The Beaverton School District (BSD) School Board has selected Dr. Gustavo Balderas, a member of Chiefs for Change, as the district’s next superintendent. With approximately 40,000 students across 54 schools, BSD is the third-largest district in Oregon.
Dr. Balderas currently serves as superintendent of Edmonds School District in Washington state. Throughout his career as a district leader, he has used data-driven decision making to expand high-quality learning opportunities, reduce achievement gaps, and significantly improve academic outcomes for students. His work to ensure that every child receives an excellent and equitable education involves a focus on attracting and retaining talented teachers and using fair and effective school disciplinary practices.
Dr. Balderas has more than three decades of experience in education. Prior to joining Edmonds, he was superintendent of Eugene School District, also in Oregon, where he was selected as the 2020 National Superintendent of the Year by AASA, The School Superintendents Association. Before that, he served as superintendent of Ocean View School District and Madera Unified School District in California. In addition, Dr. Balderas has worked as an assistant superintendent; executive director; director of school improvement; elementary and middle school administrator; and high school teacher and counselor.
The son of migrant farm workers, Dr. Balderas will return to his home state of Oregon, where he has strong community ties and was a founding member and past president of the Oregon Association of Latino Administrators. He also served on the Oregon State Board of Education as an advisor and was a member of a number of other boards and groups, including the Oregon State Activities Association and the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators Equity Committee. Dr. Balderas has been named Oregon Distinguished Latinx Educator of the Year and Oregon Superintendent of the Year.
He holds a doctorate in education leadership from the University of Oregon, a master’s in curriculum and assessment from Portland State University, and a bachelor’s in education from Western Oregon State College.
