Roanoke City Public Schools

Dr. Verletta White

A results-driven, student-centered, visionary leader, Dr. Verletta White was appointed Superintendent of Roanoke City Public Schools (RCPS) on July 1, 2020. She has been recognized regionally and nationally for her ability to bring together communities for the benefit of students. In 2023, she was named Virginia’s 2024 State Superintendent of the Year, Virginia’s Region VI Superintendent of the Year, and was also touted as one of the five superintendents in the nation to watch by K-12 Dive.

Dr. White has been praised for her ability to identify common pain points in the school community, which contributed to a new path forward for RCPS. To that end, she convened more than 40 community and educational leaders and garnered input from hundreds of students, staff, and community members to develop RCPS’ 2022-2028 Strategic Plan: The Roadmap to Student Success.

In keeping with her desire for all students to graduate with a diploma and a resume rich with skills and experiences, Dr. White introduced Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) in RCPS middle and high schools. AVID seeks to close the opportunity gap in college acceptance and graduation rates among diverse and underrepresented students. Additionally, she created and received approval for the RCPS Equity in Action Plan, which has more than doubled RCPS’ Career and Technical Education student seat capacity and will also centralize the division’s administration offices and establish the Booker T. Washington Community Empowerment and Education Center. Students in RCPS are demonstrating growth in reading due to Dr. White’s focus on literacy, where teachers have students read, write, and discuss relevant material in every class, every day.

Dr. White believes students remain safe and productive when they are connected to their school and involved with meaningful activities. As a result, RCPS launched Staying Safe by Staying Connected summer athletic and theater camps for middle school students. Additionally, an annual student job fair, RCPS Works was launched to connect students who are looking for summer, after-school, or long-term employment with more than 80 area employers.

Dr. White is committed to serving the Commonwealth of Virginia. She is currently a member of the Virginia Department of Education's Special Education Work Group to assist in development of the 2024 Roadmap for Special Education and is reviewing and providing feedback on the draft Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) Division Literacy Plan as part of a superintendent focus group through the Virginia Association of School Superintendents (VASS).

Often referring to Roanoke City as "the sweetest City on earth," Dr. White is also involved and engaged within the community. She serves on boards and advisory councils for many local, regional, and state organizations, including the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, United Way of Roanoke Valley, Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia, Western Virginia Public Education Consortium, Blue Ridge Partnership for Health Sciences Careers, Roanoke Education Foundation, Virginia Alliance of Black School Educators, and more. She is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and the Girl Friends, Inc. 

Previously, Dr. White served the students and families of Baltimore, Maryland through her work in Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS), the 25th largest school system in the nation. From 2017 to 2019 she led BCPS as Interim Superintendent of Schools and from 2019 to 2020 she served as a Consultant to the Superintendent, researching factors impacting teacher recruitment and retention. Throughout her career, Dr. White served in various roles, including, teacher, teacher mentor, assistant principal, principal, executive director of professional development, assistant superintendent, and chief academic officer.

Dr. White holds a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Towson University, a Master of Arts degree in leadership in teaching from the Notre Dame of Maryland University, and a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree in urban educational leadership from Morgan State University.

Dr. White and her husband, Sidney, are the proud parents of two grown children, Victoria and Bethany, both of whom graduated from public schools.