The Dayton Independent School District Board of Trustees named Dr. Travis Young as the lone finalist for the position of Superintendent of Schools at a meeting Tuesday, April 22.
A dedicated educator and community leader, Young has deep roots in Dayton ISD and the Liberty County community. A 1996 graduate of Dayton High School, Young made history as the first Dayton High School graduate to have served as a student, athlete, teacher, coach, and principal at his alma mater.
“With 23 years of dedicated service to Dayton ISD and most recently serving as Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, Dr. Young is a proud Dayton graduate whose deep roots in our community and commitment to student success make him the right choice to lead our district forward,” said Board President Chris Shumaker.
Trustee C.D. Williams also shared his support for Young’s selection.
“Travis brings a wealth of experience in education and a clear vision for the future of Dayton ISD. He understands the challenges our district is facing and has thoughtful ideas for overcoming them. He’s well connected within the education community and benefits from strong mentorship by respected leaders in the field—assets that will serve him well as he steps into this role. He’s also highly respected by his fellow administrators,” said Williams.
As a Dayton High School graduate and the 1996 Mr. Dayton High School, his roots run deep in this community. Travis is known for coining the phrase, ‘It’s a great day to be a Bronco,’ which speaks to the pride he has in Dayton ISD.
Young brings a wealth of experience and a legacy of service to the district. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Stephen F. Austin State University, a Master’s in Educational Administration from Prairie View A&M University, and a Doctoral degree from Lamar University.
Throughout his career in education, all of which has been spent in Dayton ISD, Young has held numerous leadership roles including teacher, coach, Assistant Principal, Associate Principal, Principal, Executive Director of Student Services, and most recently, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services.
“I am blessed and honored to be selected as the lone finalist for superintendent in Dayton ISD. Dayton ISD has held a special place in my heart since I was a student. I look forward to continuing working alongside our community to make a positive impact on our students, staff, and school community, where it is truly a great day to be a Bronco!” said Dr. Young.
Young’s accolades reflect his impact both in and beyond the classroom including: Rookie Teacher of the Year, Teacher of the Year, Region IV Principal of the Year, Liberty Vindicator Readers’ Choice Principal of the Year, HEB Excellence in Education Principal of the Year Finalist, Dayton Chamber Ambassador of the Year, and earning several Texas Education Agency distinctions as high school principal and central office administrator. Dr. Young is a member of several civic organizations including Dayton Rotary and Liberty County Teachers Federal Credit Union Board of Directors.
“I am deeply proud of Dr. Young. Having known him all his life and having taught him math in 8th grade, witnessing his growth over the years has truly been a joy. He will serve our children, staff, and community with unwavering professionalism, wisdom, grace, and a genuine heart. Travis is a true Bronco at his core and will be passionately dedicated and wholeheartedly committed to Dayton ISD. God bless you, Dr. Young! I sincerely wish him and the district nothing but the very best and continued success,” stated retiring Superintendent Dr. Jessica Johnson.
Dr. Young is married to Dr. Atina Young. They have two children who both attend schools in Dayton ISD.
Dr. Young will be taking over the position from Superintendent Dr. Jessica Johnson, who announced her retirement from the district in December. Texas law requires a 21-day waiting period after naming the lone finalist before the superintendent can be officially named and the superintendent’s employment contract can be approved.
He has not spent his entire career in Dayton, he also worked in Channelview ISD for some time
Bubba do better with yourself and stop the negativity towards educated people. He has been in the school system for years .
Wasn’t being negative, just pointing out that Bluebonnet news does not always do a good job of reporting correctly. He was great in CV and the kids loved him.
You just jumped to someone being negative.
DISD could not pick a better person and educator for this position. They got this one right!!!
As a veteran employee in Channelview ISD, I know that Dr. Travis Young has never been an employee in our district. However, his wife, Dr. Young, has.