The Palmdale School District prioritizes students, allocating nearly all of its budget to their needs.

Under the direction of Dr. Frances Ufondu, that funding has been channeled into a wide range of much-needed services, such as after-school enrichment programs, parent liaisons for every school, modernization efforts for 21st century learning centers and makerspaces, HVAC repairs, shade structures for all playgrounds, and a gymnasium and CTE center for the charter high school.

But these aren’t merely line-items in a budget — she views them as investments in the future.

“As a CBO, I don’t just see the budget for the current fiscal year. I see the long-term impact of our financial decisions on future generations of Palmdale students,” she said. “It’s a mindset focused on building a lasting legacy of educational excellence, not just managing a balance sheet.”

Guided by a philosophy of radical transparency and her insistence that students are at the center of every budget decision, Ufondu has earned the distinction of receiving ACSA’s 2025 Marcus Foster Memorial Award for Administrator Excellence.

Dr. Krishna D. Spates, principal of Shadow Hills Engineering & Design Magnet Academy, said that Ufondu has demystified the budget process for principals and has ensured that schools like hers have received the resources they need to ensure safe and equitable learning experiences for students. But her influence stretches beyond that.

“As an educational leader, I have learned invaluable lessons from Dr. Ufondu,” Spates said. “Though she may not realize it, I have adopted her as a mentor. Her integrity, consistency, and inclusive leadership style have profoundly influenced my approach to leadership. Whether in one-on-one meetings or committee discussions, Dr. Ufondu is steadfast in her commitment to empowering others and fostering an environment where every voice is heard.”

Ufondu was born in Nigeria to a family that understood the importance of education. Her mother was a teacher, and while her father was a successful businessman, he didn’t reach a secondary level of education due to lack of funds. He worked hard to pay for Ufondu and all seven of her siblings to go to school.

Ufondu noted, “In Nigeria, going to school is a privilege. The opportunity my parents gave me was a wonderful gift.”

Ufondu earned two degrees in Nigeria, including a Master of Arts in Education Administration. She arrived in the U.S. in 1990 and settled with her husband in Palmdale. After earning her teaching credential, she was hired by the Palmdale School District in 1992.

Thirty-four years later, she is still there, having served as a teacher, principal, program coordinator and director.

Her passion for students and historical knowledge of the needs at school sites guided her as she navigated one of the biggest changes in California education funding: the implementation of the Local Control Funding Formula. In 2013, Ufondu was charged with creating a plan for spending state education funds as the district’s first LCAP director.

There was a lot of money to be spent (she recalls the district had a 94 percent unduplicated pupil count at the time) so Ufondu led a thorough assessment to understand the needs of the community. She assembled a stakeholder committee of staff, union representatives, students, parents and community members.

“Everyone had a say in how the money should be spent. And it was spent equitably,” she said. “If one school needed more resources than another, we provided it. Our goal was to close the achievement gap that existed between them.”

She also expertly aligned the LCAP goals to the district’s strategic plan, known as the Palmdale PROMISE, and made sure these two plans were reflected in the district’s actions.

Although it wasn’t in her career plan, she became CBO of the district in 2017 at the urging of Superintendent Dr. Raúl Maldonado, who recognized her site-based experiences and connections with stakeholders would be an asset in the role.

During COVID, Ufondu was deliberate in making sure money went to purchases that served the needs of students. Ufondu cited two major achievements during the pandemic: the purchase of four specialty buses that bring medical care, library books, technology, and science lessons directly to students; and the securing of a food truck, fondly known as “The Lunch Box,” to deliver meals to families in local parks.

Palmdale also avoided layoffs during the pandemic, including classified positions like bus drivers. The decision is paying off today, as the district has ample staffing in these roles. “They are part of the PSD family and it was crucial to maintain that trust,” Ufondu said. More recently, the district has invested Expanded Learning Opportunities Program funds to offer after-school enrichment opportunities until 6 p.m. at 28 PSD school sites. PSD also purchased 24 buses to specifically support ELOP-related transportation needs.

The district recently purchased 67 acres of land and is constructing a state-of-the-art Expanded Learning Opportunities Center to give children in the community a safe place for outdoor learning and play. This space will include indoor soccer, flexible studios for visual/performing arts, a cross-country track, playground equipment with shade structures, basketball courts, and learning gardens.

While she has expertly guided the district’s spending plan, her leadership extends beyond fiscal matters. Ufondu created the Student PROMISE Ambassador program, which gives students in grades 4-12 real agency in district decisions.

“I strongly believe that students are not just recipients of education, but they should be active and essential partners in creating the learning environment,” she said.

Students serve on various committees in ways that go beyond an advisory role. The last time the district set LCAP goals, students told administrators they thought the learning improvement goals weren’t high enough.

“They said we need to raise that expectation. It can’t be only three points every year, they wanted us to raise it to five,” Ufondu recalled. “And we did!”

As an ACSA Leadership Coach and through service on ACSA’s Council of Business Services Leaders, Ufondu has given back to the profession. She has also paid it forward by reaching back to the continent where she was born. She is the co-founder and co-editor of EL Africa Magazine, a nonprofit publication that gives educators in Sub-Saharan Africa a platform for sharing best practices and innovative solutions. Through this magazine, Ufondu aims to build capacity for educators who lack the rich network of resources, conferences and journals available in the U.S.

Back in Palmdale, Ufondu says most of the work she does is behind the scenes — and that’s fine by her.

“I believe the most impactful change often happens quietly, through dedicated effort and collaboration — the essential work people don’t always see,” she said. “I do this work from the heart because I know it’s needed and because the students will benefit.”

As many districts are being asked to do more with fewer resources, Ufondu offers this advice: Be “radically transparent” with the budget and provide detailed financial data about where money is coming from and where it’s going. Prioritize and protect what matters most — the classroom. Maximize every resource you get: “We have to use every cent of it!” Ufondu exclaims. Focus on operational excellence on everything — from the copiers to consolidating vendors: “It isn’t about saving money, but rather freeing up funds to go into the classroom,” she said.

Ufondu’s philosophy has supported many ambitious innovations in the Palmdale School District. The TK-8 district recently established a dependent charter high school that graduated its first class in 2025 with a 100 percent graduation rate. Palmdale is giving students opportunities in Career Technical Education including a mariachi program; cybersecurity; LiUNA Training to develop skills in the construction trades; and the Youth Cinema Project from actor Edward James Olmos’ Latino Film Institute, which teaches movie-making to middle school and high school students. The district also has plans to build a CTE facility at the charter high school.

Ufondu explained, “We think outside the box for our students. These are things they wouldn’t have access to otherwise, so we make sure we provide them to close the achievement gap and further ensure their success.”