Shanine Coats has been appointed as the new executive director of the School of Education for the Sacramento County Office of Education, where she will oversee countywide programs supporting student achievement and educator development.
Coats replaces Steve Windlock, who retired in late August. She comes to the position with more than 25 years of experience in education.
“I think that we are at a moment of urgency when we look at the needs of our students. It’s just important that we first prepare and support our educators and our leaders to meet this moment,” Coats said. “I am so grateful to be able to do this very meaningful work. We have a responsibility to continue to improve our educational system and to remove systemic barriers and inequities.”
After graduating from Sacramento State, she worked as an elementary school teacher at St. HOPE.
Afterwards, she moved to Westlake Charter School in Natomas Unified while she completed her preliminary administrative credential and master’s in educational leadership and policy studies.
Wanting to learn research, policy and implementation at various levels, she left her position in Natomas and began work as a visiting educator at the California Department of Education, where she eventually became branch administrator for planning and technology.
Under the leadership of Tariq Ashley, the deputy superintendent at the time, Coats supported the California School Dashboard, the CAASPP testing system and the development of local control and accountability plans.
Coats then went from being a mentoring director for Title I at the state’s department of education before becoming the federal policy liaison. There she provided statewide guidance and support on federal programs under the Every Student Succeeds Act.
In that role, she also served as an advisor and advocate for the state superintendent of public instruction, working with members of Congress and collaborating with the U.S. Department of Education on programs and policies.
She then served as director of the curriculum frameworks and instructional resources division at the state’s department of education and director of strategic initiatives and career pipeline development at the Sacramento Office of Education before finally reaching her current position.
“I bring who I am fully to everything that I do, and I understand that the experiences that I’ve seen as a Black student, as a Black parent, matter,” she said. “You can’t separate your leadership from your identity. Your experiences informed how you lead.”
Coats said she wants to equip educators and leaders to teach the next generation by focusing on critical thinking skills and promote social-emotional learning to create safe environments for students to thrive.
Coats plans to expand the mental behavioral health career pipeline program and develop new educational programs, including pursuing a bilingual authorization, exploring apprenticeship models and assisting teachers in gaining arts credentials.
She also hopes to implement recommendations from a landscape analysis about the experiences of Black students in county schools.
Coats recognizes in a space where funding and programs are being cut causing a lot of uncertainty and unrest, that it;s important to continue doing what’s right for each and every student.
“I just think this is a time to stand and this is a time to not waiver,” she said. “This is a time to really make sure we’re designing an educational system that supports all students.”