Steven Walts, Ed.D.

Steven L. Walts, Ed.D., is the superintendent of Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS), one of the largest and fastest growing districts in the U.S. The National School Boards Association named PWCS one of five first-place winners in the nation in the 2018 Magna Awards for equity initiatives. This prestigious award recognized the strategic moves the school district made to increase the participation and success of all students in advanced coursework, and for eliminating barriers to those who were previously underrepresented. Walts led the effort to establish a regional STEM Governor’s School; has increased opportunities for students at all levels to become involved with robotics; led aggressive efforts to combat bullying; improved school safety; and worked with educational partners to mentor today’s students to become tomorrow’s teachers. He’s also credited with building strong relationships with corporate and business leaders who invest in students through 1,000 school partnerships and generous support of SPARK, the PWCS education foundation. With efforts to recruit and retain the best and brightest educators and encourage high school students to take the rigorous Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Cambridge courses, Walts is leading the district in achieving its mission of “Providing A World-Class Education” for every student. He began his career as an elementary teacher, building principal and intern to the superintendent in Wichita, Kansas, then served in Baltimore County, Maryland, as an assistant superintendent, before becoming superintendent in Greece, New York, in 1998. Walts received his doctorate degree in education policy and leadership from the University of Maryland.