Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, has been selected as the recipient of the 2022 Marcus Foster Memorial Award for Administrator Excellence by Region 13 of the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA). The award recognizes Dr. Morales’s work on behalf of Ventura County students and educators during a time of incredible challenges and changes due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Since the start of the pandemic, Dr. Morales has assisted local school districts in responding to continually changing guidance from the state. He has also served as a critical liaison between Ventura County schools and public health decision-makers at the state and local levels. His advocacy helped ensure that all Ventura County school employees were among the first to be vaccinated in support of the effort to resume in-person learning.

In addition to his involvement with pandemic-related issues, Dr. Morales has worked to expand educational opportunity by launching the first-ever Equity Conference presented by the Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE). He has also reorganized and refocused VCOE to make the agency more responsive to the needs of the County’s school districts and charter schools.

“I am truly humbled to be recognized by my peers in our local education community,” Dr. Morales said. “We’ve all been doing extraordinary work during these most unusual times. I’m gratified to be playing a part in ensuring that students have access to high-quality academic opportunities and the social and emotional support they need during the pandemic and beyond.”

The ACSA Marcus Foster Memorial Award for Administrator Excellence recognizes outstanding leadership and significant contributions to education by a school administrator. It was established to honor the memory of Marcus Foster, former superintendent of the Oakland Unified School District.

ACSA Region 13 includes Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties. Dr. Morales will receive his award at an event to be held in Solvang in May and is now in the running to receive the award at the state level. More information about Dr. Morales is available at www.vcoe.org/supt.