Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees tapped Matias Segura to lead as superintendent, sealing the deal with a unanimous vote on Thursday evening. Segura's appointment was announced after he served as the interim superintendent since December 2022, and despite there being six contenders, no nationwide search for a permanent superintendent was conducted. According to a KVUE report, AISD board president Arati Singh spoke of the importance of selecting someone already embedded and dedicated to the community, citing Segura's deep roots in Austin.
Under terms he's set to earn a salary of $362,250 per year, Segura will hold the reins until August 2028. TX state law demands a superintendent boast a state certification, which Segura is close to completing via a Superintendent Educator Preparatory Program, as confirmed by the district to KXAN. The program is one of the final steps necessary for him to also fulfill the certification requirement.
AISD's decision comes after a mandatory 21-day waiting period following the announcement of Segura as the favored candidate for the top job in December 2023. Segura's unanimous election can be seen as an endorsement of his past performance as the interim superintendent, where he helped to stabilize the district, among other achievements. These efforts included collaboration with the Texas Education Agency to oversee AISD's spec education program.
During his earlier tenure as interim superintendent, Segura managed to not only stabilize but also grow the district. "We have been working for the last 11 months, really to try and stabilize, trying to grow, trying to build a system up to begin to move outcomes for our students," Segura said in a December statement obtained by KVUE. Taking on the role permanently, Segura aims to maintain this growth in a different direction, evident from his expressed passion and commitment to the district.
Raised in the same district that he will now oversee, Segura isn't just a product of AISD - he has personal stakes here with his children enrolled in the district. His mother, who dedicated over 40 years as a teacher in AISD, instilled in him a legacy of service to the community. This intimate connection to AISD runs deep – he is a true 'homegrown' leader, with a life interwoven with the schools he has now been entrusted to guide.
