Chris Steinhauser, outgoing superintendent of the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD), will retire in summer 2020. This article in the Long Beach Business Journal spotlights Steinhauser and his work in LBUSD, which spans 56 years as a student and district employee. Under Steinhauser’s leadership, the LBUSD has become a model to other districts, especially when it comes to narrowing the achievement gap. Steinhauser described an especially formative interaction with an LBUSD student who mentioned that moving to the district from Watts changed his entire academic trajectory; that experience brought into stark focus how dramatically opportunities and outlooks can vary for students separated by only a few miles. Although the superintendent has not yet established his post-retirement plans, he intends to maintain his commitment to public education and the hard work of ensuring that all kids, no matter what system they live in, have opportunities.
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