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Profile: Walter Gonsoulin Jr.

As the superintendent of Jefferson County Schools based in Birmingham, Ala., Walter Gonsoulin Jr. oversees 56 schools with 35,000 students in a geographic area roughly the size of Rhode Island.

It鈥檚 a big job to lead the state鈥檚 second-largest district, but Gonsoulin was ready in 2020 after several years as deputy superintendent and interim superintendent. He dove right in, spearheading changes in the district鈥檚 zoning patterns to open up broad learning opportunities to students, regardless of where they lived.

鈥淗e is a visionary leader who provides a clear, innovative and strategic vision for improving educational opportunities for all students,鈥� says board member Carita Venable.

For his leadership and achievements, Gonsoulin was named the 2025 Alabama State Superintendent of the Year, and in March he became the 36th National Superintendent of the Year at 91制片鈥檚 national conference.

When the debate about school choice picked up steam in Alabama, Gonsoulin noticed public schools were usually left out of the conversation about students鈥� options. It bothered him deeply. He wanted to demonstrate that his public schools could be a great fit for many families.

鈥淚t became our mission, our vision, to do so, to provide quality school choice that our families would be interested in,鈥� he says.

Under Gonsoulin鈥檚 leadership, the district changed its zoning patterns to create four new directional zones. Each zone contained several feeder school pathways, along with Signature Academies at the high schools.

Students can choose to attend an academy that matches their interests, regardless of location, and the district provides the transportation to make it possible. For example, the three Northern zone high schools contain a total of six signature programs: Agriscience Construction, Culinary Arts, Cybersecurity, Engineering, Art/Special Effects and college prep.

鈥淲e wanted to make sure that a child鈥檚 zip code did not dictate that child鈥檚 educational experience, limit it or serve as a barrier just because of where they live,鈥� says Gonsoulin, who held an earlier superintendency in Fairfield, Ala., and worked in administration in Starkville, Miss., and Martinville, La.

Gonsoulin initially anticipated about 500 students would choose to participate when it launched in 2022-23. But more than 2,000 students signed up that first year, with interest mounting since.

Craig Pouncey, who hired Gonsoulin to be his deputy when he was Jefferson County superintendent, praises his successor for that clear-eyed commitment to equitable learning opportunities for all children. 鈥淗e always is protective of a student鈥檚 rights,鈥� Pouncey says.

Gonsoulin champions his district鈥檚 efforts to help students find postgraduate opportunities 鈥� and then celebrate them. He promotes formal signing ceremonies for students who鈥檝e earned professional certifications or credentials, joining families and teachers there to cheer them on and prospective employers there to offer them jobs. In addition, the district has more than doubled the number of high schoolers completing dual enrollment courses by footing the bill, allowing more students to graduate with an associate college degree.

Gonsoulin tackles complex problems with the endpoint in mind. Knowing students must be in school to learn, he hired an absenteeism coordinator to implement strategies to reduce high student absenteeism. The district also began providing incentives to teachers to reduce their absenteeism, too.

Ultimately, he wants Jefferson County schools to provide an environment where students can excel and be proud of themselves.

Says Gonsoulin, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if there鈥檚 anybody having as much fun as I鈥檓 having, getting to do what I do.鈥�

Jennifer Larson is a freelance writer in Nashville, Tenn.