Austin ISD chooses interim superintendent to lead school district

AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees has chosen Dr. Anthony Mays as interim superintendent to lead the school district.

The appointment of Dr. Mays comes after current AISD Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Elizalde accepted a job with the Dallas Independent School District. She will leave for her new position in July.

"The trustees feel confident that Dr. Mays will provide the steady leadership our students and staff need during the 2022–23 school year. Our focus will remain on raising academic outcomes for all children and on preparing every student with what they need to thrive in college, career, and life," said Board President Geronimo Rodriguez in a news release.

Dr. Mays has served as Chief of Schools for Austin ISD since October 2020. He began his career as a special education teacher in Pflugerville ISD 20 years ago and also worked in both Dallas ISD and Fort Worth ISD as a principal and administrator. He came to Austin ISD from the Harris County Department of Education, where he was the senior director of schools.

Austin ISD is also the district where Dr. Mays's children attend school. His older daughter attends the Ann Richards School for Young Women  Leaders and his son and younger daughter attend Kiker Elementary School. 

Dr. Mays graduated from Huston-Tillotson University, where he met his wife Belinda Mays, and is the first African-American man to serve as Austin ISD's superintendent. He is also a vice-chairman of the Texas Alliance of Black School Educators Central Office Commission. 

Trustees will still need to select a permanent superintendent. The board hopes to start informal community engagement this summer with a plan to select and hire the next superintendent by the summer of 2023.