August 9, 2021

Flores graduated from Atwater High School in 1968 and after his college education, he began teaching in 1973. Over a span of nearly 50 years, Flores held a variety of positions in education, including classroom teacher, program manager, principal, teacher trainer, director, adjunct professor, associate superintendent, superintendent, national director for school transformation and regional facilitator of mentoring. He held positions in Elk Grove, Visalia, Hanford, Sacramento and Modesto. Flores was the superintendent in Modesto City Schools from 2007-2011. In 2010, he was honored by community educators with the creation of the Arturo Flores Family Literacy Foundation. In Modesto City Schools, Flores is best known for the “A Diploma in Every Hand” campaign. The effort enlisted the support of community groups to show students that the entire community would be there to help them on their journey to earn a diploma. The campaign included “diploma walks” where volunteers knocked on doors to share information on the importance of a high school diploma.

When he retired, Flores continued to give back to the profession by becoming an ACSA mentor and a facilitator with ACSA Academies.

“Arturo was a tremendously powerful man in not only his stature, but in his character, magnificent smile, warmth and care for others and his genuine love for his family and the support he provided to the many students and educators in which he changed their trajectory towards success,” said Tom Armelino, executive director of the CCEE and former ACSA President. “I feel blessed to have known him as a colleague and more importantly as a friend. The world was a brighter place with him in it.”