AASA National Superintendent of the Year

About the Program
Now in its 27th year, the AASA National Superintendent of the Year Program pays tribute to the talent and vision of the men and women who lead our nation's public schools. This program is sponsored by ARAMARK Education , VALIC and AASA.

Eligibility
Any superintendent, chancellor or top leader of a school system in the United States who plans to continue in the profession may be nominated. This program is designed to recognize the outstanding leadership of active, front-line superintendents. It is not recognition of service at retirement or a program to reward current state or national leaders.

NEW! 2014 AASA Superintendent of the Year Nominations Are Accepted Online. Complete your nominations by July 30, 2013.

Mark A. Edwards Named AASA 2013 Superintendent of the Year Press Release Profile of Mark A. Edwards Video: National Superintendent of the Year Mark Edwards on the Award's Meaning [1:16] What They're Saying About Mark Edwards Odds and Ends About Mark Edwards Mooresville's Miracle Launched by Community, Edwards Says

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The Shifting Education Landscape Advocating for Student Success AASA invited 2012 state superintendents of the year to meet in Washington, D.C., in December 2012, for two days of dialogue about the shifting educational landscape and the critical advocacy role of district leaders. Rich, and often times frank, conversations uncovered the challenges and opportunities of new Common Core State Standards, educator evaluations, federal policy and the role leadership plays as sweeping efforts to prepare tomorrow’s graduates for college and the global workforce take hold in public schools across the nation.

Four Finalists Announced
2013 AASA National Superintendent of the Year Program

The four finalists for 2013 AASA National Superintendent of the Year are:

• Wanda Cook-Robinson, superintendent, Southfield Public Schools, Southfield, Mich.
• Mark Edwards, superintendent, Mooresville Graded School District, Mooresville, N.C.
• C.J. Huff, superintendent, Joplin Public Schools, Joplin, Mo.
• Maryalice Russell, superintendent, McMinnville School District, McMinnville, Or.

Read press release here. 

Nomination Procedure
School board members, parents, colleagues, community members and other superintendents may nominate a superintendent. Superintendents may nominate themselves.

Selection Criteria
Each candidate is judged on the following criteria: 

• Leadership for Learning – creativity in successfully meeting the needs of students in his or her school system.
• Communication – strength in both personal and organizational communication.
• Professionalism – constant improvement of administrative knowledge and skills, while providing professional development opportunities and motivation to others on the education team.
• Community Involvement – active participation in local community activities and an understanding of regional, national, and international issues. 

Selection Process

• To be eligible for National Superintendent of the Year, an applicant must first be selected as a State Superintendent of the Year by the state association of school administrators.
• Each applicant must contact his or her state association to inquire about application procedures, selection process, requirements and deadlines. Timelines vary from state to state. For state association contact information, click here.
• A national blue-ribbon panel of judges selects four finalists for AASA National Superintendent of the Year from among the 49 eligible State Superintendents of the Year. The panel’s decision will be based on the written applications and the letters of recommendations.
• The blue-ribbon panel interviews the four national finalists in Washington, D.C., to select the AASA National Superintendent of the Year.

Recognition

AASA National Superintendent of the Year

• The AASA National Superintendent of the Year is announced at the AASA National Conference on Education in February.
• A $10,000 scholarship is awarded to a student in the high school from which the National Superintendent of the Year graduated, or to a student in a high school from which the National Superintendent of the Year is the current superintendent.

State Superintendents of the Year

• Each State Superintendent of the Year is recognized and honored by his or her state administrator association. The nature of recognition and honors vary from state to state.
• State Superintendents of the Year are honored at the AASA National Conference on Education in February.

Archives

• List of Former National Superintendents of the Year
• 2012 AASA National Superintendent of the Year
• 2011 AASA National Superintendent of the Year
• 2010 AASA National Superintendent of the Year
• 2009 AASA National Superintendent of the Year

Staff Contact:

Paula Dearden
pdearden@aasa.org
703-875-0717