Those educational leaders who work in many of the smaller school districts in the state must not only handle the duties of leading a school site, but also the myriad responsibilities required of a district leader.
One of the best of these is James Brown, superintendent/principal of College School District in Santa Ynez. Brown’s success in this dual role has led to his recognition as ACSA’s 2011 Superintendent/Principal of the Year.
While large, urban school districts in California get much of the attention, small school districts have their own unique challenges and needs. Many of these leaders wear many different hats, often leading more than one school or in some cases, the school and the district. The committee works to address the challenges they face to ensure children in small, rural communities in California have the same learning opportunities as their urban and suburban counterparts.