In this episode, we talk to Dalonte Burns, the principal of UIC College Prep, one of Noble Schools’ 18 campuses.

Burns speaks to his experience as a first-year principal leading anti-racism work at his school during a pandemic. He also talks about his experiences as a Noble alumnus and former paraprofessional and teacher at Noble Schools, and how his experience back then differs from now. He touches on topics from what role teachers and school staff play in providing an anti-racist education for their students to how making space for student power in the school community can create more equitable experiences.

Dalonte Burns is currently the Principal of UIC College Prep in Chicago, Illinois. He is a Chicago native, a first-generation college graduate, an educator, leader, husband, and father. For over a decade, he’s committed his life’s work to education and serving his community in order to elevate and bring attention to the power of those most marginalized. He’s a firm believer in liberatory education being a key lever to multi-generational transformation.

Dalonte has managed various teams comprising as many as 16 professionals ranging from teachers, special educators, paraprofessionals, and social workers. Through his leadership, he has improved management and organizational structures that have led to improved compliance completion, school-wide collaboration, and student outcomes regarding promotion, GPA, and performance on assessments. Dalonte has also worked to develop an instructional equity framework that led to some of the highest equitable outcomes for students with IEPs. He also worked to create an antiracist framework aligned to Noble’s antiracist and DEI commitment to drive the work of dismantling racist practices and policies.