Superintendents from three Deep South states plus Illinois compose the final four candidates for the 2025 National Superintendent of the Year Award. 

The winner of the prestigious honor will be announced in late afternoon on Thursday, March 6, at the 1^st General Session of the AASA National Conference on Education in New Orleans, La. 

This award, co-presented by AASA, Corebridge Financial and Sourcewell, recognizes exceptional superintendents for their outstanding leadership and dedication to advancing public education in their communities. This marks the 37^th year of the NSOY program. 

The four finalists for the 2025 award hail from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida and Illinois. Of those states, the first two have never claimed a National Superintendent of the Year winner. 

The four are: 

• Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat, Peoria Public School District 150, Peoria, Ill. 

• Walter B. Gonsoulin, Jr., Jefferson County Schools, Birmingham, Ala. 

• Debbie Jones, Bentonville School District, Bentonville, Ark. 

• David K. Moore, School District of Indian River County, Vero Beach, Fla. 

A $10,000 college scholarship will be presented in the name of the 2025 National Superintendent of the Year to a student in the high school from which the superintendent graduated or the school now serving the same area. 

“These extraordinary leaders embody the transformative power of public education,” said David R. Schuler, AASA’s executive director. “Their visionary leadership is creating dynamic opportunities for students, uplifting communities, and advancing the promise of public education as the foundation of our democracy. We are honored to celebrate their achievements.” 

Each of the finalists were nominated by their state association and honored with the title of State Superintendent of the Year. The nominees were then measured against the following criteria: 

• Leadership for Learning: Creativity in successfully meeting the needs of students in his or her school system. 

• Communication: Strength in both personal and organizational communication. 

• Professionalism: Constant improvement of administrative knowledge and skills, while providing professional development opportunities and motivation to others on the education team. 

• Community Involvement: Active participation in local community activities and an understanding of regional, national, and international issues. 

“Leadership in education is essential to shaping the future, and these finalists exemplify the best of what is possible,” said Terri Fiedler, president of retirement services at Corebridge Financial. “We are proud to partner with AASA in honoring these inspiring superintendents and their commitment to making a difference for students, educators and families.” 

“At Sourcewell, we recognize the critical role superintendents play in driving meaningful change in their communities,” said Chad Coauette, executive director and CEO of Sourcewell. “We are honored to partner with AASA in celebrating these finalists, whose tireless work ensures every student has access to a high-quality education.” 

Their visionary leadership is creating dynamic opportunities for students, uplifting communities and advancing the promise of public education as the foundation of our democracy. 

A complete list of the 2025 State Superintendents of the Year, awarded independently by each state association, can be found here.