Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mike Swize has spent his entire 33-year career in education with the Palm Springs Unified School District. He joined the District in 1990 and has served as  a teacher, bilingual programs coordinator, elementary and middle school principal, director and assistant superintendent before becoming superintendent in July of 2021. 

The recent recipient of a Youth Services Hero Award from the Rotary Club of Cathedral City, Dr. Swize obtained his bachelor’s degree in history with an emphasis on Chicano Studies and Spanish from the University of Colorado, his master’s in Education Administration from Azusa Pacific University and his doctorate in organizational leadership from the University of La Verne. 

Dr. Swize is a member of the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) and a member and past president of the Palm Springs Leadership Association (PSLA). He was an ACSA Region XIX Marcus Foster Award Nominee in 2020, the recipient of the Inspiring Leader Award from OneFuture Coachella Valley in 2018 and the region and state ACSA Curriculum and Instruction Administrator of the Year in 2014. He has also garnered several district awards for top administrator, principal, and teacher between 1993 and 2013.

While opportunities have been available to move up through the education administration ranks at other districts, Dr. Swize has considered PSUSD his home since starting his career here. He has said many times over the years that the reason he didn’t consider going somewhere else was because he knew he already was part of the best family of educators anywhere.