Gabriel Trujillo
Superintendent
Tucson USD
Dr. Gabriel Trujillo is the proud Superintendent of the Tucson Unified School District. Appointed in September 2017, he is currently in his 6th year of service to the Tucson Unified community. As the leader of southern Arizona’s largest school system and the state’s 3rd largest public school district, Dr. Trujillo serves 40,000 students and families, oversees the support needs of 89 schools and programs, and proudly serves almost 8000 employees. Home to one of Arizona’s most culturally, ethnically, and academically diverse student populations, under his leadership the district’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusivity for every student resulted in the district’s full and unconditional release from court supervision in its long-standing Desegregation Order, a landmark achievement in the district’s history. A native Arizonan and graduate of the Peoria Unified School District, Dr. Trujillo is a proud product of Arizona public schools and has been serving children and young people as a public school educator for 25 years as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, as a Human Resources Director and Assistant Superintendent before he is appointed Superintendent.
During his tenure, Tucson Unified schools have experienced a dramatic shift in academic improvement as over 40% of all district schools improved their respective school letter grades in the 2021-2022 school year with a 20% increase in A and B-rated schools throughout the district as rated by the Arizona Department of Education. An unwavering advocate and champion for music education and student access to the fine, performance, and visual arts, Dr. Trujillo’s vision culminated in an unprecedented expansion of fine arts and music education programs throughout the district with a multi-million dollar investment in the restoration of music teaching positions throughout the district, a comprehensive new instrument purchase and repair initiative, and the purchase of new band and fine arts program uniforms throughout the district. With the same passion and spirit for student access to Career and Technical Education programs, students enrolled in CTE courses throughout the district have almost doubled to 7,000 students in the last six years, culminating in the opening of innovative new programs and facilities across the district like the Dental Assistant and Diesel Engine Repair programs at Santa Rita High School and the opening of the district’s first new CTE focused high school, Innovation Tech High School.
Under his leadership, at over 73%, the district continues to invest more of its budget inside the classroom, for the instructional support of students, the professional development of teachers, and student support services, than at any point in the last 25 years along with significant investments in the expansion of exceptional pre-school programs and before and after school childcare programs throughout the district. During his time as the Tucson Unified School District’s Superintendent, Dr. Trujillo has been recognized by the Arizona Music Education Association as its Superintendent of the Year in 2018 and the Arizona Association for Latino Administrators and Superintendents Superintendent of the Year in 2022. He serves as a board member for the Arizona Business Education Coalition, the Southern Arizona Chapter of the American Heart Association, and as a board member for Tucson Values Teachers. A proud graduate of Arizona State University where he earned his master’s and doctoral degrees, Dr. Trujillo looks forward to continuing to serve the Tucson Unified community and maintaining his commitment to academic success, access, and opportunity for every child, and a vision of excellence in customer service and family and community engagement at every school, every day.