Walter B. Gonsoulin Jr., leader of Jefferson County Public Schools in Alabama, is the 2025 AASA National Superintendent of the Year.
Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat of Peoria Public School District 150 (Illinois), Debbie Jones of Bentonville School District (Arkansas) and David K. Moore of the School District of Indian River County (Florida) were the other finalists for the honor.
“Walter as well as our other three finalists are future-driven ambassadors in their respective learning communities who are empowering their students and staff to lead us into the future and working to ensure that education is an innovative, vibrant and transformative force,” AASA Executive Director David R. Schuler said.
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AASA’s Superintendent of the Year candidates were nominated by their state associations and were judged on leadership for learning, communication, professionalism and community involvement.
Jefferson County Public Schools, headquartered in Birmingham, is the second-largest school district in Alabama, with 34,000 students and 57 schools.
Gonsoulin, who has been an educator for over 30 years, was previously superintendent of Fairfield City Schools in Alabama and an assistant superintendent for the Starkville School District located in Mississippi. Early in his career, he taught fifth and sixth grade and physical education. He has also worked as a diversity consultant for school districts throughout the Southern and Northeastern regions of the U.S.
DA’s Superintendent of the Year
In December, Tony Watlington, leader of the School District of Philadelphia, was named District Administration‘s 2025 Superintendent of the Year. Watlington has been a transformative leader in the nation’s eighth-largest district since he took the helm in 2022.
Under his Accelerate Philly strategic plan, attendance and graduation rates have grown by 3% while teacher attendance rose by 7% and dropouts have decreased significantly. He also launched a $4.2 million “Grow Your Own” program through which more than 100 paraprofessionals have become certified teachers debt-free.
