Pasadena Board of Education Selects Dr. Elizabeth Blanco as Permanent Superintendent

The Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education announced on Saturday night that it has selected Elizabeth Blanco, Ed.D., as the next Superintendent of Schools.

At a special meeting on April 27, the Board voted unanimously to approve Blanco’s appointment and authorized District staff to enter negotiations to finalize a contract, which will be voted on by the Board on May 23, 2024.

Blanco’s appointment follows an extensive search that brought an excellent field of highly qualified candidates. The Board’s decision reflects input gathered from families, staff, and other educational partners in the District regarding the qualities desired in PUSD’s next leader, including sessions with administrators, staff, parents, and District partners along with an online survey.

“With her personal history, experience, and passion for social justice, Blanco is the right person to lead Pasadena Unified students, families, teachers, and staff in actualizing our District’s mission to prepare our students to be successful in an ever-evolving world,” said Board President Kimberly Kenne.

Blanco, who has served as Interim Superintendent of PUSD since July 2023, expressed her enthusiasm for the new role.

“I am honored to continue partnering with the students, staff, and families of this great District to create a culture of ‘with’ that supports and uplifts our students,” she said. “I’m thrilled and ready to work with PUSD’s dedicated and talented teachers, staff, families, partners, and Board to take all our schools and programs to the next level.”

During her tenure as Interim Superintendent, Blanco has led the implementation of the District’s Strategic Plan. The District said she implemented operational efficiencies while working to create a culture of collaboration between the District and its partners.

Prior to her appointment as interim superintendent, Blanco served as deputy superintendent, the district’s second-highest role since 2022. She joined PUSD in 2017, having previously served in the district from 2009 to 2012.

An accomplished executive and servant leader with more than 30 years of experience in public education, Blanco is passionate about creating dynamic learning environments that are engaging and inclusive of all learners.

She has held various leadership positions within PUSD, including Chief Academic Officer from 2018-2021, Chief of Specialized Instructional Services from 2017-2018, and Executive Director of Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA), Special Education and Early Childhood from 2009-2012.

Blanco led the PUSD’s visioning for the future through the design and development of the District’s Strategic Plan. Her work also includes the expansion of magnet schools and the establishment of community schools and educational equity access initiatives. Additionally, she led the implementation of the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP).

Before returning to PUSD, Blanco served as Chief of Special Education Services and the Division of Instruction, Innovation, and Social Justice in the San Francisco Unified School District from 2012 to 2017. She began her career in education as a classroom teacher in the Rowland Unified School District.

Blanco holds a Doctor of Education in Urban Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California, two Master of Arts degrees in Educational Administration and Special Education, and a Bachelor of Arts in Child Development from California State University, Los Angeles.