Smyer ISD Superintendent Chris Wade has been named the ESC Region 17 Superintendent of the Year for 2026.
The regional winners were selected by committees at each participating Education Service Center in the state. Those committees meet each spring to consider the nominees put forward by school boards in their respective regions.
'We at TASB are thankful to all of the member school boards who have nominated superintendents for this prestigious award,” said TASB Executive Director Dan Troxell. “These nominees represent outstanding leadership in Texas public schools, earning the endorsement and support of their boards through a thoughtful process that includes a lengthy application and formal board vote.”
In addition, participating ESC regions screened and interviewed nominees to select a regional winner. “The success of the Superintendent of the Year Award, which has honored excellence in Texas public education for more than three decades, is only possible because of the continued support from these regional selection committees, which are essential to the program,” Troxell said.
Among the eligibility requirements, nominated candidates must have served in their position with their current board for at least three years. They must also be serving as an active superintendent at the time of the award ceremony. Other criteria include accomplishments in the areas of public education leadership, management, school climate, board and community relations, fiscal management, school improvement and instructional leadership.
This year’s regional SOTY winners will advance to the next phase of the competition in August, when a committee of the TASB Board of Directors holds interviews to select five state finalists. Those finalists then undergo another round of interviews before the Superintendent of the Year is announced at txEDCON, scheduled this year for Oct. 8-11 in Houston.
“The Superintendent of the Year Award ceremony is always one of the highlights of txEDCON,” said TASB President and Friendswood ISD Board President Tony Hopkins. “These district leaders take on real challenges every day to make sure students in their public schools have strong educational opportunities.
It’s rewarding to see them recognized for the commitment they bring to their students, staff, and communities.”