University of Montana Graduates First Women Leaders in Educational Administration

The University of Montana’s Women in Educational Leadership program graduated its first class in December 2025.

This one-year, 37-credit master’s degree aims to address the gap between the high percentage of female teachers and the low percentage of women superintendents in Montana. It prepares women for leadership roles through curriculum focused on school law, finance, and strategic planning.

Kendal Baldwin, a graduate from the inaugural cohort, became Arlee Joint School District’s superintendent in September 2026 after completing additional licensing courses in July. The program, led entirely by Montana female leaders with doctoral degrees, is delivered asynchronously online with forums and Zoom calls to accommodate working professionals. It will welcome its second cohort in January 2027.

The program’s emphasis on building a collegial network and providing leadership education from a female perspective directly targets the underrepresentation of women in Montana’s educational leadership.

For Montana, where vast distances and smaller communities shape professional networks, an online program like this could provide critical access and support for women balancing careers and family. The model might encourage more women across the state to pursue superintendent roles, potentially shifting leadership demographics in schools throughout Montana’s rural and urban districts.

UM Program Builds Female Workforce in Educational Leadership
By Kat Franchino, University of Montana