Board of Trustees names Dr. Matthew Gutierrez as lone finalist for Superintendent

The Del Valle ISD Board of Trustees unanimously named Dr. Matthew Gutierrez as lone finalist for Superintendent of Schools during a Special Board Meeting on September 21. The decision comes after the Board of Trustees gathered input from stakeholders and interviewed top applicants from a pool of 41 applications. Dr. Gutierrez will be the first Latino Superintendent to serve Del Valle ISD.

Dr. Gutierrez serves as the Deputy Superintendent for Leander ISD and was previously the Superintendent of Seguin ISD for six years. For his work in Seguin, he earned Region 20 Superintendent of the Year in 2023. He was also previously the Assistant Superintendent in Plano ISD and held executive leadership positions at Little Elm ISD. Dr. Gutierrez’s education career started as a middle school English Language Arts Teacher at Northside ISD.

“I am deeply honored and grateful to the Board of Trustees for placing their trust in me to serve as the next superintendent for Del Valle ISD. Joining a district that serves many students who share similar backgrounds and experiences as I did growing up fills me with excitement and a profound sense of responsibility,” Dr. Gutierrez said, “I am committed to continuing the tradition of excellence that makes Del Valle ISD a special place for students and families. By working closely with our dedicated staff, district leaders, community, and all stakeholders, I am committed to fostering a culture of transparency, collaboration, and trust. Together, we will strive to achieve new heights of success for all our students.”

He holds a Bachelors degree from Angelo State University, a Master of Education degree from Schreiner University, and a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership from Texas Tech University.

While at Leander ISD, Dr. Gutierrez provided oversight of Area Superintendents, 49 schools, and many of the District’s educational programs, including Curriculum and Instruction, Special Programs, Advanced Academics, and Career and Technical Education pathways.

“When we looked at Dr. Gutierrez’s leadership history and accomplishments, we saw many parallels to Del Valle ISD and a demonstrated record of implementing plans for improvement and a strategic approach to addressing growth,” said DVISD Board President Shaira Ramzanali, “We also saw that his story so closely aligns with our community giving us confidence that he will quickly build relationships with our students and their families.”

In his time as Superintendent at Seguin ISD, he brought transformative changes, including the development of task forces and the facilitation of a four-year strategic planning process. Seguin experienced double-digit growth in multiple areas of STAAR, with 8 of their 11 schools experiencing an increase in TEA ratings in 2022.  He also oversaw long-range planning for growth, an aggressive approach to change the public image and increase community support, and successfully passed two Bond packages.

The Board is expected to offer Dr. Gutierrez a contract for employment after the state-required 21-day waiting period.