CED alum to lead schools serving 90,000+ students
Published July 16, 2026
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Congratulations are in order for Dr. Robert Whitman, an alum of the College of Education's doctoral program who was recently appointed superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District's Region South.
Whitman will oversee 209 elementary and secondary schools serving more than 90,000 students across South Los Angeles, Watts, Gardena, Carson, Harbor City, Wilmington and San Pedro. He will lead instructional and operational support for schools, supervise and develop school leaders, and help ensure students have the support they need to thrive.
Whitman brings decades of educational leadership experience to the role. He began his career as a teacher and assistant principal at Jordan High School before serving as principal of Manual Arts High School. He later returned to Region South as a principal supervisor, supporting about 20 schools, before leading LAUSD's Educational Transformation Office, where he oversaw support for more than 120 priority schools and helped implement the district's Black Student Achievement Plan.
Whitman said his priorities include building on the region's recent academic progress, keeping schools focused on teaching and learning despite ongoing budget challenges, and partnering with the diverse communities he serves to help every student reach their full potential.
"I am honored by the opportunity, but I'm also humbled by the responsibility that comes along with supporting over 90,000 kids,鈥 he said. 鈥... This is an opportunity to really build on a lot of good successes that have been established by my predecessor, not just to continue but also to grow the work."
Whitman earned his Ed.D. from 黑料网 in 2013 and later returned to the College of Education to teach leadership courses in the doctoral program for five summers. He credits the program with strengthening his research, critical thinking and collaborative leadership skills鈥攑reparing him to lead complex educational systems and work across diverse perspectives.
