By Alvin Buyinza
(WIB) – For the first time in 25 years, a Texas superintendent is at the center of the national education spotlight.
Dr. Roosevelt Nivens, superintendent of the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District in Rosenberg, Texas, has been named the nation’s 2026 Superintendent of the Year. Nivens is only the second-ever Texan to achieve this honor, according to the Texas Association of School Administrators.
In a field where Black leadership remains underrepresented at the highest levels, Nivens, a longtime member of the National Alliance of Black School Educators, adds his name to the growing list of Black superintendents recognized at the national level. The recognition arrives at a moment when, given the nation’s political climate, Black public school leaders, particularly in states like Texas, are under intense scrutiny and pressure.
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The award, presented by AASA, The School Superintendents Association, recognizes district leaders whose work shapes not just academic outcomes, but the culture and community of the schools they serve.
“Every day you walk into the boardroom, every day you walk into the office, every day you walk into the classroom, remember there’s a young person in there that is thirsty and hungry for you to see them and to help them,” Nivens said in a statement. “That’s what we do as educators. This is our purpose. And our purpose isn’t what we do. Our purpose is what happens to others when we do what we do.”
Nivens was announced as the winner on Feb. 12 at the National Conference on Education, where educators from across the country gathered to recognize leadership that centers students, families, and community impact.
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Nivens has spent three decades as an educator, building a career that began as a teacher in Dallas and moving steadily through district leadership. He has led the Lamar CISD since 2021, overseeing the education of 49,000 students across 58 campuses in one of Texas’ fastest growing regions. Under his leadership, the district passed a historic $1.5 billion bond, a sign of growth and community trust.
But awards like this generally aren’t the result of bond measures. In a statement, Kevin Brown, executive director of the Texas Association of School Administrators, described Nivens as a “passionate public education champion” whose leadership reflects both personal faith and a deep belief in the transformative power of schools.
As part of the award, a $10,000 college scholarship will be presented to a high school student attending Nivens’ alma mater or the school now serving the same area. The scholarship is written in Niven’s name.