Nash County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Steve Ellis Named 2026 CCRESA Superintendent of the Year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, May 1, 2026

NASHVILLE, N.C. — Nash County Public Schools is proud to announce that Superintendent Dr. Steve Ellis has been named the 2026 Central Carolina Regional Education Service Alliance (CCRESA) Superintendent of the Year. Dr. Ellis received the recognition during the CCRESA Board of Directors meeting on Friday, May 1, 2026.

As the CCRESA Superintendent of the Year, Dr. Ellis will now advance to compete for the A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year award, alongside regional Superintendents of the Year from the other seven RESAs across the state. The statewide winner will be announced on October 8, 2026. The recipient of the A. Craig Phillips Superintendent of the Year award will then compete for the AASA National Superintendent of the Year recognition, and Nash County Public Schools cheers on Dr. Ellis for this award. 

This distinguished honor recognizes Dr. Ellis’ exceptional leadership, commitment to student achievement, and dedication to creating equitable, safe, and welcoming learning environments for all students and staff.

Dr. Ellis became Superintendent of Nash County Public Schools in March 2020, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since that time, he has led the district through significant challenges while remaining focused on academic growth, operational excellence, and strong community partnerships.

Under his leadership, Nash County Public Schools successfully exited low-performing district status in 2022–2023 after being designated as low-performing every year from 2014–2015 through 2021–2022. Since that time, the district has remained out of low-performing status and exceeds the state’s averages in post-pandemic recovery academic gains. 

Dr. Ellis has also championed innovative instructional opportunities, including support for the Advanced Teaching Roles Competitive Grant. In October 2021, Nash County Public Schools was awarded $1.1 million through the grant to incentivize master teachers and expand student access to high-quality instruction. His leadership has supported professional development, teacher capacity-building, and research-based instructional practices across the district.

During his tenure as Superintendent, Dr. Ellis has committed his efforts to supporting and ensuring the implementation of safety measures for the students, staff, and families of NCPS. He has advocated for and received funding for elementary school School Resource Officers (SROs). NCPS now has an SRO at every school in the district. Each school is also equipped with EVOLV Weapon Detection Screening Systems. He has also been an advocate for Mental Health and SEL supports and services for every school in NCPS.

In addition to academic progress, Dr. Ellis has guided the district through major facility and operational milestones. During the 2023–2024 school year, NCPS was awarded a $40 million needs-based grant to build a new middle school, following the opening of a new elementary school in Fall 2023. The new middle school will help alleviate overcrowding, support growth in the southern area of the county, and provide modern learning spaces for students.

Dr. Ellis has also provided steady leadership during the ongoing demerger process involving two school systems, a complex transition that began in July 2022. Throughout this process, he has remained committed to moving the district forward while working collaboratively with community stakeholders to minimize the impact on students, families, and staff.

“Dr. Ellis has truly earned this recognition,” said Nash County Public Schools senior leadership. “From the moment he became Superintendent, he has faced unprecedented challenges, including a pandemic, district demerger preparations, school closures, budgetary reductions, and major construction projects. Through it all, he has remained focused, steady, and deeply committed to the students and staff of Nash County Public Schools.”

In addition to his work within NCPS, Dr. Ellis is actively involved in the broader educational and local community. He currently serves as the Executive Committee Chair for CCRESA and as the Region 3 Representative for the North Carolina Association of School Administrators Committee. He also serves on the boards for Communities in Schools, the Boys & Girls Club of the Tar River Region, and Down East Partnership for Children.

The Central Carolina RESA provides educational services to school systems in North Carolina’s central region in an efficient and collaborative manner. CCRESA serves the largest number of schools and students among the eight RESAs in North Carolina.

Nash County Public Schools extends its sincere congratulations to Dr. Ellis on this distinguished and well-deserved recognition. His leadership continues to inspire students, staff, families, and community partners throughout Nash County.

 

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Media Contact:

Communications Department

pr-dept@ncpschools.net