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A superintendent leads his district through an unraveling and a rebuilding

When I assumed the superintendency of the Vallejo City Unified School District in northern California in July 2024, I stepped into a district reeling from the long shadow of state receivership dating back two decades.

Declining enrollment, deteriorating facilities, budget shortfalls and diminished public trust formed the backdrop of my first year. And yet I saw opportunity.

The challenge was not merely to manage decline but to lead a school system’s recovery — strategically, legally and with an equity lens. Students, staff and community deserved nothing less.

A District in Crisis