Small Schools, Big Impacts 

Educator Erika McDowell defines equity as “every person, every child, every parent getting what they need to be successful.”

That has been her young life’s work, one that currently involves a three-pronged — and three-job — approach to serving students and the leaders who educate them. This includes creating a sustained impact by supporting a pipeline of educators, supporting their equity learning as part of their training and consulting with schools and districts to ensure equitable systems.

In 2021, she joined Minneapolis-based Wildflower Schools, an organization that supports authentic Montessori micro-schools focused on underserved communities around the country. McDowell is an equity steward and partner who leads growth at Wildflower’s New Jersey regional hub, where she increased the number of Black emerging teacher leaders and raised funds for training fellowships.

“I’m building a pipeline for black and brown ‘folx,’” says McDowell, using the alternative spelling to signify gender inclusion.

In June 2022, McDowell will take a post as clinical associate professor of educational leadership and policy at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo. She also will continue at Wildflower, supporting the network of 45 schools as a national equity steward. Besides teaching, she will lead the Graduate School of Education’s Leadership Initiative for Tomorrow’s Schools, an administration certification program.

“I wanted to get into higher education to support leaders getting master’s and doctorate’s, to get them the tools they need to be successful,” she says. Her mission is expressed in a quote she likes to share from the author Toni Morrison: “As you enter positions of trust and power, dream a little before you think.”

In addition, McDowell provides professional development workshops, one-on-one coaching and consulting via her business, Inspired Minds Collide LLC, that she founded.

“I want someone to say, ‘Erika tried to help me. Erika collaborated with me. Erika cared about students and children and parents,’” she says. “That’s why I have multiple jobs.”

Trained in theater education, McDowell taught drama for a year before landing at Mastery Charter Schools as an assistant principal and then at the School District of Philadelphia, where she rose to executive director in the Office of Student Support Services.

Despite her leadership successes, McDowell says she lacked formal theory and research skills. Enter Drexel.

“[Drexel] gave me the tools and ability to leverage evidence-based practice with what I was already doing to make me a more impactful leader,” she says. In 2020, McDowell was the recipient of the Association for Positive Behavior Support’s E.G. “Ted” Carr early career practitioner award and has been elected to the organization’s board, serving in the inaugural Racial and Ethnic Diversity Seat.

“In five years,” she says, “I hope to support different districts and organizations and work with leaders and learners to cultivate an environment where ‘folx’ feel liberated and can learn.”