The Waco Independent School District Board of Trustees in a special meeting on June 1, 2006 named Dr. Roland Hernandez as the district's new superintendent to replace the retiring Dr. Jerry Major.

Hernandez comes to Waco from the Tyler Independent School District where he had been serving as deputy superintendent since July 2003. He is already somewhat familiar with central Texas having served as deputy superintendent of the Belton Independent School District from 2001-2002. Other campus and district level experiences include teaching, coaching and administrative positions at the Spring Branch and Angleton Independent School Districts.

In addition to being a school administrator, Hernandez served as one of six members of the No Child Left Behind National Advisory Board, state director of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, and program coordinator for the University of Texas at Austin’s prestigious Charles A. Dana Center.

Hernandez earned his doctorate of philosophy in educational administration from the University of Texas at Austin, a master’s degree from the University of Houston at Clear Lake, and a bachelor’s of science degree from Southwest Texas State University.

Hernandez and wife, Cynthia, have two children, Lauren, age 11 and Leyton, age 8.