TASB Seeks Nominations for Outstanding Superintendents  

Austin— Nominations are now open for Texas school boards interested in putting forward their superintendent for the 2026 Superintendent of the Year Award.

The SOTY Award has been presented annually since 1984 to spotlight outstanding district leaders across Texas. The winner, announced on stage each fall at txEDCON, is chosen for exemplifying skills in leadership, public education advocacy, community relations, school improvement, and instructional leadership and fiscal management. The winner also exhibits a strong and effective relationship with their board. 

“The Superintendent of the Year award offers a great way to highlight hard work, dedication, and innovation of Texas public education leaders,” said Dan Troxell, TASB executive director. “Here at TASB, we’re honored to be able to recognize these talented education leaders and the positive work they do on behalf of their students and communities.” 

Among the eligibility requirements for this year’s award, superintendents must have served in their district since Sept. 1, 2023 (interim positions do not count) and be an active superintendent at the time of txEDCON 2026, scheduled this year from Oct. 8-11 in Houston.

The deadline for 2026 applications to be submitted to the regional education service center is April 17, but school boards are encouraged to start the nomination process early. In addition to filling out a detailed application that includes academic performance data for the district, the board must pass a resolution in support of the nomination. 

Troxell also applauded the role of ESCs in the selection process. Each spring, committees are convened in every region to review and select a winner from each participating ESC. Those names are then put forward to the TASB State Selection Committee to select five finalists in August. The selection process begins with regional interviews, conducted by each ESC in late spring. The five finalists go through another round of interviews at txEDCON, where the winner is selected and announced. 

“We appreciate all the work done by the ESCs in support of the SOTY award selection process,” Troxell said. “This program has been so successful for so long only because of their ongoing commitment to identifying outstanding education leaders in their regions.”

The SOTY winner is presented with $5,000 for their district, and the five finalists receive $1,000 for use by their district. The award program is underwritten by Balfour, and winners receive a custom Balfour ring.

The 2025 SOTY winner was Roosevelt Nivens, Lamar Consolidated ISD superintendent. See other past winners and find more details on eligibility and the nomination process at tasb.org/soty.