EDINBURG, TX – Dr. René Gutiérrez of Brownsville ISD was named the 2023 Regional Superintendent of the Year. This is a second-time win for Dr. Gutierrez, who also took home the honor as the educational leader of Edinburg CISD in 2012.
As Regional Superintendent, Dr. Gutiérrez will represent the Region One area at the statewide Superintendent of the Year Award Program, led by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB).
The Superintendent of the Year Program honors administrators for achievement and excellence in public school administration.
Dr. Gutierrez has been at the helm of Brownsville ISD, a district of over 37,000 students, for four years. As superintendent, he has implemented strategies and initiated programs aimed at strengthening all academic components of the school district, such as the Vision Academy of Excellence and the Educator Technology Conference.
Initiatives spearheaded by Dr. Gutiérrez are focused on addressing the scholastic needs of those who are economically disadvantaged and students who speak English as a second language.
According to the district, Dr. Gutiérrez jumpstarted college and career initiatives at Brownsville ISD, leading to hundreds of students earning their associate degrees and thousands receiving industry-based certifications.
The nomination essay, which was submitted by the Brownsville ISD Board of Directors, described Dr. Gutiérrez as the pulse of the board, maintaining constant communication with stakeholders, parents and community members.
In addition to his school improvement and instructional initiatives, Dr. Gutiérrez expanded extracurricular programs at Brownsville ISD, adding mariachi, wrestling and a sports program for special education students to the district’s roster of extracurriculars, the nomination essay states.
Nominations for the regional award were submitted to Region One Education Service Center and reviewed by a select committee consisting of Region One School Board members who completed Leadership TASB training. Candidates are chosen for their strong leadership skills, dedication to improving educational quality in their districts and commitment to public involvement in education.
Superintendents from any of the state’s 1,024 local school districts are eligible for nomination by their school boards. The State Superintendent of the Year Committee will select five state finalists from the nominations submitted by regional education service centers and the Superintendent of the Year will be announced during the annual joint convention of the Texas Association of School Boards and Texas Association of School Administrators on September 29, 2023 in Dallas.
