellness, Arts, and Technology Center.  

Since Gonzalez’s appointment as school principal in 2016, De Anza has received many accolades, including receiving Gold Level Recognition from the California PBIS Coalition and being named a state and national School to Watch, a California Gold Ribbon School, a Title 1 Achieving School and a California Pivotal Practice Award Program winner.  

As a former student in the Department of Educational Leadership at Cal Poly Pomona, Gonzalez gives credit to the doctoral program for contributing to her growth as an educational leader.   

“When I became a school administrator in the Ontario-Montclair School District in 2013, I sought to continue my learning and found that the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program at CPP would provide what I wanted in my next personal and professional learning experience: a focus on equity, local to my school community, and a cohort of peers to learn and grow with in an in-person setting,” said Gonzalez. “Throughout the program, I was able to get a very individualized doctoral-level education from professors who took personal interest in my growth as a scholar-practitioner.” 

As a part of the doctoral program, educational leaders are prepared to serve the needs of diverse learners, families, schools and communities across Southern California in ways that are caring, collaborative and culturally responsive. 

“The Educational Leadership Doctoral program has supported my continued growth as an educational leader committed to expanding equitable access and opportunities to the students in my school,” said Gonzalez. “With the complications of the past two years related to the coronavirus pandemic, social unrest, and attacks on equity-based initiatives in schools, I feel even more equipped to be a leader that can advocate for what is needed as we move into the next phase of shaping educational systems that truly support all students.” 

For more information about the Department of Educational Leadership and its programs, please visit www.cpp.edu/ceis/edleadership.