# Howard Burnett, Prince George's schools leader dies

> Prince George's schools executive Howard Burnett dies at 73 after 30+ years leading county schools.
- Title: Howard Burnett, Prince George's schools leader dies | Shortify
- Summary: Prince George's schools executive Howard Burnett dies at 73 after 30+ years leading county schools.
- Keywords: howard burnett, prince george's county public schools, cancer, obituary, military service, family, tiffany burnett, gloria brown burnett, union contracts, school leadership, prince george's county, The Banner
- Source: The Banner — https://thebanner.com/obituaries/howard-burnett-prince-georges-public-schools-obituary-LMYF65LKMZDMBJGSYZMOSDATJA
- Author: Cayla Harris
- Published: 2026-11-14T10:30:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: howard burnett, prince george's county public schools, cancer, obituary, education, military service, family, tiffany burnett, gloria brown burnett, union contracts, school leadership, prince george's county
## Howard Burnett's death
Howard Burnett, Prince George's County schools leader, died at 73 from cancer on October 28, 2026.
## Howard Burnett's early life
Howard Burnett was born December 15, 1952, the third of four children in Riggs Park, a Northeast D.C. neighborhood.
## Howard Burnett's faith
At age 7, Howard believed God spoke to him and told him to walk daily, leading to six weeks of church attendance.
## Howard Burnett's education
Howard attended Howard University and District of Columbia Teachers College, choosing the latter for affordability.
## Howard Burnett's military service
Howard served in the U.S. Army Reserve for over 20 years after graduating from college.
## Howard Burnett's teaching career
Howard started as a fourth- and fifth-grade teacher in Prince George's County and worked his way up to interim CEO.
## Howard Burnett's leadership
During Monica Goldson's tenure as CEO, Howard helped negotiate union contracts and secured retroactive pay for school staff.
## Howard Burnett's family
Howard had four children with his first wife and took in three more children after meeting his wife, Gloria Brown Burnett.
## Howard Burnett's advice
Howard told Tiffany Turner-Allen, a nonprofit head, that she didn't have to compromise being a mother to be an executive director.

> You don’t have to compromise being a mother to be the executive director of this organization. You are a mom first, and don’t ever feel like you have to make apologies for that.
## Howard Burnett's legacy
Howard's loved ones say he brought a levelheaded, compassionate perspective to almost any setting and developed leaders in education and county government.
## Key takeaway

Howard Burnett, Prince George's County schools leader who spent over 30 years in education, died at 73 from cancer on October 28, 2026.