Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney is the Superintendent of Schools for the Aldine Independent School District. Since taking the helm in July 2018, Dr. Goffney has dedicated herself to nearly 62,000 students, more than 9,300 employees, and the entire Aldine community.
Under her leadership, Aldine ISD has developed new initiatives to offer parents and students more academic options, such as opening full-day prekindergarten for three-year-old students starting in fall 2021. In addition, the district began to provide a dual language program at five campuses in 2019. That same year, AISD launched the Accelerating Campus Excellence (ACE) model at two elementary campuses, increasing student outcomes through realigning resources. In July 2021, Aldine ISD piloted the Additional Days School Year (ADSY) calendar option at two schools, improving student achievement and growth for Hispanic and African American learners. ADSY strengthens the dual language program across grade levels and demonstrates what is possible through reimagining school calendars. The district expanded the ADSY program at two additional campuses starting in July 2022.
Additionally, Dr. Goffney expanded opportunities for students to earn a college degree and industry certifications following graduation. AISD opened the Rose Avalos P-TECH School in 2019 and revamped Hall Success Academy, an alternative school for at-risk students. New student choices opened in the fall of 2021, including the Aldine Young Women’s Leadership Academy, focusing on STEM and college readiness; Carver High School began offering two new CTE pathways; and La Promesa, targeting newcomer students. In the fall of 2022, the district offered Hoffman College Prep. It opened the Young Men’s Leadership Academy, focusing on closing the achievement gap for Black and Brown male students. AISD also partnered with EMERGE Fellowship, eliminating barriers for high school students applying to the nation’s top colleges and universities. During the 2023-2024 school year, the district began to offer Eisenhower College Prep at Eisenhower High School and Eisenhower Ninth Grade School. All these projects fall under AISD’s College, Career & Military Readiness (CCMR) work.
Dr. Goffney used feedback from stakeholders to develop the five-year strategic plan, A New Way Forward, which was launched in 2019. The dynamic document ensures that the district continues dramatically increasing access to highly rated schools, choices, and opportunities that prepare students for their future. The district is actively transforming how educators serve students and showing what is possible, regardless of zip code or who the schools serve. In addition to getting an early start in school, focusing on literacy is vital to improving all students’ lives. The district launched its new literacy framework in the fall of 2020. The bold cultural changes target instruction to improve reading skills to ensure third graders read on or above grade level. Aldine is the first school district in Texas to move to the new literacy model. Aldine ISD prioritizes the accessibility of high-quality texts for all students, demonstrating its commitment to providing equitable learning opportunities. Dr. Goffney and her team are not slowing down – last year, Aldine ISD launched a new framework for multilingual learners. The district also began phasing out of its early exit bilingual program and moving forward with a one-way dual language (OWDL) program model. The challenging dual language program builds bi-literate, bilingual, and bicultural students. AISD also continues to implement a new high-quality mathematics curriculum.
Her commitment to equity and increasing student access to high-quality schools saw results as superintendent within her first year. Working with her executive leadership team, campus principals, program directors, and community partners, Aldine ISD moved from a ‘C-rated’ school district to a ‘B’ based on the State of Texas 2018-2019 academic accountability ratings; the district effectively increased the number of ‘A’ and ‘B’ schools and made gains in closing gaps. The district made significant gains in the 2022 STAAR exams. The number of campuses rated A or B nearly doubled from 2019, the last time the Texas Education Agency (TEA) rated schools.
Unique programs like La Promesa and the Family and Community University have garnered attention with the Mexican American School Board Association bestowing AISD with two Outstanding Awards: Outstanding English Language Learner Initiative for La Promesa and Outstanding Civics Initiative for Family and Community University, respectively.
Aldine continues to build its advanced academic pipeline by identifying and encouraging elementary students to enroll in advanced courses. In 2020, Aldine ISD made the College Board’s AP® Honor Roll for the first time. The district continues to expand its course options. It’s also experimenting with initiatives to improve student performance.
In the wake of the murder of George Floyd in the summer of 2020, Dr. Goffney made a public statement urging Aldine leaders to take a closer look at how it serves Black students. Her call to action catalyzed staff across the district to think—and act—differently about pursuing equity for every student. Dr. Goffney launched the Black Student Outcomes Working Group to review district data and recommend addressing inequitable learning outcomes between Black students and their peers. This resulted in the Young Men’s Leadership Academy, a school developed in a historic partnership with Prairie View A&M University.
Throughout her career, Dr. Goffney has increased equity and student achievement, improved literacy, targeted teacher professional development, and collaboration across the community, including developing business and school partnerships, parent engagement, and increasing transparent and timely communication.
Dr. Goffney began her career as a language arts teacher in Coldspring-Oakhurst CISD, later serving as assistant principal and principal. She created systems that support teachers and established community cooperatives in each district. In 2013, district leaders selected her as Superintendent of Lufkin ISD.
Her distinction has brought the national spotlight to Aldine ISD. In recognition of her efforts, Dr. Goffney was named Superintendent of the Year by the Texas Association of School Boards in 2017. That same year, the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) selected her as the Texas nominee for the 2018 American Association of School Administrators National Superintendent of the Year award. In 2019, VYPE magazine named Dr. Goffney Administrator of the Year. Later that year, Sam Houston State University presented her with the Distinguished Alumni Award. In 2019, AASA, The School Superintendents Association, named Dr. Goffney a finalist for the 2020 Superintendent Award. Young Audiences Arts Education selected Dr. Goffney as the 2020 Arts Education Honoree. In Spring 2021, the Suburban Houston Association of Bilingual Educators (SHABE) named Dr. Goffney the Diana García Marion Award recipient for advocating for and demonstrating continued support for Bilingual and ESL education. In October 2021, the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) honored Dr. Goffney with the organization’s inaugural National Champions of Equity Award. Dr. Goffney received in 2021 the Acres Home Chamber of Commerce’s Community Excellence Award. Dr. Goffney is also a 2022 Top 30 Women in Houston honoree and the recipient of The Latino Learning Center’s Humanitarian Award.
Dr. Goffney believes in maximizing opportunities, developing leaders, and providing opportunities for all students. As a result, she is active in many organizations, including the Texas School Alliance, the University Interscholastic League Legislative Committee, the Texas Association of Black School Educators, the Texas Council of Women School Executives, Texas Alliance of Black Educators, where she previously served as a President an Executive Board Member, TASA Future-Ready Superintendents, and Chiefs for Change. In September 2022, Chiefs for Change appointed Dr. Goffney to its Board of Directors. The TASA Executive Committee elected Dr. Goffney to serve as an at-large member of the Executive Committee as vice president from 2021 to 2022. Dr. Goffney served as President-Elect of the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) during the 2022-2023 and assumed the President’s role in June of 2023. In addition, she advocates for her community as an Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Mayor’s Advisory Council, and the Aldine Education Foundation. StandardsWork added Dr. Goffney as a board member, citing the superintendent’s focus on improving literacy like few others that the nonprofit has seen. Dr. Goffney was named President-Elect of the National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE) in 2021 and was sworn in as President in December 2023. She previously served as chair of the Texas Urban Council of Superintendents (TUCS). In 2019, Aldine ISD was one of six Texas school districts selected to participate in The Holdsworth Center’s five-year partnership focused on helping public school districts grow their pipeline of inspiring leaders. AISD leaders completed a two-year District Leadership Program with Holdsworth in June 2021.
Dr. Goffney formed part of a group working with the Greater Houston Partnership to develop a Reopen Houston Safely as the city deals with the coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, Dr. Goffney was part of the working group focused on education. The group presented the plan to the City of Houston and Harris County by May 1, 2020. On August 26, 2020, Dr. Goffney’s nomination was unanimously accepted to serve a two-year term on the Greater Houston Partnership Board of Directors.
During the summer of 2020, Dr. Goffney worked with teachers and leaders in Aldine ISD. The group was tasked with reimagining how the district would prepare students to return to school or continue learning for the next school year. As the pandemic numbers rose in the Houston area, media such as MSNBC, CNN, and Univisión invited Dr. Goffney as a guest speaker to discuss the impact of the pandemic in public schools and AISD’s Return to Learn plan for 2020-21. Since coming on board, The Texas Tribune featured Dr. Goffney, inviting her to education discussion panels. Most recently, The Texas Tribune talked with Dr. Goffney for an episode of its podcast. In 2020, the magazine CEO Evan Smith spoke with Dr. Goffney about the Texas 87th Legislature session. They also discussed public education’s disrupted year, like learning loss, budget woes, and pivoting to online. The conversation also touched on what it will take to assemble the whole thing by fall 2021.
The selective bipartisan organization Chiefs of Change added five new members nationwide, including Dr. Goffney, who brought the membership list to 41. The respected network of education leaders puts children’s interests first. As a member of the organization, Goffney has access to information, resources, and a network of school leaders from across the nation to brainstorm, partner, and dream of new ways to ensure all students in Aldine ISD have access to quality, equitable access, and equitable funding to provide high-quality schools along with new, innovative academic programs. She is also a voice for public education and the needs of urban school districts, sharing her expertise and experience, such as taking part in panels like Effective Instructional Models in the COVID-19 Era. Additionally, EdReports elected Dr. Goffney in September 2021 to serve on the Board of Directors, citing that the organization has been “tracking her work at Aldine for a while given their curriculum-driven efforts in literacy. Dr. Goffney brings such amazing experience, knowledge, and expertise as one of the country’s most innovative and talented district leaders.”
A native of Coldspring, Texas, Dr. Goffney earned her bachelor’s degree in history, a master’s in educational administration, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Sam Houston State University. Her passion for education and stewardship is evident throughout Dr. Goffney’s career and her family. The Goffneys are the parents of Joslyn and the late Joseph Jr., who passed away in 2019. Joseph, her husband, is an educator in a Houston area school district and serves as a church pastor.
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