$5 million grant to power principal development in the Permian

The Permian Basin’s bench of future school leaders just got a major boost. The Holdsworth Center has received nearly $5 million in grant funding for its Aspiring Principal Program — a yearlong, intensive leadership development experience designed to prepare outstanding educators to take the helm as principals.

The investment includes $2.7 million from the Permian Strategic Partnership (PSP), $2.1 million from the Scharbauer Foundation and $100,000 from the Still Water Foundation.  

Over the next 2-3 years, the funding will support up to 100 future school leaders in 42 districts in West Texas and Southeast New Mexico.  

“It’s no secret that school districts are struggling to find enough ready leaders to fill these critically important roles, especially in remote areas like ours,” said Dr. Keeley Boyer, Superintendent of Ector County ISD. “We are so excited and grateful for this generous investment in our amazing educators. Holdsworth training is world-class. This will be a game changer for Permian communities.”

Building a bench of strong school leaders

Launched this summer with 27 aspiring principals, the program delivers on-the-job learning through real principal-level stretch projects, offers personalized coaching from seasoned school leaders and pairs each aspiring leader with high-performing principals from across the state to shadow during rotation field visits.

“The content was some of the most impactful professional learning I’ve experienced,” said Amber Godby, an aspiring principal in Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD. “Every session was grounded in real leadership practice with a perfect balance of reflection, skill-building and application.”

The program is carefully designed to ensure aspiring leaders get both the skills and real-world practice they will need to step confidently into campus leadership roles.

“Great schools begin with great leaders—and the Permian Basin is full of dedicated educators ready to step up,” said Dr. Lindsay Whorton, president of The Holdsworth Center. “This investment will give them the tools and support to lead schools where both students and teachers thrive.”

A regional movement to strengthen schools

The program’s launch in the Permian Basin expands on a landmark 2023 regional partnership to build up the bench of strong leaders in the region, initially backed by a $6.1 million investment from PSP and the Scharbauer Foundation.

That investment provided training for school and district leaders through existing Holdsworth program offerings – but also funded the planning phase for a new program aimed at training aspiring principals for a complex role.

This new, $5 million commitment builds on that momentum, ensuring that aspiring principals will have access to world-class leadership development close to home.

“Principals are hugely important when it comes to influencing student outcomes. When our districts told us they needed more support to develop outstanding school leaders, we listened. We feel confident this investment is going to create stronger schools for our Permian communities,” said PSP CEO Tracee Bentley.

“Serving as a principal is deeply rewarding, yet it comes with real challenges. The Permian is fortunate to have hundreds of dedicated educators, and it’s essential that we equip them for success through strong preparation and the confidence that comes from seeing great leadership in action. We are proud to support this groundbreaking initiative,” said Mary Ann Beninati, President and CEO of the Scharbauer Foundation.

Applications for the next cohort of the Aspiring Principal Program are open through February 13, 2026. Learn more and apply on here.