For the first time since their establishment in 1975, two of ACSA’s highest honors will be recognized at both the region and state levels.

The selection process for the Ferd. J. Kiesel Distinguished Service Memorial Award and Marcus Foster Memorial Award for Administrator Excellence is now aligned with ACSA’s Administrators of the Year and other special awards. Rather than submitting nominations directly to the state Awards Committee, nominations for the Kiesel and Foster awards will be submitted to region leadership for review. Regions will select one finalist in each category to advance to the state committee for consideration.

At its April meeting, the 2026 ACSA Awards Committee reached consensus on the change and recommended the policy amendment to the state Board of Directors. The board approved the update, which will take effect for the 2027 Awards Program. The nomination window opened Aug. 1.

“The Awards Committee felt it was time to bring all six awards under one review process,” said awards coordinator Emily Agpoon. “The Foster and Kiesel awards were the first honors given by ACSA, with the others added in later decades. This update brings every category into the same review structure.”

The Kiesel award is considered ACSA’s highest honor. Each year, the association recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution to education. The award is named for Ferd. Kiesel, ACSA’s founding president, whose personal commitment to schools, students and the association was exemplary.

As president of the California Association of School Administrators, one of the seven organizations that were incorporated under the ACSA umbrella, Kiesel helped ensure the new association would serve the needs of all members when it launched in 1971. He was superintendent of San Juan USD when he was appointed to the interim ACSA Board of Directors, which planned the merged organization.

In a report on the “state of ACSA,” Kiesel wrote that the association would continue to grow stronger because of excellent staff at all levels and members who were passionate about their jobs and their association. Kiesel received the award named for him in 1980.

ACSA membership is not required for the Kiesel award, offering a unique opportunity to recognize not only educational leaders but also any individual who has demonstrated a sustained commitment to and impact on education in California. Past recipients have included business executives, community leaders, state legislators, and school board members.

ACSA established the Foster award to honor educators who model the vision of Dr. Marcus Foster, the highly respected first African American superintendent of Oakland USD. Foster came to Oakland after building a national reputation for excellence as associate superintendent of schools in Philadelphia. His inclusive management style gave the Oakland community and staff confidence, and he was known as a creative leader willing to try new ideas to reach students and manage change. He was killed in 1973 at age 50 by members of the Symbionese Liberation Army.

ACSA membership is required for the Foster award, and recipients receive a $5,000 grant for a designated high school senior or seniors.

Early Education Administrator of the Year Also new for the 2027 program is an Administrator of the Year category for Early Education administrators. This was proposed by ACSA’s Council of Early Childhood Education Leaders to recognize educators of young children from birth to 5 years old, encompassing both pre-school and Transitional Kindergarten.

The nomination deadline for the 2027 Awards Program is Jan. 21, 2027. Visit acsa.org/awards to start your nomination today.