Steve Martinez is motivated by the belief that ‘Our children deserve the best’

Steve Martinez began his career in education in 1998 as a teacher in Mendota Unified, a rural district west of Fresno, and became interested in how school leadership could shape the conditions around teachers and students.

Martinez had been drawn to Twin Rivers by what he saw as underserved communities that needed people to believe improvement was possible. When he arrived, he found a district worn down by the failed promises to deliver the sense of shared purpose people had hoped for.

What he noticed, though, was not only exhaustion. There was still hope that the district could function differently.

“Everyone was tired of being tired. When I came in, it was just the right time for someone from outside to see the potential within the district, within the community,” Martinez said.

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“Everyone wanted Twin Rivers to improve.”

He focused on building a shared purpose around students, the community and the possibility of collective change. In 2013-14, Twin Rivers’ graduation rate was roughly 76%. In recent public data, the district’s graduation rate for 2025 was about 92%.

Martinez pointed to the district’s dual enrollment as another example of how Twin Rivers tried to build students’ belief that college was possible for them. Through the program, students have the opportunity to earn a degree before high school graduation.

Ultimately, Martinez said three things made the transformation possible: a shared purpose centered on students, stronger systems to support classrooms, and investment in people so those closest to the work could help lead the district forward.

“Our kids, our children in this community deserve the best,” Martinez said.

“Everyone should be leaning forward to ensure that they have the best opportunities, the best facilities to reach their dream.”

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