ACTE Announces Texas Director of Career and Technical Education as
National Award Finalist
ALEXANDRIA, VA—Today, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) announced Dr. Donna Prudhomme, Director of Career and Technical Education (CTE) at Beaumont ISD in Beaumont, TX as the 2026 ACTE Region IV Administrator of the Year. This award recognizes administrative career and technical education (CTE) professionals at the school, district, county, state or federal level who have demonstrated leadership in ensuring teacher and student success and have made significant contributions toward innovative, unique and effective career and technical education programs.
Dr. Donna Prudhomme serves as the Director of Career and Technical Education (CTE) for Beaumont Independent School District, bringing 31 years of experience in education, including 28 years within BISD and 3 years in industry. She began her career as a Criminal Justice teacher and has since served as a high school counselor, assistant principal, magnet coordinator, and principal of Clifton J. Ozen Magnet High School. Under her leadership, the campus achieved state accountability ratings of Met Standard and earned a state distinction in science.
A dedicated lifelong learner, Dr. Prudhomme holds five degrees from Lamar University, Prairie View A&M University, and Nova Southeastern University. She is certified as a Superintendent, Principal, School Counselor, and Vocational Trades and Industry Teacher.
Since assuming leadership of BISD’s CTE department in 2018, Dr. Prudhomme has spearheaded a rebranding and expansion of programs that have strengthened industry partnerships, created greater student opportunities, and deepened community engagement. She also launched the Annual CTE Choice Awards, a red-carpet celebration that now draws more than 1,000 attendees each year to honor student achievement, teacher excellence, and community partnerships.
Under her leadership, BISD students have significantly increased their attainment of industry-based certifications, and the district recently achieved a milestone worth celebrating. According to the 2024–2025 Accountability Ratings, BISD’s CTE industry-based certification results for College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) are virtually tied with the State of Texas, with BISD at 34.9 percent and the state at 35 percent. In addition, BISD far exceeds the state average in Level I and Level II certificates, with 8.1 percent compared to the state’s 1.1 percent.
Beyond education, Dr. Prudhomme is a REALTOR®, a Board-Certified Credit Consultant, and founder of the Credit Education School, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering young women through financial literacy. She was previously named the 2024 CTAT Administrator of the Year and honored as the 2025 ACTE Administrator of the Year. Dr. Prudhomme is committed to preparing students for success in college, career, and beyond.
She and her husband, Michael, have been married for 28 years and have two children, Malek and Mia, along with their dog, Bentley. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, binge-watching Netflix, reading about entrepreneurship, and spending time with her family.
Prudhomme is one of five finalists for the 2026 national title. The national winner will be announced at the ACTE Awards Gala, an award presentation recognizing the best CTE educators in the country. The event will take place on December 9, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. The Awards Gala is sponsored by Goodheart-Willcox, The Army, and Stratasys. For more information about the ACTE Excellence Awards, visit our webpage.
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About ACTE
The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is the nation’s largest not-for-profit association committed to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for successful careers. ACTE represents the community of CTE professionals, including educators, administrators, researchers, school counselors, guidance and career development professionals and others at all levels of education. ACTE is committed to excellence in providing advocacy, public awareness and access to resources, professional development and leadership opportunities.
