Dr. Jeffrey Collier, Superintendent of Saginaw ISD, has been named the 2024 Michigan Superintendent of the Year by the Michigan Association of Superintendents & Administrators (MASA). This prestigious accolade was unveiled during a surprise presentation at the Saginaw ISD Board of Education meeting on Tuesday evening.
“I am deeply humbled to be recognized by the Michigan Association of School Administrators (MASA) as the 2024 Michigan Superintendent of the Year,” said Dr. Collier. “However, this recognition is a reflective testament of the transformative servant leadership provided to our community by the entire team of committed educators throughout Saginaw ISD. This award also indicates a sample representation of the incredible collective efforts of superintendents and thought partners throughout the State of Michigan who work to advance positive opportunities and outcomes for all students, regardless of zip code. Thank you to MASA for this honored recognition, and thank you to all who have provided support, trust, and belief in my collaborative styles of leadership and vision.”
Michigan’s Superintendent of the Year award is presented annually by MASA to a superintendent who has shown tremendous effort and dedication to enriching the lives of students and the community as a whole. After an open nomination and application process, the annual award winner is selected by a panel representing education stakeholders across the state. Collier received seven separate nominations for this year’s award, including testimonials from current staff, stakeholders, and previous colleagues and educators he has mentored.
Dr. Collier is the first ISD Superintendent to receive this honor in the award’s history. “Dr. Collier’s leadership has been transformative in our educational community,” said Mark Whelton, Bridgeport-Spaulding Community Schools Superintendent and award nominator. “He recognizes the critical role that local school districts play in the overall success of our educational system and goes above and beyond to offer support, guidance, and resources.”
“I’ve known Dr. Collier a long time, having worked with him as both a district leader and now in his current role, and can absolutely say that he truly is a transformational leader,” said MASA Executive Director Dr. Tina Kerr. “He has an innate ability to always work in true partnership with those around him, and his unwavering commitment to his team, the local school districts in Saginaw County, and public education across the state is evident and admirable. We are very proud to have Dr. Collier representing Michigan as this year’s Superintendent of the Year.”
Collier has more than 24 years of educational experience across multiple levels and districts. In July 2020, he was named the Superintendent of Saginaw ISD, which encompasses 12 local public school districts and five public school academies that serve approximately 26,000 students from birth to age 26. Prior to leading the ISD, Collier spent eight years as the Superintendent of the Au Gres-Sims School District. He was also a building principal at Tawas Area High School and a middle school assistant principal at Bay City Public Schools.
Under Collier’s leadership, Saginaw County successfully passed a Special Education Millage in 2022 – the first time in 48 years that such a measure was approved. The millage was passed at the statutory maximum level for special education and is expected to be an investment of at least $88.5 million over the next decade for special education programs in school districts within the ISD.
Collier’s work has also focused on addressing the critical educator shortage. He was one of 12 founding members of the Talent Together program – a collaborative consortium that aims to attract and train future educators by pooling resources and expertise – and currently sits on the organization’s Governing Board.
In addition to the surprise presentation at Tuesday’s board meeting, Collier will be formally recognized at MASA’s 2024 Midwinter Conference in January in Detroit, Michigan. A $1,000 student scholarship will also be presented and donated to Saginaw ISD in his honor by this year’s Michigan award sponsor, Williams & Company.
As Michigan’s 2024 Superintendent of the Year, Collier is now in the running for the national Superintendent of the Year award from the American Association of School Administrators (AASA). AASA will convene a Blue-Ribbon Selection Committee to select four national finalists in December. In January, the four finalists will participate in a national briefing and interviews at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.. The National Superintendent of the Year will be announced in February at the AASA National Conference on Education in San Diego, California, where all State Superintendents of the Year will also be honored.
