K12 leaders can set grandiose plans for growth and achievement but success depends on the teachers and staff, says Superintendent Ana C. Riley of Rhode Island’s Bristol Warren Regional School District.
“Teachers are the ones who really make it happen, and so creating a culture in which there’s buy-in and everyone is on board has helped the district grow in its success,” says Riley, Rhode Island’s 2026 Superintendent of the Year. “Even where our scores aren’t where we want them to be, we’ve seen lots of good growth.”
Riley has led the seaside district of 3,000 students since 2021. Before that, she was deputy commissioner for instructional programs in the Rhode Island Department of Education and served as superintendent of the Portsmouth School Department.