No Excuses, Just Excellence: Buffalo’s Education Reboot Starts Here

In this episode of Superintendents Unplugged, host Addison Davis sits down with Dr. Tonja M. Williams Knight, superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools and a hometown changemaker with more than three decades in education. Recorded live at the Council of the Great City Schools Conference in Dallas, this conversation captures the energy and urgency behind Dr. Williams Knight’s leadership.

From school counselor to the top office, Dr. Williams Knight shares her rare journey from student to superintendent in the very district that raised her. She opens up about her signature initiative, Five by 2025—a strategic plan rooted in community voice and designed to close opportunity gaps, elevate classroom excellence, ensure safety, amplify student and parent voices, and foster high-impact partnerships.

Listeners will hear how she’s transforming outcomes with a bold literacy push, early childhood investment, and a restorative, relationship-driven approach to school discipline. Davis and Williams Knight also explore the importance of building a high-performing leadership team, the complexities of post-COVID attendance, and why recruiting talent is a year-round mission in Buffalo.

Dr. Williams Knight’s deep roots and relentless commitment to equity make her story not just inspiring—but instructive for educational leaders nationwide. She leads with heart, strategy, and a sense of purpose that’s reshaping what it means to serve an urban district.

Key Moments

06:04 "Community-Driven Superintendent Initiative"

07:57 "Prioritizing Safety and Community Involvement"

10:30 Guidance for Future Success

15:15 Early Childhood Programs: Urban Education's Game Changer

16:41 Unapologetically Recruiting Top Talent

Connect with Dr. Tonja M Williams

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-tonja-m-williams-59940514

Website: https://www.buffaloschools.org/