2026 Educational Leader Award

Theodore "Ted" Alejandre
Superintendent of Schools
San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools

Ted Alejandre has spent his career making sure technology works for students, not as a side interest but as a deliberate leadership priority. As a former CITE board president, I know what this organization values, and Ted's record speaks directly to it.

Ted and I have worked alongside each other through the California County Superintendents, where he served as President and on the executive leadership committee. In those roles, he kept technology infrastructure and cybersecurity on the statewide agenda when it would have been easy to let both slide. He pushed county offices and districts to treat cybersecurity as a genuine operational priority, and he kept artificial intelligence in the conversation before most were ready to take it seriously. That kind of persistence at the state level shapes what county offices and districts actually prioritize, and Ted used that platform deliberately.

His service on the California K-12 High-Speed Network Advisory Board reflects that same commitment. Ted has pressed for equitable connectivity across the state and argued for sustained state investment in the infrastructure that makes it real, particularly for districts that would otherwise fall behind. His position has always been that reliable high-speed internet is not a premium; it is the floor that makes device access, system access, and effective teaching possible. That advocacy has mattered most to the schools least equipped to fight for themselves.

At the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, he backed that advocacy with institutional structure. He keeps a technology leader on his executive cabinet because he understands that technology has a role in most of the important decisions that reach that table, from instruction and finance to operations and student services. That is the posture CITE has long argued for, and Ted has lived it. He has also made cybersecurity and artificial intelligence standing topics in those cabinet conversations, pressing practical questions about how schools protect their systems and prepare students for what comes next.

His office has hosted multiple CCTO and TMAP cohorts and supported SBCSS staff participation in both programs, producing two CITE board members in the process, including the current board president. That investment has also helped grow the pipeline of qualified technology leaders available to LEAs across California, strengthening the profession well beyond San Bernardino County.

Ted brings people together and follows through. His relationships across county offices and partner districts throughout California are built on trust and a track record of showing up when it counts. He understands that strong technology investments help make student learning and teacher effectiveness possible at every scale, and he has led accordingly across every role he has held.

The California K-12 High-Speed Network (K12HSN) is a state-funded infrastructure program managed by the Imperial County Office of Education that has provided high-speed broadband to 82% of California's school districts since 2004. An Advisory Board guides K12HSN and the California Department of Education on strategic priorities, with a focus on ensuring every K-12 student has equitable access to modern resources through reliable connectivity.

K12HSN is pleased to nominate San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, Theodore "Ted" Alejandre, for his contributions as an Advisory Board member over the past 11 years. During Ted's tenure, including his service as chair, the Advisory Board helped K12HSN navigate some of the most consequential shifts in California public education: the move to online assessments, the expansion of broadband to underserved schools, the emergence of cybersecurity as an operational priority, and the growing role of artificial intelligence in districts. Ted's guidance kept the program grounded in practical outcomes for students and districts throughout.

Those outcomes include:

• K12HSN supported the statewide rollout of the online CAASPP student assessment system, ensuring every participating district had reliable, high-speed access to the new assessment infrastructure.

• K12HSN implemented the Broadband Infrastructure Improvement Grants, connecting 438 hardship schools to high-speed broadband in a historic $76M investment that addressed affordability, geographic, and technical barriers.

• K12HSN, in partnership with CITE, implemented the Technical Assistance and Professional Development (TAPD) grant, delivering high-quality training in cybersecurity, network infrastructure, and technology procurement to 2,418 participants across 585 school districts. TAPD also launched the first statewide Cybersecurity Education Program, training 23,426 end users across California, and provided districts with network monitoring and cybersecurity assessment tools.

• K12HSN became the first statewide implementation of a DDoS Mitigation service in the nation, protecting school districts from network attacks that would otherwise disrupt instruction and operations.

• Statewide network capacity across 82 access points increased 20-fold.

Ted consistently found ways to connect K12HSN's work to CITE's strengths. That partnership was central to the TAPD program and ensured that technology leaders across the state had a direct role in developing and implementing resources built for IT professionals in schools.

Theodore "Ted" Alejandre has served San Bernardino County's nearly 400,000 K-12 students for over 30 years, from classroom teacher to his election as the county's 34th Superintendent of Schools in 2014. His long tenure on theK12HSN Advisory Board is evidence of his commitment as a partner who understands what technology infrastructure makes possible for students and teachers, and whose sustained advocacy has produced improvements that benefit nearly every school in California.

Q&A

How long have you been in your current role and what career opportunities shaped your path?

“I have served as San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools since 2015, supporting 33 school districts and helping meet the needs of nearly 400,000 students. In this role, I serve as a vital connection between our districts and the California Department of Education while advocating for students in alternative education, special education and state preschool programs. I am also committed transforming lives through education by fostering strong community partnerships that expand opportunities and encourage the success of every student.

My career has included service in education, business and the military. I served in the U.S. Air Force beginning in 1984 and retired as a lieutenant colonel after receiving several honors, including three Meritorious Service Medals. Following my military service, I built my career in the Inland Empire, advancing from account clerk and fiscal analyst to classroom teacher, vice principal and principal. I later served as director and assistant superintendent of Business Services for the Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified School District. Each opportunity strengthened my understanding of public service and prepared me to lead with purpose, collaboration and a deep commitment to our region’s students and communities.”

What's a recent win you've had at work?

“SBCSS is proud to champion the implementation of the latest technology for educators, staff and students: - A multi-day AI Task Force experience led by our Digital Learning Services brought together leaders, educators and staff from nearly a dozen school districts to build a shared understanding of AI and its impact on teaching, learning and operations. Through collaborative inquiry and codesign, teams developed AI literacy, examined ethical and equity considerations, and created customized, actionable roadmaps and district specific guidelines to support responsible AI leadership while prioritizing student learning, safety and instructional integrity.

Our Digital Learning Services team also hosted a Day of Exploration for students enrolled in one of our alternative education programs with the goal of preparing students for the careers of tomorrow. Through hands-on experiences with AR/VR technology using the Apple Vision Pro, students were introduced to innovative tools shaping the future of learning and work.

Recent bandwidth upgrades to our High Desert and West End K12 High Speed Network node sites have increased internet capacity for school districts served throughout the County. With new circuits and equipment providing 500 GB of connectivity to CENIC and the internet, SBCSS now delivers fast, secure and reliable ISP services to 30 of 33 school districts, supporting hundreds of thousands of students.

Awarded the CA Educator Workforce Investment Grant: Computer Science, the SBCSS Digital Learning Services Team serves as the Regional Lead for Southern California. With $1.2M awarded, DLS is able to provide customized CS Professional Development opportunities for educators throughout the County which will increase opportunities for traditionally underserved students.”

Can you share a specific moment when CITE had a meaningful impact on you or your organization?

“CITE has supported multiple Technology Support staff on our SBCSS team. With the resources CITE has provided to our staff members, our organization's entire approach to delivering IT and EdTech services has been influenced and guided by CITE for well over a decade. Several of our Technology Support staff members have gone through CITE professional development programs, and a number of our county IT directors and CTOs are CITE CTOM graduates, which is why we believe that San Bernardino County schools are leaders in delivering a high-quality, technology-enabled, and supported educational experience for our students.”