East Side Union High School District

Chris Funk, Superintendent East Side Union High School District, will discuss the district and how the Rotary Club of San Jose East/Evergreen can best interface.

Chris Funk, a native of San Jose, began his career in education as a Civics and U.S. History teacher with East Side Union High School District at Yerba Buena High School back in 1990 and he returned as Superintendent in 2012 with the goal of eliminating the “Opportunity Gap” by holding the entire organization responsible for attaining the goal of providing every student a world-class education regardless of their economic, gender, or cultural background.

Prior to returning to East Side Union High School District, Chris spent 18 years with San Jose Unified School District and was principal of Lincoln High School for 5 of those years. Under his leadership, the school earned a California Distinguished School Award, 21st Century School of Distinction, and improved its API score by 30 points and closed the achievement gap between Hispanic and white students by 106 points, a 40% decrease in the gap.

An advocate for educational equity and career-relevant educational experience, Funk has ushered in innovative partnerships for the ESUHSD like Strive San Jose, the East Side Alliance and Spartan East Side Promise. He has been recognized for his vision and leadership with prestigious honors like the ACSA Region 8 Superintendent of the Year Award, and the President's Award from Santa Clara County Alliance of Black Educators.