Dr. Xochitl Ortiz, ACSA’s 2026 Continuation/Educational Options Administrator of the Year, believes in second chances. That belief has shaped her leadership and inspired her to build a school culture rooted in belonging, high expectations and hopes.

As principal of Columbus Continuation High School and Woodruff Academy Community Day School in Downey Unified School District, Ortiz leads with compassion, purpose and a commitment to restorative practices. She uses strength-based approaches to discipline, attendance and academic recovery in order to help students overcome barriers through opportunity rather than punishment. Her schoolwide message, “Sí se puede,” reflects an unwavering belief that students in alternative education deserve access to rigor, belonging and pathways to future success.

Ortiz has also expanded student supports through credit recovery, special education services, attendance interventions, mental health resources and other targeted systems of care. Under her leadership, Columbus has achieved a graduation rate of just over 95 percent and supported more than $77,000 in student scholarships this year. She has also helped strengthen programs such as the Columbus Cares Closet, sports tournaments, college tours and senior activities.

Ortiz has been an ACSA member since 2015 and served as Downey Charter co-president in Region 14 from 2017 to 2019.

“In every way, Dr. Ortiz embodies what exemplary leadership in alternative education should look like,” said Dr. Kathy Estevez, director of secondary education for Downey Unified School District. “She is dedicated, grounded in equity, and profoundly student-centered.”

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? The best advice I have ever been given is to lead with both courage and compassion. In education, especially in alternative education, we have to hold high expectations while also remembering the humanity of every student, family, and staff member we serve. I often remind myself that this work requires a “patience of hope,” believing that growth is happening, even when we cannot see it right away. When we keep showing up for students, they begin to believe what we have believed all along: Sí se puede.

What are some life hacks that you would recommend for a new administrator? Build relationships before you need them. Learn people’s stories, listen deeply, and never underestimate the power of a hallway conversation, a handwritten note, or a quick but caring phone call home. Also, protect time to walk your campus. The best information rarely comes only from a report; it comes from being present with students and staff. Finally, do not try to do the work alone. Leadership is collective heart work, and the strongest schools are built through shared purpose, trust, and teamwork.

What would people be surprised to learn about you? People may be surprised to learn that I began kindergarten not speaking English and grew up as a low-income English Learner with campesina roots. I am a first-generation college graduate, and my lived experience deeply shapes how I lead. I know what it feels like to navigate barriers, transitions, and systems that were not always designed with students like me in mind. That is why my work is so personal. I want every student to feel seen, valued, supported, and worthy of every opportunity.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your current position? One of the biggest challenges has been helping shift the narrative around alternative education. Too often, continuation and community day schools are misunderstood as a last stop or a dumping ground. At Columbus High School and Woodruff Academy, we have worked hard to show that alternative education can be a powerful new beginning. That has meant designing student-centered systems around credit recovery, attendance support, restorative practices, mental health and wellness, Community Schools resources, college and career CTE pathways, dual enrollment, and student voice. The results remind us that when we build bridges and remove barriers, students rebuild, renew, and rise.

How has ACSA supported you in your career? ACSA has provided connection, mentorship, professional learning, and a powerful network of leaders who understand both the responsibility and the heart of educational leadership. Being recognized as the 2026 Region 14 Continuation/Educational Options Administrator of the Year and the 2026 state Continuation/Educational Options Administrator of the Year is an incredible honor, but even more meaningful is what that recognition represents: a spotlight on the promise of at-promise youth and the transformational work happening in alternative education. ACSA has helped affirm that this work matters and that leaders do not have to carry it alone.

The theme for this year’s Leadership Summit is “You Belong Here: Leadership for Every Student.” What does belonging look like for you, your staff or your students? Belonging means every student feels seen, valued, challenged, supported, and loved. At Columbus and Woodruff, belonging is not just a feeling, it is a system, our culture. It looks like students having access to food, shelter, wellness support, caring adults, meaningful instruction, restorative practices, college and career opportunities, and people who believe in them before they fully believe in themselves. One of our student leaders shared that Columbus helped her feel “seen not just as a student, but as a person — as someone who mattered.” That is belonging. It is the humanity of dignity. It is opportunity. It is a labor of love, and patience of hope in action. And for our Lions, it means knowing: you belong here, you matter, your future is ripe with opportunity, and with the power of community and education … sí se puede.