San Diego Unified School District News Releases: Superintendent Bagula’s Leadership Affirmed with Evaluation by San Diego Unified’s Board of Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Media Contact:

James Canning, 313-580-2845, jcanning@sandi.net

Superintendent Bagula’s Leadership Affirmed with Evaluation by San Diego Unified’s Board of Education

Trustees Credit District’s Continued Improvements in Student Achievement, Wellness, and Future Readiness to Dr. Fabi Bagula Student-Focused Leadership Approach

SAN DIEGO (August 25, 2026) – Following its annual evaluation of Dr. Fabi Bagula, the Superintendent of San Diego Unified School District, the Board of Education has extended her contract, affirming its confidence in her leadership and commitment to advancing student achievement, educational equity, fiscal responsibility, and organizational excellence.

Superintendent Bagula since becoming the lead Administrator of the second-largest school district in California in September 2024 has guided San Diego Unified through a period of innovation, collaboration, and measurable progress, while maintaining a clear focus on ensuring all student graduates are prepared for college, career, and life.

"Superintendent Bagula has demonstrated exceptional leadership through her unwavering focus on students, meaningful engagement with staff and families, and commitment to continuous improvement," said Richard Barrera, President of the San Diego Unified Board of Education. "The Board's decision to extend her contract reflects our confidence in her vision, her leadership team, and the strong momentum that is moving San Diego Unified forward."

Advancing Student Success

Since taking the helm, Superintendent Bagula has championed initiatives designed to strengthen academic achievement, increase supports for students and families, build community partnerships, and improve organizational effectiveness. Some of the accomplishments the Board of Education highlighted in their evaluation of Superintendent Bagula include:

“Dr. Bagula has continued to demonstrate commendable initiative in fostering a culture of transparency, trust, and continuous improvement districtwide. She continues to infuse thoughtful, research-based steps to strengthen organizational culture, combining use of data and trusting relationships to drive improvements in student wellness and achievement.”
“Dr. Bagula’s leadership decisions are grounded in a clear focus on student outcomes and the strategic use of data to inform practice and monitor outcomes. These efforts reflect alignment with the district’s vision and represent a key step toward data-informed decision-making.”
“Dr. Bagula has taken important steps to address fiscal sustainability, as demonstrated by a balanced 2026-27 district budget.”
“Dr. Bagula has prioritized the implementation of essential safety measures on and around school campuses, proactively meeting with City of San Diego leaders including the mayor and council persons regarding school safety needs districtwide.”
“We look forward to our continued work with Dr. Bagula, and are confident that under her leadership the San Diego Unified School District will continue to provide the experiences and outcomes worthy of our students.”

Districtwide Accomplishments during the 2025-26 School Year included:

Student Wellness

Expanded wellness centers that collectively served more than 19,000 students.
Supported over 315,000 student health office visits, with 84% of students returning to class without requiring additional medical attention.
Conducted approximately 45,000 vision screenings and 45,000 hearing screenings.
Supported 36 schools recognized nationally with the 2025 America's Healthiest Schools Award.

Literacy

Districtwide English Language Arts performance increased by 5.2 points according to the 2025 California School Dashboard (updated numbers expected later in 2026).
Students performed 12.4 points above the state standard in English Language Arts according to the 2025 California School Dashboard (updated numbers expected later in 2026).
Significant growth among Latino students, English Learners, and Students with Disabilities helped narrow longstanding achievement gaps.

Mathematics

Successful implementation of Eureka Math in elementary grades.
Student proficiency increased to 45.3% meeting or exceeding standards in mathematics according to the 2025 California School Dashboard (updated numbers expected later in 2026).
Mathematics Distance From Standard improved by 4.6 points, reflecting stronger progress toward grade-level expectations according to the 2025 California School Dashboard (updated numbers expected later in 2026).

College & Career Readiness

Achieved the highest graduation rate in District history at a projected 91%.
Approximately 71.4% of graduates met California's College and Career Readiness Indicator according to the 2025 California School Dashboard (updated numbers expected later in 2026).
Ranked second in California for FAFSA/CADAA completion, with a completion rate of 78.4%.

Building on the Momentum

As San Diego Unified enters the 2026-27 school year, Superintendent Bagula's leadership will continue to focus on four key priorities: Student Wellness, Literacy, Mathematics, and College & Career Readiness, while maintaining fiscal responsibility and strong stewardship of public resources.

Student Wellness

San Diego Unified will:

Launch information campaigns promoting healthy sleep, hydration, and physical activity.
Improve student access to nutritious meals and reduce wait times during meal service.
Increase connections to community-based resources supporting student well-being.
Continue expanding coordinated supports that help students remain healthy, connected, and ready to learn.

Literacy

San Diego Unified will:

Implement a new preschool curriculum focused on early language and literacy development.
Expand professional learning aligned with the Science of Reading.
Prepare educators for the implementation of a new reading curriculum in 2027-28.
Continue accelerating literacy achievement while closing opportunity gaps.

Mathematics

San Diego Unified will:

Strengthen mathematical fluency and student discourse across classrooms.
Relaunch the 6th-grade mathematics program with enhanced blended learning and hands-on experiences.
Launch a High School Math Lead Program focused on real-world and project-based learning.
Continue building students' confidence and success in mathematics.

College & Career Readiness

San Diego Unified will:

Strengthen implementation and alignment of College & Career Readiness curriculum in grades 6-12.
Expand internships, apprenticeships, and job-shadow opportunities.
Increase access to pathways connecting students to higher education and workforce opportunities.
Provide additional tools and resources for students and families planning for postsecondary success.

In addition, the District will continue prioritizing fiscal responsibility by centering students and classrooms in budget decisions, improving organizational efficiency, and advocating at the state and federal levels of government aggressively for the resources students need and deserve.

"I am deeply grateful to the Board of Education for its trust, partnership, and continued confidence in our collective work on behalf of students," said Superintendent Dr. Fabi Bagula. "Most importantly, I want to thank our wonderful teachers, school leaders, support professionals, classified employees, and central office staff whose dedication has made every accomplishment possible.

“Over the last two years, we have strengthened systems, expanded opportunities, improved outcomes, and deepened our commitment to serving every student. While I am proud of what we have achieved together, I am even more inspired by what lies ahead. Together, we will continue building a school district where every student feels healthy, welcomed, challenged, and fully prepared for college, career, and life."

To learn more about the evaluation and contract extension, click here for the details.

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