Round Rock ISD Superintendent Steve Flores, Ph.D. will be named the Central Texas Superintendent of the Year by the Austin Chamber of Commerce during its annual State of Education Event on Nov.14.

The recognition honors Dr. Flores’ work to create a culture of District excellence where programs, resources and facilities are designed to facilitate the success of all students.

“Dr. Flores has made an enormous impact on creating a culture of high expectations in Round Rock ISD,” said Austin Chamber Senior Vice President, Education, Drew Scheberle. “He doesn’t shirk from a challenge or make excuses for low performance. From the beginning of his tenure, Dr. Flores has been a unifier. He helped the Chamber and education partners come together on smart metrics for student success, and he has led by example in focusing on college/career readiness. Congratulations, Dr. Flores, for being named our 2019 Central Texas school superintendent of the year.”

Dr. Flores has led Round Rock ISD as Superintendent of Schools since October 2013.

The Chamber’s highlights of Dr. Flores’ efforts in Round Rock ISD  include:

College/Career Readiness Expectations –

  • Round Rock ISD enrolls all incoming 9th graders into the state’s highest high school graduation program – the Distinguished Achievement Plan.
  • Dr. Flores supported and the Board of Trustees adopted paying fees for each high school junior to take the SAT for free.
  • Dr. Flores focused on structured tutoring which led college/career readiness rates to increase by 13-percentage points between the Class of 2016 at 58 percent and the Class of 2019 at 71 percent. The highest college readiness rate among Chamber partner school districts and among the highest in Central Texas for three straight years.

Continuous Improvement – More Round Rock ISD  campuses earned an A in 2019, and 73 percent of RRISD campuses posted either an A or a B on the state accountability system.

Investment to Reduce Student: Counselor Ratio – In 2014, Dr. Flores proposed and the trustees unanimously adopted additional high school counselors to better support students and improve post-secondary transition rates.

Prudent Investing to Manage Growth – Round Rock ISD’s 2018 Bond – based upon the Master Facility Plan — was supported by 65 percent of voters in 2018. Since 2010, Round Rock ISD is the only district in Texas to maintain a AAA credit rating by both Moody’s and Fitch. Student enrollment has grown by an average of 1,000 students a year during his tenure, from just over 45,000 to more than 51,000 students.

Standardizing Quality Practices — The Equity Task Force created by Dr. Flores is creating a comprehensive tiered model to address racial and educational equity in our educational system and community.

In addition to the Central Texas Superintendent of the Year Award,  the Austin Chamber will recognize winners of its Business Champions in Education awards and District Awards for Educational Excellence during its annual State of Education. The State of Education will also explore how businesses help students prepare for the future through apprenticeship programs, student/career speaking, mentoring, internships, skilled-trade programs, and educator externships.