Aldine ISD Selected as Residency Site for Harvard Ed.L.D. Candidate Chassity Coston

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Aldine ISD is welcoming Chassity K. Coston, a Doctor of Education Leadership (Ed.L.D.) candidate at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, for a 10-month leadership residency as she completes the third and final year of her doctoral program.

Coston began her residency on June 15 and will work alongside Superintendent Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney and district leaders. She will gain firsthand experience in system-level leadership while contributing to the district’s work to strengthen student outcomes, improve organizational coherence, and expand choices and opportunities for students.

“We are proud to welcome Chassity Coston to Aldine ISD for her Harvard Ed.L.D. residency,” Goffney said. “Her commitment to instructional excellence and system-level improvement aligns with the work we are doing to strengthen outcomes for students. We are excited for Chassity to learn alongside our team while contributing her perspective, experience, and passion for public education to the continued progress of our district.”

For Coston, the opportunity to complete her residency in Aldine was intentional.

“I first learned about Dr. LaTonya Goffney and Aldine ISD through District Administration’s Top 100 Education Influencers list,” Coston said. “When I read more about Dr. Goffney’s leadership and the progress Aldine ISD has made during her tenure, I was immediately drawn to the district.”

Coston said she was especially impressed by Aldine’s commitment to creating multiple academic and extracurricular pathways for students, its improvement in student performance over time, and its continued innovation around choice, access, and strong learning environments.

“I saw Aldine as a district with a clear vision for students, a deep commitment to community, and the kind of system-level leadership I wanted to learn from during the final year of my doctoral program,” Coston said.

The Harvard Ed.L.D. is a three-year doctoral program designed to prepare leaders for senior roles across public education. As part of the program, students complete an immersive residency with a partner organization while leading strategic work that informs their doctoral capstone.

The match between Coston and Aldine ISD came together through a months-long process that included interviews, site visits, and conversations with Harvard leaders. For district leaders, the residency is both an opportunity to support an emerging education leader and a chance to bring a fresh perspective to Aldine’s continuous improvement work.

“During her residency, Chassity will have the opportunity to learn about Aldine’s current work while contributing meaningful support to initiatives designed to expand student choices and opportunities and improve outcomes,” said Dr. Dawn Ayers-Rodríguez, chief of accountability, assessment, and analytics. “She will serve as both a learner and a thought partner, bringing curiosity, analytical skills, and a commitment to educational excellence that can strengthen this important work.”

Ayers-Rodríguez said Coston’s fresh perspective aligns closely with the district’s ongoing work.

“As the district continues expanding choices and opportunities for students, it is critical to have leaders who can examine complex challenges, ask thoughtful questions, and help identify innovative solutions grounded in research and best practices,” Ayers-Rodríguez said. “That kind of leadership is essential to sustaining progress for students and campuses.”

During her site visit, Coston said she was welcomed into the work and trusted to learn about schools, examine progress, and offer input on how Aldine ISD could continue strengthening support for students and campuses.

“What stood out most was the professionalism, preparation, and clarity of the district leadership team,” Coston said. “Leaders were thoughtful, highly skilled, and deeply committed to the work. There was also a strong sense of operational coherence. The district moved with purpose, care, and alignment, which made Aldine feel like a well-organized system focused on continuous improvement.”

During the residency, Coston will spend her first weeks learning more about Aldine’s strengths, priorities, and areas of opportunity before identifying a strategic project in partnership with district leadership. She said she is especially interested in work connected to instructional improvement — particularly math — as well as organizational coherence, student outcomes, leadership development, communications and community relations, and systems that support strong schools.

Coston brings nearly two decades of combined experience as a teacher and administrator in American public schools and international school settings. Her background includes service as a math teacher, assistant principal, principal, consultant, superintendent fellow, and international school leader, with professional experience in North Carolina, Massachusetts, Mongolia, and Kuwait.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in middle grades education from North Carolina Central University and a master’s degree in school administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is expected to complete her Doctor of Education Leadership degree from Harvard University in May 2027.

As she begins her residency, Coston said her goal is to listen carefully, learn Aldine’s context, and contribute in ways that are useful, aligned, and sustainable. She sees the residency as an important opportunity to support work that can make a difference for students and schools.

“I believe schools and school systems have the power to transform lives when they are grounded in care, equity, excellence, and a genuine belief in students’ potential,” Coston said. “I care deeply about creating schools and systems where young people are seen, supported, challenged, and prepared for the futures they deserve.”