Superintendent

Dr. Walter Jackson has served in public education for 30 years; he has served as a teacher, assistant principal, middle and high school principal, area superintendent, and currently superintendent of schools in La Porte ISD.   

He is the first African American superintendent in the 100-plus year history of La Porte ISD. Jackson held the same distinction for five years in his previous superintendent role in Brenham — the oldest school district in Texas. 

Dr. Jackson has an impressive history of exemplary public school leadership, In 2009, he was named the Region 4 High School Principal of the Year.  The National School Public Relations Association in 2017 named him one of 20 superintendents to watch in the nation. In 2019, he was named as the Region 6 Superintendent of the Year and was a finalist for TASB’s State Superintendent of the Year. 

Prior to leading Brenham ISD, Dr. Jackson worked in Alief ISD for 21 years as a teacher, principal, and area superintendent.   

Dr. Jackson has taught master’s and doctoral courses for the University of Houston, University of Houston-Clear Lake, and has served as a field advisor and executive leadership coach for Rice University graduate students.  An articulate and gifted public speaker, he has served as lecturer and presenter on key education topics at both state and national conferences.

Education 

Dr. Jackson holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas Southern University, a Master of Education in Administration from Prairie View A&M University, and a Doctor of Education from Baylor University. His post-graduate studies have taken him to the Harvard Graduate School of Education on four different occasions, where he earned the university’s esteemed Professional Leadership Certificate. Jackson also earned an Advanced Management Certificate from Rice University.  

Dr. Jackson is an alumnus of Education Class III of the American Leadership Forum Houston-Galveston Chapter. He is a member of the 2012 class of Leadership Houston and is also a graduate of the National SUPES Academy, a Chicago-based superintendent preparation program. Jackson has additionally completed the Thompson Executive Leadership Institute through the Region 13 Service Center.  

In February 2020, Dr. Jackson was selected as one of only 20 U.S. recipients to receive the prestigious Fulbright International Fellowship to travel to Singapore as a Fulbright Scholar. This Fellowship was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but Jackson was able to resume his Fulbright Fellowship research in the summer of 2022, when he spent two weeks in Singapore intensely studying its public education system.  

A passionate lifelong learner, Dr. Jackson’s love of learning and leading has also supported his travels to learn and research international school systems such as: China, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Austria, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.

Professional and Service Organizations 

He currently serves as the Region 4 representative on TASA's Executive Committee, is on the board of directors of the TASB Risk Management Fund, UIL Legislative Council, Texas Association of School Administrators, and also serves on the Governing Board of AASA, The School Superintendent’s Association.

Dr. Jackson is a Rotarian Paul Harris Fellow, and a member of the the La Porte Rotary Club )which selected him as the 2021 Rotarian of the Year), La Porte-Bayshore Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, La Porte Education Foundation, Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership Board and the Holdsworth Center's Leadership Cohort.

Educational Philosophy 

Dr. Jackson describes himself as a “cultural strategist” and “equity warrior,” always seeking to create opportunities for students to take advantage of the public education system while pursuing the American Dream. He strongly believes that a child’s destiny is not determined by zip code, and that there’s nothing impossible to the people that believe in the transformative powers of a Great God and a good education.  Students are afforded one time to be in school. Dr. Jackson believes it is the role of professional educators to make this the most positive and impactful experience  for all students.

Personal 

Dr. Jackson and his wife Tanya have been married for 28 years, and are the proud parents of daughter Bailey, a 2023 La Porte High School graduate who attends Blinn College, and son Braelin, who is a classroom teacher in the Greater Houston area. Dr. Jackson enjoys attending local churches, community, sporting and social events, and visiting schools to meet students and teachers on a regular schedule.  

"La Porte ISD aspires to make a significant and transformative impact on the lives of the students in our district. We aim to develop critical thinkers, futuristic innovators, bold and imaginative life-long learners who will in turn, impact the world in positive and meaningful ways."

“Educators are the architects of the future, the master builders of our democracy. Texas public school educators inspire more than 5.4 million students annually. Together, we will rebuild our economy and a more perfect union by igniting the light in our students’ consciousness.” 

“If you want your child to be successful support our teachers. Make no doubt about it, whether it’s virtual or face-to-face instruction this fall, our teachers, principals and support staff will make it happen with sincere resolve and unequivocal excellence!”

"The sun never sets on a La Porte  Bulldog."

 

 

State of the District - 2023

Find Dr. Jackson's archived presentations here.

 

Power Supers (Huckabee | April 14, 2021)Leading a School System through a Pandemic: pp. 40-43  (TSPRA | Oct. 15, 2020)Inspiring Leader Spotlight: Walter Jackson (TASA | Feb. 6, 2020)Finalists Named for 2019 Superintendent of the Year (TASB | Aug. 26, 2019) A Tweet Mightier Than the Sword (AASA | April 2019)Bragging Rights: pp. 10-11 (Texas School Business | 2018-19)Superintendents to Watch (NSPRA | 2017-18)The Day in the Life of a School Principal (NPR | Sept. 7, 2009)

 

 

Dr. Jackson regularly writes columns for The Leader, which appears in the Bay Area Observer, and
Around La Porte. 

La Porte Insider - Fall 2023 Around La Porte - August 2023 Around La Porte - June 2023 Around La Porte - April 2023 

Find Dr. Jackson's archived columns here.

Click here to view Dr. Jackson's latest video message on the La Porte ISD YouTube Channel. Previous videos are also available for viewing.