Iowa City Community School District Superintendent Matt Degner, an alumnus of the University of Iowa College of Education’s Educational Policy and Leadership Studies program, has been named Superintendent of the Year by K-12 DIVE.
In an interview with the publication, Degner talked about ICCSD’s unique academic programs, which help the school system stand out from competing districts.
The following excerpt is from the article by K-12 DIVE:
“Over the last five years, Matt Degner has led Iowa City Community School District not just through a global pandemic, but through added competition for students from a new state private school voucher program, an expansion of full-day preschool and the growth of postsecondary pathways.
And, those K-12 Dive spoke with say, he’s done so with a calm, steady and inclusive approach that has boosted the district’s enrollment and visibility while ensuring that credit for the accolades is shared.
‘He truly believes in the team approach, like collaboration and working together to determine what the needs are of our schools, not just delivering directives,’ says Kristin Pedersen, the district’s executive director of community relations. ‘It’s all about collaborating with the people in our buildings — in our classrooms, leading our schools — to determine what those needs are and what the best approach is.’
Among the accolades for the 14,395-student district: Its three comprehensive high schools — West High School, Liberty High School and City High School — place in the top 20 for Iowa, out of 352, in U.S. News & World Report’s high school rankings. Moreover, West High School ranks No. 1 in the state, a spot that district officials said it has held for four consecutive years.
The district has spent the last two to three years establishing full-day preschool programs in each of its 20 elementary schools, despite the state only funding half-day pre-K, says Pedersen.
And, in response to growing competition from school choice options — particularly in the wake of Iowa’s 2023 enactment of the Students First Act, a private school voucher program — Degner has led the district to market itself more proactively as the best option for students.”