Selection of the PA Superintendent of the Year
Celebrating the leaders who inspire, innovate and shape the future of public education.
The Pennsylvania Superintendent of the Year Award recognizes an exceptional school leader whose vision, leadership and commitment to students, staff and community exemplify the extraordinary impact of school superintendents across the Commonwealth.
Each year, PASA honors one Pennsylvania superintendent who demonstrates the ability to inspire others, embrace challenges as opportunities for growth, and bring people together around a shared vision for student success.
The award shines a light not only on one outstanding superintendent, but on the important work taking place in public schools throughout Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Superintendent of the Year represents the dedication, innovation and excellence of school leaders across the Commonwealth.
The award recognizes more than professional accomplishments. It celebrates leaders who create strong school communities, champion opportunities for students, develop and empower educators, and build the systems and relationships necessary for schools to thrive.
Widely recognized as the highest honor for a school leader, the Superintendent of the Year program reflects the potential and promise of public education—that every child deserves the opportunity to benefit from a high-quality public education.
PASA coordinates Pennsylvania’s Superintendent of the Year program as part of AASA, The School Superintendents Association’s National Superintendent of the Year Program, established in 1988. The Pennsylvania honoree advances to the national program, bringing the story and accomplishments of Pennsylvania public education to a national audience.
Candidates are evaluated on four key areas of leadership:
Leadership for Learning
Creativity and effectiveness in meeting the needs of students and advancing learning throughout the school system.
Communication
Strength and effectiveness in personal and organizational communication, including the ability to build understanding, trust and shared purpose.
Professionalism
Commitment to continually developing administrative knowledge and skills while providing professional growth opportunities and motivating others throughout the education community.
Community Involvement
Active engagement in the local community, along with an understanding of regional, national and international issues affecting education and the communities schools serve.
The program recognizes active, front-line Pennsylvania superintendents who intend to continue serving as a superintendent.
To be eligible, the nominee must:
- Be a PASA and AASA member.
- Have served as a sitting superintendent with a commission for at least five years.
- Have served as superintendent in their current Pennsylvania district for at least two years.
- Intend to continue serving as a superintendent during the year in which they would serve as Pennsylvania Superintendent of the Year.
The program is intended to recognize current school system leaders and is not designed as a retirement or career-service award.
Any eligible Pennsylvania superintendent may be nominated. Self-nominations are not permitted.
Nominations are submitted online through the AASA Superintendent of the Year website. Those wishing to nominate a superintendent must first register on the site.
AASA will notify nominees of their nomination, and PASA will provide eligible nominees with information about the Pennsylvania application process.
2027 Nomination Deadline: June 26
Superintendents who are nominated and meet the eligibility requirements will be formally notified and given access to PASA's application rubric.
Nominees will complete the Pennsylvania application provided by PASA. They will not complete the online AASA application at this stage. Only the superintendent selected as Pennsylvania Superintendent of the Year will complete the formal AASA application for the national program.
Members of the PASA Elections Committee and the PASA President review the applications and recommend at least two and no more than three finalists to the PASA Board of Governors.
The finalists are presented to the Board for consideration and voting.
The finalist receiving a majority vote of the PASA Board of Governors is selected as the Pennsylvania Superintendent of the Year.
The recipient is notified and then completes the formal online AASA application for consideration for National Superintendent of the Year.
National Application Deadline: November 1
Being selected Pennsylvania Superintendent of the Year is an opportunity to celebrate one leader's accomplishments while highlighting the extraordinary work of public school leaders throughout the Commonwealth.
The Pennsylvania Superintendent of the Year will receive recognition at a special reception, planned in collaboration with the recipient.
The Pennsylvania honoree also advances to the AASA National Superintendent of the Year Program, where state winners from across the country are recognized.
Four state winners are selected as national finalists, with the National Superintendent of the Year announced during the AASA National Conference on Education.
The national program also includes additional recognition and awards, including a $10,000 scholarship presented in the National Superintendent of the Year's name to a student at the high school from which the superintendent graduated.
Questions about the Pennsylvania Superintendent of the Year or the nomination and application process may be directed via email Adam Kulikowski, Communications Director at pasa-net.org.
Dr. Michael Vuckovich
Windber Area School District
Click here to learn more about our past winners.