Dr. Traci Pierce is a skilled educational leader with 17 years of experience in public education. Pierce became Lake Washington School District’s 11th superintendent on July 1, 2012. She leads the district’s strategic efforts to make Every Student Future Ready, which is the district’s vision. Her strategy involves a focus on effective 
teaching, standards-based assessing and reporting systems, and continuous improvement efforts focused on results. Dr. Pierce believes that in order to achieve future-readiness for every student, the system must focus on three inter-related learning agendas: student learning, professional learning, and system learning. Her efforts will focus on supporting and improving learning at all levels in the organization.
Dr. Pierce has led the district’s shift to grades K-5 elementary schools, 6-8 middle schools and 9-12 high schools. These efforts have resulted in the development of a middle school philosophy and academic program specifically designed to help students transition from elementary to high school. Updated high school credit-based graduation requirements, beginning with the class of 2016, are another result.
Dr. Pierce began her career in the Lake Washington School District in 1994. She taught Language Arts/Social Studies and Leadership at Inglewood Junior High. After six years in the classroom, she served as assistant principal at Inglewood for two years. She was promoted to Inglewood principal, serving in that role for two years. Dr. Pierce was next promoted to central office administration, where she served first as the district’s Coordinator of Instructional Technology and then as Director of Teaching and Learning. Dr. Pierce was named Chief Schools Officer in July 2007. She served as Deputy Superintendent, Instructional Services, from July 2010 through June 2012.
Dr. Pierce is a graduate of the University of Washington, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. She also earned her Washington State teaching certificate at UW, with endorsements in English and History. She earned a Master of Education in Educational Leadership and Washington State principal certification at City University. In 2009, she earned her Washington State superintendent’s credential and Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Washington. Her doctoral studies centered on organizational capacity building and systems-level leadership.