One of the nation’s 16 Leaders to Learn From identified in 2014 by Education Week is Dr. Tiffany Anderson, who is the first African American female superintendent of Topeka Public Schools. She is a 28 year educator with 20 of those years as a superintendent, and she is an author with various articles published and her new published by award winning publisher, Corwin Publishing, entitled: Building Parent Capacity in High Poverty Schools: Actions for Authentic Impact will be released in May during May as the nation celebrates the 70th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board legislation that occurred as a result of black families across communities working together in support of equity and access. The Washington Post referred to Dr. Anderson as, “The Woman who made schools work for the poor.” In addition to her role as superintendent, Dr. Anderson advises Kansas officials on postsecondary issues and equity policies as part of her Governor appointed board role on the Postsecondary Technical Education Authority (TEA), as part of the Kansas Board of Regents, and through her past role as Co-Chair for the Governor’s Kansas Commission on Racial Equity and Justice. Dr. Anderson is a fierce advocate for equity. In 2021, Dr. Anderson was a voice for the nation’s educators and testified to Congress during the Biden Administration on the Digital Divide. During Dr. Anderson’s tenure, literacy rates have increased at multiple schools, partnerships funding various initiatives for families expanded, universal preschool expanded, a school district infant daycare for staff’s children was opened in 2022 impacting teacher recruitment, mental health services across the district were expanding eliminating teen suicide for 6 consecutive years, and graduation rates increased above the state and national average at multiple high schools.
Dr. Anderson has served as a public health advocate, and she provides services to the marginalized through public schools as part of her personal ministry in meeting the needs of the most vulnerable. She has led efforts to improve achievement and closed achievement gaps for students in multiple states. While serving as superintendent in Virginia, Dr. Anderson led Montgomery County Public Schools in earning the Virginia Governor’s Competence to Excellence Award and during her tenure in Missouri, Dr. Anderson implemented the first trauma informed school district in the nation, she partnered with a medical school and opened the SPOT Clinic in Jennings and she opened a school based homeless shelter, a food pantry and clothing boutique as part of the school’s basic services. Under Dr. Anderson’s tenure in Missouri and in Kansas, the achievement scores, graduation rates and college placement rates increased. Topeka has received national awards for three consecutive years under Dr. Anderson for their leadership in trauma informed systems for schools, creating systems for youth in crises and for innovation impacting families.
Dr. Anderson earned her undergraduate degree, and later her doctorate, from Saint Louis University in 2001. Dr. Anderson earned her Masters in Divinity in 2022 from Nazarene Theological Seminary and previously in 2016 was recognized with an Honorary Doctorate at Eden Theological Seminary for her work within the St. Louis community. Dr. Anderson’s publications include her books on transforming schools along with several articles on public health and equity in education, published in local and national magazines, blogs and newspapers. Her focus on health has been captured in publications by Heinemann Press, The Harvard Gazette, ASCD, and by numerous other agencies.
The national School Superintendent’s Association (AASA) honored Dr. Anderson as the national award winner for Woman in School Leadership in 2023. In 2022, Dr. Anderson was selected by USA Today as the Woman of the Year Honoree for Kansas, which recognized her work in public health in addressing literacy needs and health with innovative strategies. In 2016 and 2017, national documentaries were created about Dr. Anderson’s work addressing poverty and transforming communities. Some of the awards Dr. Anderson has include being recognized as one of the top six People with Purpose at the Oscars in 2016 for her innovative work in education. Dr. Anderson has a Lifetime Achievement Award for volunteerism from President Obama; the Salute to Excellence for Women awarded by the Urban League; the Stellar Performance Award by the St. Louis American the Diversity in Business Award from the St. Louis Business Journal, and the K-State Excellence in Leadership Award (EEL) where she is a Professor of Practice. Dr. Anderson is a lifetime member of the NAACP and she and her late husband, Dr. Stanley Anderson, have two children who are college graduates and are both serving in public health in addressing, cancer research and digital technology.