Superintendent of the Year Award
This annual award honors an outstanding superintendent to recognize achievement and excellence in public school administration.
Every fall TASB honors an outstanding superintendent in the state with its Superintendent of the Year (SOTY) award program, established in 1984 to recognize achievement and excellence in public school administration.
Those considered for this prestigious honor must display:
- Exemplary and visionary leadership toward improving student performance
- Strong leadership skills
- Dedication to improving the quality of education in their districts
- Commitment to public support and involvement in education
The selection of a Superintendent of the Year is the culmination of a nine-month process that begins in January when member school boards from across the state start to prepare their superintendent nomination, which must be approved by resolution. Recommended superintendents are then interviewed by regional selection committees, with finalists from each Texas education service center (ESC) region that submits a nominee being announced in June. Each ESC finalist is then brought forward to be interviewed by the state selection committee, which narrows the pool to five state finalists announced in late summer.
The naming of the Superintendent of the Year is a highlight of txEDCON, held each year in the fall to promote excellence in Texas public education. The recipient of the SOTY award receives $5,000 and a special ring from Balfour, the program sponsor. Districts of the four state finalists also receive $1,000 each.