COPPERAS COVE – Tuesday evening, the Copperas Cove ISD Board of Trustees voted to name its lone finalist for the position of Superintendent of Schools.
Trustees unanimously selected Dr. Brent Hawkins as the Lone Finalist for Superintendent in Copperas Cove ISD.
Hawkins has more than 16 years of experience as a superintendent in Texas public schools, having served in that role in Livingston ISD since June 2014, the longest-tenured superintendent in Livingston’s 100-year history. He has worked in Texas public schools for more than 32 years total.
“I am not only honored but humbled to join Copperas Cove ISD,” Hawkins said. “My family and I look forward to making Copperas Cove our home. I am excited to work to ensure the standards of excellence set by this district are continued. I am dedicated to working as a team with our staff, parents, and community to ensure that every student in our schools reaches their full potential and becomes the best version of themselves.”
While in Livingston, Dr. Hawkins has worked to improve the district in every facet, from academic performance and staff retention to finance and available programs.
Over the past decade, Livingston improved its campus performance from the lowest 5% in the state to a “B” district, with three “A” campuses and two in the U.S. News & World Report’s Top 40, in a district where more than half of students are economically disadvantaged.
“Dr. Hawkins brings a wealth of experience, dedication and expertise to our district,” said Joan Manning, President of the CCISD Board of Trustees. “He projects a confident, but humble spirit and wants only the best for our district. I am personally excited that he will consider the district his ‘work family’ and understands there must be new, deep relationships forged to insure a successful district.”
Financially, Dr. Hawkins worked through multiple avenues for necessary capital improvement projects, refinanced existing district debt to save Livingston taxpayers $13 million. Additionally, Hawkins’ leadership helped the district improve its salary and compensation plan.
“Dr. Hawkins impressed me with his comment that changing the lives of those we serve is important,” said Mike Wilburn, CCISD Board of Trustees Secretary. “He also said, ‘We need to be a family,’ and that attitude is important for our district.”
In 2024, the Livingston ISD Board of Trustees nominated Dr. Hawkins for Superintendent of the Year, with the trustees raving about his work to improve professional staff turnover from 27.7% in 2014 to 10% in the past two years, his student-first approach to leadership and his ability to navigate tragic situations with poise and strength.
“Dr. Hawkins is a proven leader who will continue the excellence of CCISD and maintain our district as the premier district of choice in central Texas,” said John Gallen, vice president of the CCISD Board of Trustees.
Prior to joining Livingston ISD, Dr. Hawkins was the Deputy Director for Administrative Services for the TEA’s Region 6 Education Service Center serving 57 districts based in Huntsville for two years, where he oversaw several departments and helped revamp the center’s superintendent search process to help districts.
Before then, Dr. Hawkins was the superintendent at Woden ISD in east Texas for four years, where he improved campus academic performance, based on state accountability measures.
From 2002-2008, Dr. Hawkins was a coach, principal, curriculum director and superintendent at Diboll ISD, where he helped obtain grants to improve student opportunities and was awarded the 2005 National Renaissance Learning Educational Leader of the Year award.
Before serving as the top leader of districts, Dr. Hawkins worked as a principal in Leggett ISD, an assistant principal in Shepherd ISD and a teacher and coach in Wells ISD, Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD and Diboll.
Dr. Hawkins earned his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from Stephen F. Austin State University. He completed his doctorate in educational leadership in 2011.
Brent Hawkins is married to his wife of 27 years, Jenny. The couple has three adult children and two grandchildren.
State law requires a 21-day waiting period before the CCISD Board of Trustees can vote to officially hire Dr. Hawkins as the district’s next superintendent. That meeting is currently scheduled for Jan. 9, 2025 at 2 p.m. in the Board Room at the CCISD Service & Training Center on South Main Street.
“I could not be more eager to meet and get to know everyone that makes Copperas Cove so special,” Hawkins said.