Steve Flores, Round Rock ISD superintendent for the past six years, has been named the Central Texas Superintendent of the Year by the Austin Chamber of Commerce. The chamber will recognize Flores at its annual State of Education on Nov. 14.

“Dr. Flores has made an enormous impact on creating a culture of high expectations in Round Rock ISD,” said Drew Scheberle, Austin Chamber senior vice president, education, in a Nov. 6 release. “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.”

The Austin Chamber of Commerce pointed to initiatives including college- and career-readiness expectations and a focus on continuous improvement as reasons for selecting Flores. In addition, the release stated Flores' investment in mental health by working to reduce the student-to-counselor ratio, prudent financial investing to manage district growth, and standardization of quality practices for racial and educational equity.