When Dr. Usamah Rodgers was named superintendent of DeSoto ISD in 2022, the district was in peril.  

After eight years of unstable leadership, the district’s reputation in the community was sinking. It was under state conservatorship and students were leaving. Enrollment fell by 16 percent in one year, dealing a serious blow to the budget.  

Over the past three years, Rodgers has helped get the district out of conservatorship, stabilize finances and shore up enrollment declines. Teacher turnover has declined, the district’s bond rating has gone up and active Parent Teacher Organizations have popped up on five new campuses.  

Performance has improved as well. Students meeting college, career and military readiness indicators rose from 66 percent when Rodgers arrived to 88 percent in 2024. So far this academic year, students have posted 16 to 18 percent gains in reading and math.  

But Rodgers’ time in Holdsworth’s Superintendent Leadership Program taught her that leadership isn't just about working behind the scenes to get the numbers right. She had to get out into the community and tell a hopeful story about DeSoto ISD so they could once again be proud of their district.  

"Holdsworth helped me refine my skills to authentically tell the facts of the story, but also humanize it and shine the light on the wow moments or bright spots that were taking place," Rodgers said.