After winning Urban Superintendent of the Year at the Council of the Great City Schools’ virtual 64^th Annual Fall Conference in October, Michael Hinojosa can also add Digital Superintendent of the Year to his list of accomplishments.

Hinojosa, who has led the Dallas Independent School District since 2015, is one of two recipients of the 2021 EmpowerED Digital Superintendent of the Year, an award given annually by The Consortium for School Networking and the American Association of School Administrators. 

The national digital superintendent of the year award is presented to those leaders who have championed the use of technology to enhance teaching and learning, and issues that left many schools scrambling through the COVID-19 pandemic. 

When COVID-19 forced the Dallas school system to transition to at-home instruction, Hinojosa helped create Operation Connectivity to address the lack of internet access for many Dallas students. The initiative has granted internet access to more than half a million students across the state of Texas.

Prior to the pandemic, Hinojosa focused on fostering equity in Dallas by championing a two-way dual language program and a tech-focused Career Institute, among other initiatives.