Shawn Hardnett is Statesmen Academy for Boys Founder & Chief Executive Officer. This is a school that is created for and by Black boys and uses a boy-friendly pedagogy to ensure that boys receive highly effective instruction. This school is also one that thrives on eliminating barriers; as it provides students with uniforms and various cultural field experiences at no expense to families.
Shawn has 20 years of experience as a teacher and leader in education equity and reform. Shawn has considerable experience training teachers, administrators and school leaders, as well as a significant track record of success in school transformation. From 2012-16, he was involved in school reform efforts at two Charter Management Organizations in D.C., Center City Public Charter Schools and Friendship Public Charter Schools where he served as Chief of Schools. Shawn’s time with both these organizations led to sustained academic growth, increases in both student and staff retention, as well as the ascension of many of their campuses to Tier One designation. Shawn also spent two years at New Leaders for New Schools Incorporated as National Executive Director for Programs, Director of Charter Leadership Development and Charter Leadership Coach. In these capacities, he trained more than 100 school leaders nation-wide and 30 in the D.C. area, many of whom have gone on to lead high-performing Tier One charter schools. Shawn served on the foundation of two KIPP schools, as a Founding Teacher and Administrator with KIPP Bayview Academy in San Francisco and then as Founder and Head of School at KIPP Polaris College Preparatory Academy for Boys in Houston.
One of his most recent accomplishments is in the creation of a thriving Critical Exposure program that ensures that all 7th and 8th grade boys at Statesmen obtain passports and travel to Europe and Africa–completely covered by the school. Since 2023, Shawn has ensured that over 150 Black boys in Washington, DC have gained this experience. He is creating well-traveled young Black men.
Shawn earned a Bachelor and Master of Science in Elementary Education from Buffalo State College. He also holds a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from National Louis University.