Biography
Dr. Matthew Gutierrez, Seguin ISD superintendent, possesses a bachelor’s degree from Angelo St. University, a master’s degree from Schreiner University and a doctorate from Texas Tech University.
Since being named Seguin ISD superintendent in July 2017, Dr. Gutierrez’s priority is to guide the district down an ambitious path toward overall improvement. He has effectively built a framework of community engagement designed to help meet the needs of the 7,000 students in the district.He is the proud recipient of the Texas Education Service Center Region 20 Superintendent of the Year award for 2023.
Under his leadership, more than 60 community members, students and staff redesigned the district’s strategic plan in 2022. This process increased the scope and rigor of the comprehensive 2018 plan to laser focus on goals, accountability and strategic actions. The goal is to continuously improve Seguin schools through the vision, mission and goals outlined in the plan.
Based on state accountability data released in August 2022, one Seguin ISD campus earned an A rating and five campuses earned B ratings. Overall, eight of the district’s 12 campuses in the accountability system improved at least six points, and four of these campuses had double digit increases. The 2022 accountability data represents the best campus ratings for Seguin ISD schools since 2010.
Dr. Gutierrez initiated an independent facilities assessment of district campuses and buildings and then established a facilities committee to solicit vital community input to address unprecedented community growth. As a result, Seguin ISD stakeholders have approved three bond elections in a four-year span. In May 2019 voters approved, by a margin of two to one, a $64.7 million bond election. Bond 2022 was a $131 million bond package approved by voters in November 2022 and includes funds to enhance safety and security, a new elementary school, a middle school addition and an agriculture science facility. Bond 2023, to the tune of $7.5 million for a new baseball and softball complex, was approved in May 2023.
He truly cares about students, having created the Superintendent Student Advisory Team. Dr. Gutierrez meets monthly with these students to grow leadership capacity and receive direct feedback from his most important stakeholders—his students.
Each year he personally awards a scholarship to Seguin High School graduates planning to study education at the college/university level.
Dr. Gutierrez served on the prestigious 2021-2022 cohort of the SMU District Leadership Fellows program. His leadership has garnered the Seguin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 2018 Community Service Award, the Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce 2020 Servant Leader Award and finalist in the TCEA 2020 Administrator of the Year program. Additionally, thanks to Dr. Gutierrez’s nomination, the Seguin ISD school board was named Region 20 School Board of the Year for 2022.
Prior to his tenure at Seguin ISD, Dr. Gutierrez served as assistant superintendent in Plano ISD in 2016-2017, a district with 54,000 students. While in Plano, Dr. Gutierrez implemented flexible Professional Learning Communities to connect more than 4,000 teachers to professional development opportunities in support of their professional growth. Prior to Plano he served as interim superintendent at Little Elm ISD during the 2014-2015 school year and as Deputy Superintendent from 2015-2016. In Little Elm he implemented board committees, town hall forums and an online feedback tool to increase community engagement and connect stakeholders. There, he also facilitated and monitored a five year strategic plan.
He has also served as an elementary principal and middle school assistant principal during his career.
Dr. Gutierrez appreciates the support of the Seguin ISD school board, students, teachers and parents who have entrusted his leadership to transform Seguin into a destination district.