1. Let's Talk
Tom Vranas
January 22, 2015
Leadership Story
Dr. Royce Avery of El Paso ISD
Shares His Inspiration and Successes
Tom Vranas
January 22, 2015
Leadership Story
In 2013, PROACT Search assisted in placing Dr. Royce Avery in the Chief of
Schools/Area 2 Superintendent position at El Paso Independent School District. In
this role, Dr. Avery has direct responsibility for 29 schools serving 23,000 students.
Before his move to the El Paso Independent School District, Avery served as
Superintendent of the Aransas Pass Independent School District since 2011.

2. Dr. Avery is moved by the passion of administrators, teachers, and the students he
serves. Upon joining the El Paso Independent School District in 2013, he dove
right in to building trust, implementing initiatives and developing relationships
with school administrators, teachers, and the El Paso community. Among Dr.
Avery’s recent accomplishments was the conferring of Blue Ribbon status by the
U.S. Department of Education for Transmountain Early College High School, a
high-performing high school under his supervision. Dr. Avery doesn’t take all the
credit, however, stating that the honor wouldn’t have been possible without
contributions by faculty, the local community college, and other stakeholders. Dr.
Avery has also been recognized for his personal successes in education. In 2006, He
was honored to receive the Region 17 Outstanding Principal of the Year Award
presented by the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals.
Honesty has been a guiding principle of Dr. Avery’s life, one that no doubt has
helped him succeed as a leader of teachers, administrators, students and
community members. “Opening up and letting people in” does have its risks, he
notes, but comes with worthy rewards. For a leader in education, “honesty is huge”,
Dr. Avery states. In his current role, the greatest challenge he has faced was
rebuilding trust with the administrators that he serves. To accomplish this, Dr.
Avery turned to what helped him achieve success in the past – honesty, trust, hard
work, and putting his heart into it. Avery’s experience and track record of
embodying and building respect, his ability to collaborate with different groups, as
well as “putting in 120%” effort, have enabled him to rebuild trust, become a part of
the El Paso community and create a strategic roadmap to move El Paso schools
forward.
Dr. Avery’s passion for teaching, collaboration, and helping young people succeed
dates back to his childhood. As the youngest of thirteen children, he was
encouraged by his mother at an early age to “go out and do, and serve the
community.” He did so, and from that point forward, Dr. Avery’s passion for
working with students and serving the community has guided him throughout his
life. As an undergraduate at Rice University, Avery returned home during his
summer breaks and taught reading and math to underperforming students in local
schools. This experience was the foundation that started his educational career.

3. Realizing the importance of continued education, Dr. Avery went on to receive his
Master’s degree at Texas A&M – Corpus Christi and his Ed.D. at the University of
Texas - Austin. Throughout the course of his career, he has served as a teacher,
principal, district administrator, and superintendent.
A life-long educator, Dr. Avery brings an infectious energy to every one of his roles.
In his current role, and throughout his career, Dr. Avery has stressed the
importance of trust, honesty and community engagement. Based on all he has
accomplished as a teacher and leader, Dr. Avery not only promotes, but embodies
these critical leadership characteristics.