Estrada, MASBA Superintendent of the Year
LOCKHART, Texas – Lockhart Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Mark Estrada has been named the Mexican American School Boards Association (MASBA) Superintendent of the Year, recognizing his leadership, commitment to students, and outstanding service to the Lockhart community.
Dr. Estrada received the honor Friday evening during the 2026 MASBA Annual Conference in San Antonio.
MASBA is a nationwide nonprofit organization that supports school board members and education leaders through professional learning, leadership development, and programs designed to strengthen public education and better serve students and communities.
The Superintendent of the Year award recognizes outstanding leadership among public school superintendents across the country and celebrates leaders who demonstrate a commitment to student success, educational opportunity, strong schools, and the communities they serve.
“This recognition is incredibly meaningful, but it belongs to our entire Lockhart ISD community,” Dr. Estrada said. “Every day, I have the privilege of working alongside incredible students, trustees, educators, staff, families, and community members who believe deeply in what is possible for our students. I am incredibly proud of the work we are doing together and grateful to serve a community that continues to show what it means to be Locked on Excellence.”
Since becoming superintendent in 2018, Dr. Estrada has led Lockhart ISD through significant growth and transformation, with a focus on UnLocking Potential in every student while strengthening academic achievement, investing in educators, expanding opportunities, and building strong partnerships with families and the greater Lockhart community. That work is grounded in the district’s LockHEART for People philosophy, placing relationships and a commitment to people at the center of the district’s work.
Early in his tenure, Dr. Estrada challenged Lockhart ISD to rethink expectations for student achievement through the district’s 1.5 initiative, establishing a shared commitment to accelerating learning and ensuring students make more than one year of academic growth each school year. That focus on continuous improvement remains central to the district’s work today. In the most recent state accountability ratings, Lockhart ISD campuses earned an average score of 81, with 70% of campuses earning an A or B rating.
Investing in and developing the people who serve students has remained another cornerstone of Dr. Estrada’s leadership. Lockhart ISD’s Shared Leadership Model empowers educators at every level of the organization to lead, collaborate, and have a meaningful voice in the decisions that shape teaching and learning.
The model has gained recognition beyond Lockhart, including internationally, for its approach to developing leadership capacity throughout a school system.
That commitment to elevating and investing in educators is also reflected in the district’s continued expansion of the Teacher Incentive Allotment program. In 2026, 71 Lockhart ISD teachers earned TIA designations, generating more than $727,000 in additional compensation for educators across the district. The LISD TIA program now includes over 90% of teachers eligible for bonuses.
That same willingness to challenge conventional thinking and respond to the changing needs of students can be seen in Childhood UnLocked, a districtwide initiative launched in 2026 to create more opportunities for play, movement, creativity, connection, and intentional technology use. Guided by the message “Unlocking Potential, One Childhood at a Time,” the initiative reflects a broader belief that schools must support the academic, social, emotional, and physical development of the whole child.
Across each of these efforts, Dr. Estrada’s leadership has centered on a belief that public schools can transform lives when students are surrounded by high expectations, meaningful relationships, innovative opportunities, and adults committed to helping them reach their full potential.
“Dr. Estrada has never been afraid to challenge us to think bigger about what is possible for our students and our district,” said Lockhart ISD Board President Michael Wright. “He leads with vision, but he also leads with a genuine love for Lockhart and the people who make this community special. His ability to bring people together around a shared commitment to students has helped move Lockhart ISD forward, and we are incredibly proud to see his leadership recognized with this well-deserved honor.”
The MASBA Superintendent of the Year recognition marks another milestone in Dr. Estrada’s leadership in Lockhart ISD, and reflects the district’s continued commitment to UnLocking Potential for every student. Together with the Board of Trustees, staff, families, and community, Dr. Estrada continues to lead Lockhart ISD forward with a LockHEART for People, a commitment to being Locked On Excellence, and a deep rooted belief in what is possible when an entire community comes together for students.
