Director - Region 1 West
Regional Term expires 10/27

Dr. Debra Duardo serves as the Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools, leading the nation's largest regional education agency which oversees 80 K-12 school districts serving1.3 million students in the country's most populous and diverse county.

Dr. Duardo focuses on ensuring educational equity and access for all students; supporting at-promise students and their families to break down barriers; and providing leadership and support to administrators to help school communities learn, grow and thrive. 

In her 30-year career in education, Dr. Duardo leads with a fierce passion for supporting students at every crossroad in their educational journey. Rooted in her own life experience as a teen mom and high school dropout, she knows the roadblocks students face and dedicated her life’s work to find alternative pathways to meet students where they are. She works to ensure all students in L.A. County receive an education in a safe, caring environment and are prepared for success in college and careers.

In 2023, Dr. Duardo was awarded the Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education for her groundbreaking work in pre-K–12 classrooms and achievements in making LACOE the premier hub of innovation in California’s efforts to transform education through a whole-child, whole-family approach.