A life preparing to lead to success
Shabranda Mathis, principal of Whitney M. Young Jr. Elementary School, describes the moment she learned her campus had dropped to an F rating in 2023–2024 as feeling like “a ton of bricks” had fallen on her. But after taking time to process the news, Mathis quickly shifted gears, assembled her leadership team, and assured them: “We have nowhere to go but up.”
“The biggest challenge we faced as a campus was making sure we had the right people in the right places, and that everyone was clear on what needed to be done to accomplish the goal,” Mathis explained.
From that moment forward, she rallied her staff around a shared vision, she said. She raised the level of accountability, set high expectations for both herself and her teachers, and made it clear that this was an all-hands-on-deck effort. Her teachers responded with the commitment she asked for, throwing themselves fully into the work.
“The goal is for students to win. We had to move our comfort out of the way. It was about the kids deserving this,” Mathis said.
Through collective determination, collaboration, and focused leadership, Whitney Young saw a remarkable turnaround—rising from an F to an A rating in just one year. While Mathis guided the vision, she emphasized that the real success came from her team working together.
A graduate of Dallas ISD’s Franklin D. Roosevelt High School, Mathis began her career as a math teacher at Urban Park Elementary School before serving as a district math instructional coach. After earning her master’s degree, she stepped into the role of assistant principal at Hector P. Garcia Middle School. In 2018, with the encouragement of Yolanda Knight, then principal of Umphrey Lee Elementary School, Mathis applied for and was named principal of Whitney Young, which meant returning to serve the community where she had grown up.
Leading the journey from an F to an A was neither easy nor accidental, and was a personal accomplishment for Mathis, who has dedicated her life to education.
The road was complex as Mathis led her team in deepening teachers’ understanding of the state curriculum standards, implementing Amplify and Eureka curricula with fidelity, and leveraging tools like iReady and ThinkUp! She worked closely with Executive Director Umoja Turner, who provided consistent on-the-job coaching, as well as Math Instructional Facilitator Chevoya Moore, to strengthen teacher capacity through restructured Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).
“We restructured our PLCs to focus on deeper student learning and the analysis of student work,” Mathis said. “That was one of the biggest shifts—closely examining student work, identifying gaps in both teacher practice and student understanding, and creating action plans.”
Whitney Young began living by its data. Monthly data meetings served to study results, pinpoint gaps, and drive instruction, which helped advanced student learning. More than 90% of students met their growth targets in the 2024–2025 school year.
“It is an honor to do this,” Mathis reflected. “It is an honor to serve, and I don’t take it lightly. This is a privilege and a blessing to be able to do what I do.”
Mathis, who recently earned a doctorate in Christian Leadership from Texas Seminary Christian University, credits her success to a leadership style grounded in educational best practices, faith, belief in potential, valuing both students and team members, and a commitment to continuous learning and self-development.
“I want to make sure that when I leave, my legacy will be clear: Ms. Mathis was here, and she added value to everyone’s life,” she said. “This role is bigger than I am. The work we do impacts lives far beyond today.”
