Contact:
Sheri Morgan
President, Board of Education  
949-663-4955               

Five-Time, Top-Rated California School District Superintendent Returns Home to Laguna Beach:
Laguna Beach School Board Appoints
Dr. Don Austin as Superintendent of Schools

LAGUNA BEACH, CA – May 14, 2026 -- The Laguna Beach Unified School District Board of Education today announced the appointment of Don Austin, Ed.D., as Superintendent of Schools, effective July 1. The action quickly follows the governing board’s May 12 action to approve a mutual separation agreement with Dr. Jason Glass, which ends his service as Superintendent after May 31, 2026.

Dr. Austin brings more than a decade of superintendent success to his new Laguna Beach Unified School District leadership role and will leverage more than 30 years of public education experience, including five years as the highly effective principal of Laguna Beach High School.  

Most recently, Dr. Austin was Superintendent of the Palo Alto Unified School District, which ranked as the #1 school district in California during five of his nearly eight years of service to over 10,000 students and 1,500 employees. The 2025 Niche education research and rankings platform that annually weighs performance data for over 11,000 school districts also ranked Palo Alto Unified School District as a top eight district nationally. Niche rankings are based on ratings from current students, alumni and parents, along with quantitative data from the U.S. Department of Education. 

“Dr. Austin is an outstanding communicator and leader,” says Sheri Morgan, President of the Laguna Beach Unified School District Board of Education. “Dr. Austin is in high demand as he wraps up his time at Palo Alto.  Securing him on July 1 is a win for our District. Dr. Austin’s proven leadership will help us drive significant academic progress, maintain fiscal responsibility, and improve governance and planning especially during these complex times.” 

Known for strengthening student achievement, supporting mental health services, developing sustainable budgets, building leadership teams, and improving district systems, Dr. Austin aptly led Palo Alto Unified School District for almost eight years. He also excelled as Superintendent of Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District, which, despite being one of the state’s lowest-funded districts, ranked sixth best in California during Austin’s tenure.

“I take great pride in helping talented people see more in themselves, prepare for greater responsibility, and step into leadership with confidence,” explains Dr. Austin. “The best organizations are built by people who trust each other, tell the truth, stay focused, and keep students at the center.”

Dr. Austin is also well known to the Laguna Beach community. He previously served as principal of Laguna Beach High School, where he developed strong relationships with students, staff, families, and community members.
 
Underscoring how vital it is to keep nurturing students by growing next level leaders, Austin adds, “as a high school principal, 10 of my assistant principals went on to become principals. Plus, throughout my career, six members of my teams have gone on to be superintendents.”

“District familiarity and hard-won experience leading high-performing school systems are key reasons why Dr. Don Austin is prepared to support our students, our parents, our teachers, and our community for years to come,” says Morgan.

To support a smooth transition, the Board has appointed Manoj Roychowdhury as Interim Superintendent . Manoj is a veteran school district administrator who brings steady leadership, sound judgement and a strong commitment to students, staff and families. We appreciate his willingness to serve in this role during this transition and are confident that District operations will continue without disruption.