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TUSD Superintendent Richard Bray Announces Retirement
Tustin Unified School District
Superintendent Richard Bray has announced he will be
retiring at the end of the school year. His last
official day will be June 30.
“It has been a great honor and privilege to have served as superintendent of this magnificent school district,” said Bray, who has been in public education for 43 years – the past five years as superintendent of the Tustin school district. Bray has been a California superintendent for 19 years. Prior to coming to TUSD in 2006, he served as superintendent of the Hesperia Unified School District in San Bernardino County for 12 years and Soledad Union School District in Monterey for two years. During his tenure in TUSD, Bray has implemented highly successful instructional programs, such as the Early College Program with Irvine Valley College, Response to Instruction (RtI) program, online college courses for high school students, one-to-one computer program and Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) program to increase student achievement. Also, under Bray’s leadership, the District opened the new state-of-the-art Orchard Hills School; passed a $95 million bond measure (Measure L) in 2008, which has funded modernization projects such as the new aquatics center and science center at Foothill High School, and a new plaza and forthcoming science center at Tustin High School; and the District has continued to shine with California Distinguished Schools, National Blue Ribbon Schools, high test scores, over 90 percent of seniors going to college, new technology in the classroom and fiscal stability. “It has been exciting and rewarding to share in all the accomplishments of our students and achievements of our schools,” Bray said. “Most of all, I am proud of the amazing people – teachers, administrators, staff and parents – who make all of our successes possible.” Bray also has represented Tustin Unified and California superintendents in several roles: president of the State Superintendents Council, Western Association of Schools & Colleges (WASC) commissioner, California board member on the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) National Board of Directors, member of the “No Child Left Behind” (NCLB) State Task Force, superintendent representative at state school board meetings and representing superintendents on the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) Administration Services Credential Committee and CTC Nominating Committee. In addition, Bray was appointed to the California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The state commission oversees the annual granting of more than $1 billion in Prop. 63 funds to counties for mental health and related services. “I’m so pleased that cabinet members, administrators and principals have also received appointments to county and statewide councils, committees and boards,” Bray said. “These opportunities have resulted in Tustin Unified being known and having a great influence statewide.” Bray has been an educator since 1968. He has worked as director of Curriculum/Instruction and Child Welfare/Attendance for the Banning Unified School District and principal, assistant principal and teacher in the Chino Unified School District. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in education from California State University, Los Angeles. Among his accomplishments, Bray has been named Superintendent of the Year twice by the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA): Region 17, Orange County in 2009 and Region 12, San Bernardino County in 2006. Bray has been involved in many community organizations and activities, such as the Tustin-Santa Ana Rotary Club, Tustin Chamber of Commerce and Tustin Community Foundation Board. In addition, for over 20 years he has taught graduate classes in school law and finance at Chapman University and Azusa Pacific University The Tustin school board will meet in the coming weeks to discuss the next steps in the selection process for a new superintendent. |