ROSENBERG, Texas (Covering Katy News) — Dr. Roosevelt Nivens, superintendent of Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, was named 2025 Superintendent of the Year by the Texas Association of School Boards on Friday.
The award was presented during txEDCON, the annual conference hosted by TASB and the Texas Association of School Administrators. The honor, now in its 41st year, recognizes outstanding education leaders across Texas.
"It's a joy and an honor to represent Lamar CISD as superintendent of schools," Nivens said. "I'm incredibly grateful and humbled to be named a Texas Superintendent of the Year and join the other distinguished recipients of this award over the past four decades."
Lamar CISD is currently the fastest-growing district of its size in Texas and has been designated a hypergrowth district due to numerous housing starts and new families moving to the area. The district serves more than 49,000 students at 57 campuses this school year, with enrollment projected to reach nearly 70,000 within a decade.
TASB cited Nivens' extensive educational experience and his efforts to navigate challenges and opportunities associated with the district's rapid growth, along with his student-centered leadership approach.
"The challenges facing our school districts right now are real," Nivens said. "Whether a district is large or small, growing fast or working hard to sustain enrollment, the landscape of public education is changing."
The Region 4 Education Service Center recognized Nivens as the 2025 Region 4 Superintendent of the Year in June during a Lamar CISD school board meeting. The initial nomination came from the district's board of trustees.
Board President Jacci Hotzel praised the partnership between Nivens and the board as key to the district's success.
"Dr. Nivens is a true servant-leader, dedicated to student success, and he's not afraid to roll up his sleeves and do the work," Hotzel said. "He goes out of his way to listen and get feedback, whether it's from trustees, parents, community members, teachers and staff, and our students."
Nivens has served as Lamar CISD superintendent since 2021 and has more than 30 years of experience in education. He previously served as superintendent of Community ISD in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and held various positions in Dallas ISD and Lancaster ISD, including assistant superintendent, principal, teacher and coach.
His honors include Region 10 Superintendent of the Year and National Superintendent of the Year by the National Alliance of Black School Educators. He was named 2022 Latino Serving Superintendent of the Year by the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents and was elected vice president of the Texas Association of School Administrators in 2024.