Superintendent
Superintendent Performance Goals 2026 – 2027 School Year
As approved by the Governing Board July 7, 2026
Goal 1: Academic Performance Goal
The Chief Academic Officer will work with the Curriculum & Instruction team and site leadership to successfully show growth from the previous 2025-2026 school year. Growth will be measured on the following assessments:
○ FastBridge Reading K - 2
○ AASA ELA and Mathematics 3 - 8
○ AzSCI 5, 8, 11
○ ACT Aspire/ACT
Two additional data points, the state comparative AASA average performance growth and the 4-year cohort graduation rate, will be reviewed.
Goal 2: Attendance Awareness Initiative K-8
The Superintendent, in collaboration with the District Leadership Team, will develop a unified K-8 attendance awareness protocol that aligns with consistent messaging, builds sustainable attendance habits with families, and proactively prepares students for high school credit policies. Raising awareness through consistent, clear communication with families and students will be the primary focus for this goal.
Goal 3: Informing, Engaging, and Empowering our Community
The Superintendent, in collaboration with the District Leadership Team, will strengthen stakeholder engagement by implementing strategies that inform, engage, and empower students, families, staff, and community members. Efforts will focus on increasing transparency, fostering meaningful two-way communication, promoting stakeholder participation, implementing marketing efforts aimed at enrollment and retention, and building trust through consistent engagement opportunities.
Goal 4: Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan
During the third year of implementation, the Chief Operations Officer, in collaboration with the Chief Financial Officer, will advance the five-year capital improvement plan by prioritizing and completing critical infrastructure, safety, and modernization projects identified by the Capital Needs Assessment. This strategy optimizes the allocation of district resources, including Capital Override, Bond, and Capital funds, to ensure equitable and sustainable campus improvements, enhancing the learning environment for students and staff while maintaining strong fiscal responsibility.
Goal 5: Strategic Plan
The Superintendent, in collaboration with the District Leadership Team and Strategic Plan Pillar Teams, will lead the implementation of the District's 2025–2030 Strategic Plan by identifying strategies, action steps, and timelines aligned to each pillar. Systems for monitoring progress, evaluating implementation efforts, and reporting outcomes to the Governing Board and stakeholders will be developed.
About the Superintendent
Jose Gastelum has been a dedicated leader in the Sunnyside Unified School District (SUSD) since 1997, beginning his career as a Spanish teacher. Over the years, he has taken on various leadership roles, including Director of Secondary Schools, Principal, and Assistant Principal, and Chief Student Services Officer, a role that equipped him with the experience and vision to step into the position of Superintendent in 2022.
A proud alumnus of the Sunnyside community, Mr. Gastelum earned a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education from the University of Arizona and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University. His leadership is rooted in a commitment to academic excellence, equity, and creating opportunities for post-secondary success for all students.
Under his guidance, SUSD has strengthened its dual enrollment programs, allowing high school students to earn college credit at no cost. This initiative empowers students to begin their higher education journey while still in high school, removing financial barriers and paving the way for their success in college and beyond. In addition, his leadership has been instrumental in securing critical investments in the district’s future, including the successful passage of Propositions 498 and 499 in 2023 and Proposition 416 in 2025. These voter-approved measures are enabling the district to enhance safety and security, modernize aging facilities, and expand learning environments to better serve students and staff.
Mr. Gastelum is recognized for his thought leadership at the national level, having presented at the National Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (AZALAS) Conference and several other educational conferences across the country. His advocacy extends beyond the K–12 experience, championing post-secondary education and collaborating with institutions to ensure students are equipped with the resources and skills needed to thrive in higher education.
For his significant contributions to education, Mr. Gastelum was honored with the Educational Diversity Award by the Pete C. Garcia Victoria Foundation, which is dedicated to improving conditions in underserved communities throughout Arizona. He also serves on the Board of Directors of AZALAS, working to promote excellence and equity in education, and was named Commissioner for Public School Superintendents by the Metropolitan Education Commission.
As a leader who values both community and innovation, Mr. Gastelum remains committed to ensuring all students in the Sunnyside Unified School District have access to the tools, resources, and opportunities they need to achieve their full potential.
Contact the Superintendent
joseg@susd12.org