WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) has named Carlos Garcia as the recipient of its 2024-25 ALAS Lifetime Achievement Award. Garcia was a founding member of ALAS and has also served as the association’s president, among other roles. Garcia was recognized at a special awards ceremony during the ALAS Gala Dinner Event being held October 11, 2024 at the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront on the final day of the ALAS 21st National Education Summit.
“We are honored to recognize one of our founding members with the Lifetime Achievement Award,” said ALAS Executive Director Ulysses Navarrete. “Carlos Garcia’s dedication and leadership in helping historically marginalized students, namely Latinos, during his over 40-year career is truly an inspiration to all in the field. He demonstrates a “si se puede” attitude in all that he does and is a living example that if we want to see change, we need to get off the bench and into the game.”
Garcia served as a superintendent for 16 years in four distinctive school districts: Sanger USD (CA), Fresno USD (CA), Clark County SD (NV) and San Francisco USD (CA) before retiring in 2012. In 2003, he was a founding member of the national ALAS, as well as the California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators (CALSA). He served as an ALAS board member from 2003 to 2006 and as President Elect in 2009, as President from 2010 – 2011, and as Past President from 2012 – 2013.
During his more than 37-year career in education, Garcia built a strong track record for boosting student achievement and narrowing the achievement gap through his work as a teacher, principal, central office administrator and leader in classroom instruction. In addition to his role as superintendent, he taught at Rowland Unified School District (La Puente, CA) and Chaffey Joint Union High School District (Ontario, CA) before going on to serve as a principal for schools in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District (Watsonville, CA) and SFUSD’s Horace Mann Middle School.
Garcia is the recipient of the 2005 Nevada Superintendent of the Year Award and the 2010 Ferd Kiesel Memorial Distinguished Service Award among many other awards and accolades.
Garcia has a passion for serving urban, underserved children. Growing up in a Los Angeles barrio himself, he made this his mission in education and in life. He is a transformational national leader and is a torchbearer for equity and social justice for all students and their communities.
The ALAS awards recognize individuals and organizations for their extraordinary education leadership and advocacy around issues impacting the education of Latino and other historically marginalized students. Other award recipients include Superintendent of the Year Dr. Debra Duardo, Central Office Administrator of the Year Joanne Fimbres, Principal of the Year Carlos Ramirez, Advocacy Award winner Dr. LeAnne Salazar-Montoya, ALAS Student of the Year Dafnee Marquez Padilla and ALAS Affiliate of the Year Arizona ALAS.
The ALAS National Education Summit is the association’s flagship leadership development and networking event for administrators at schools and districts that serve primarily Latino and other historically marginalized youth. The event focuses on addressing challenges in the education system, particularly those impacting Latino students, and provides a forum for participants to engage in meaningful discussions and identify solutions that can be applied throughout the industry. The theme of this year’s Summit is “Embracing Tomorrow, Fostering Culture, Driving Change, and Promoting Collaboration.”
For more information about ALAS, visit www.alasedu.org.
About the Association of Latino Administrators & Superintendents (ALAS)
The Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents [ALAS] is committed to providing a perspective to all aspiring school and district administrators, including superintendents, through programs, services, advocacy and networks rooted in Latino experiences and culture. Our Vision, Mission and Goals are to provide leadership at the national level that assures every school in America effectively serves the educational needs of all students with an emphasis on Latino and other historically marginalized youth through continuous professional learning, policy advocacy, and networking to share practices of promise for our students and the communities where we serve.
By the year 2026, Latino children will make up 30 percent of the school-age population. In the nation’s largest states – California, Texas, Florida, and New York- all of whom are ALAS State Affiliates – Latinos already have reached that level. It is of vital interest to invest in the education of every child, and the professional learning of all educators who serve Latino youth.
