District 191’s Isis Buchanan receives statewide leadership award

The Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) has named Isis Buchanan, Director of Educational Equity for Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191, the recipient of the 2026 Outstanding Central Office Leader Award (Metro Region). 

The award acknowledges school leaders for demonstrating exemplary professional and organizational leadership, a strong commitment to equity-driven, student-centered practices, and meaningful contributions to districtwide improvement efforts. Buchanan will be honored for her leadership and service at a statewide recognition ceremony during the 2026 MASA Spring Conference, held March 19-20 at the Minneapolis Marriott Northwest.

In her current role, Buchanan provides districtwide leadership for multilingual learning, Indian Education programming, and culturally proficient school systems. 

In its announcement, MASA noted that Buchanan’s organizational leadership centers on building collective responsibility and shared accountability through three key systemic efforts. She has led the design and implementation of systemic professional learning focused on strengthening Tier 1 instruction and improving outcomes for English learners. She has also advanced data-informed decision-making by establishing processes that identify student needs and align instructional practices and resources across the district.

In addition, Buchanan has led the strategic alignment of Title III funding, ensuring resources are directed to students with the greatest needs. This work has supported increased English language proficiency growth and higher rates of students meeting exit criteria.

Centering District 191’s core values of being a caring community and inclusive partnerships, Buchanan has demonstrated a strong commitment to family and community engagement. She established a Multilingual Parent Advisory Council to strengthen partnerships with multilingual families and worked in collaboration with the American Indian Parent Advisory Council to secure competitive grant funding supporting Indian Education programming. These efforts have expanded culturally responsive learning opportunities and reinforced connections between schools and the communities they serve.

Prior to her current role, Buchanan held several leadership positions at both the school and district levels. Buchanan holds a master’s degree in education from Hamline University and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Bethel University. She earned her administrative certificate from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, in 2011 and is currently completing her superintendent certificate through the University of Minnesota, with anticipated completion in February 2026.

Photo: Isis Buchanan, Director of Educational Equity, Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191