Robert F. Hill, Ed.D., Chief Executive Officer and Superintendent of the Springfield City School District (SCSD), has been named the 2027 Ohio Superintendent of the Year by the Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA).
The prestigious statewide recognition honors outstanding educational leadership and qualifies Hill to represent Ohio in the 2027 AASA National Superintendent of the Year selection process.
Hill has served as Springfield's Superintendent and CEO since 2015, leading one of Ohio's most diverse urban school districts through significant educational, financial, and community challenges. Throughout his tenure, the District has focused on improving student achievement, expanding postsecondary opportunities, strengthening community partnerships, and maintaining responsible stewardship of public resources.
Under Hill's leadership, Springfield has established a districtwide approach to continuous improvement built upon strategic planning, instructional collaboration, accountability, and measurable outcomes.
The District's 2025-2026 Ohio School Report Card documented significant progress. Twelve of 14 reportable schools earned three or four stars in student growth, including seven schools earning four stars. The five-year graduation rate reached 91.2%, while College, Career, Workforce, and Military Readiness increased from 17% in 2021-2022 to 64% in 2025-2026.
Student attendance improved to 90.1%, while chronic absenteeism declined by 11.8 percentage points over five years. English Learner proficiency and growth outcomes also improved, earning the District all five available points in that measure of Ohio's accountability system.
Beyond academic measures, Hill has emphasized student leadership, community engagement, and removing barriers to learning. Springfield maintains more than 130 community partnerships supporting career exploration, internships, higher education access, health services, and family resources. The District's School-Based Health Center has served more than 1,700 students since opening in September 2024, while students participated in 95 documented student-led events during the 2025-2026 school year.
Hill's leadership extends throughout Springfield and Clark County through longstanding civic, educational, and nonprofit board service. He has also contributed to statewide and national educational leadership through BASA, AASA, professional presentations, and collaborative initiatives focused on improving public education.
AASA's National Superintendent of the Year program recognizes superintendents in four areas: leadership for learning, communication, professionalism, and community involvement. State honorees will be recognized at the 2027 AASA National Conference on Education.
While the statewide recognition celebrates substantial progress, Hill has consistently emphasized that Springfield's work remains unfinished. Improving foundational literacy, increasing academic proficiency, strengthening attendance, and expanding opportunities for every student remain District priorities.
The Springfield City School District congratulates Hill on this recognition and celebrates the collective efforts of its employees, students, families, Board of Education, and community partners.
"Dr. Hill's recognition as the 2027 Ohio Superintendent of the Year is a tremendous honor and one that is well deserved. His leadership has helped guide our District through significant challenges, difficult decisions, and meaningful progress, always with a focus on doing what is best for students. The improvements we are seeing reflect his commitment to our schools and the collective hard work of our teachers, administrators, support staff, students, families, and community partners. Dr. Hill has consistently recognized that meaningful progress requires the efforts of an entire team. The Board is proud of this recognition, not only for Dr. Hill, but for the entire Springfield City School District. It is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate what our Wildcat Family continues to accomplish together." Joan Elder President, Springfield City School District Board of Education |