Superintendent Dr. Mike Rockwood
Dr. Mike Rockwood is the ninth Superintendent in Highland Park ISD’s history dating back to 1914. He joined HPISD in 2023 following the unanimous approval of the Board of Trustees. Throughout his career, Dr. Rockwood’s priorities have centered on student safety, high academic achievement, and leadership development. He has a proven record of elevating student success, expanding business partnerships, and inspiring excellence across multiple school districts.
During his tenure in Highland Park ISD, the district and every campus earned the highest possible academic rating from the Texas Education Agency. In fact, in 2025, HPISD was rated the number one 5A/6A public school district in Texas. Dr. Rockwood also oversaw the successful passage of a $137.3 million bond program, while teacher salaries moved from the bottom to the top quartile of comparison districts in DFW. He partnered with the School Board to launch the district’s first Strategic Plan Balanced Scorecard focused on organizational excellence and multiyear continuous improvement. Post-secondary readiness remains a key focus, with more than 97 percent of HPISD graduates attending college, often at the nation’s most prestigious universities.
Dr. Rockwood has been recognized by the Dallas Business Journal as a “40 Under 40” honoree for innovative business leadership in the Metroplex. The National School Public Relations Association named him one of its 25 National “Superintendents to Watch”. Locally, Southern Methodist University selected him as a District Leadership Fellow, and he was honored as “Person of the Year” by Park Cities People.
Before coming to Highland Park, Dr. Rockwood served as Superintendent of Schools in Lake Dallas ISD, where he led the district to new academic heights. Under his leadership, every elementary campus earned record state accountability ratings, and the high school was named one of U.S. News & World Report’s Best High Schools in the nation. He strengthened post-secondary readiness by raising the College, Career, and Military Readiness score from a B to an A and doubling achievement on AP exams. He also launched the district’s first strategic plan, balanced the budget, renovated multiple campuses, constructed new facilities, and increased transparency through strategic communications.
Prior to Lake Dallas ISD, Dr. Rockwood served as Deputy Superintendent in one of the state’s largest and fastest-growing 6A school districts, Lamar Consolidated ISD. In this role, he supported academic, operational, and financial initiatives that contributed to the district earning an A rating from the state. He helped lead the passage of $1.35 billion in bond funds, numerous school rezonings, land purchases, and multiple stakeholder advisory committees as the district grew from 24,000 to 40,000 students. He was instrumental in developing districtwide leadership programs for more than 6,000 employees. Over his career, Dr. Rockwood has also served as Chief of Staff and Executive Director, along with other central office roles in both Lamar CISD and Sheldon ISD in the Houston area.
Dr. Rockwood earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership from Baylor University, a master’s degree from The George Washington University, and a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University. Born and raised in Texas, he and his wife, Jené, have two children attending HPISD schools, and they are proud to call the Park Cities home.