Anaheim Elementary School District Superintendent Dr. Christopher Downing has announced plans to retire on June 30, marking the end of his six-year tenure at the helm of California’s largest elementary school district.
Downing, whose career in education spans 35 years, including 29 years of service in the Los Angeles Unified School District, is credited with empowering Anaheim students and their families to engage in academia and their community.
Under his direction, the district adopted a districtwide focus on STEAM — that’s science, technology, engineering, art and math — and the implementation of dual language immersion programs at all 24 schools.
Along with Spanish and the first Korean dual language immersion program in Orange County, Downing was instrumental in introducing a new Mandarin curriculum at the start of the 2023-24 school year.
“I have enjoyed 35 years of helping underserved children receive the access and equity they deserve to high-quality programming,” the superintendent said in a statement. “Whether through my service as an LAUSD Local District Superintendent helping establish college classes at middle and high schools in South Los Angeles or ensuring that Anaheim students receive the support to overcome socioeconomic barriers to become excellent scholars and members of society, I am extremely proud of all the work that we’ve done. The future for this district is bright.”
AESD says its search for a new superintendent will begin in February.
‘Pride, succes and innovation’
After nearly 30 years in Los Angeles Unified, Downing joined the Anaheim Elementary School District in July 2018. Under his leadership, AESD was recognized by the California Department of Education with a Pivotal Practice Award in 2022 for its efforts to support students during the pandemic, and the NAMM Foundation honored Anaheim as a Best Community for Music Education from 2019 through 2023.
In November, the district received a prestigious Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association for its dual language programs.
“As a Board member and a parent in this district, Dr. Downing has brought pride, success and innovation to Anaheim,” said AESD School Board Member Juan Alvarez. “His passion and unwavering commitment to ensure all students receive the best inspires us all. I know he will continue to be a transformative leader fighting for deserving students in whatever role he chooses in this next chapter of his life.”
Career awards and honors
During his career, Downing has been recognized as the 2016 Harbor Gateway Chamber of Commerce Educator of the Year and the 2018 Association of California School Administrators Region XVI Superintendent of the Year. He was also presented with the 2019 4th District PTA Outstanding Administrator Award and the 2020 Maureen DiMarco Award for Leadership from the Orange County School Boards Association.
More recently, his commitment to arts education was spotlighted with Save The Music Foundation’s 18th annual Administrator Award for Distinguished Support of Music Education in February 2023. He received the inaugural Quantum Impact Courageous Leadership Award for Transformational Leadership this past December.
The Anaheim Elementary School District serves nearly 15,000 students at 24 campuses in the city of Anaheim, making it the largest elementary-only district in the state of California. According to the California School Dashboard, more than three-quarters of AESD students are socioeconomically disadvantaged, and nearly half are classified as English learners.