Rural Superintendent Urges Educators and Community Leaders to Act Locally and Lead Boldly
IROQUOIS COUNTY, IL / ACCESS Newswire / September 25, 2025 / Andrew Jordan, Superintendent of Donovan CUSD #3 and former Illinois Principal of the Year, has been featured in a new in-depth interview highlighting his journey from small-town educator to a recognised voice in school leadership. In the interview, Jordan shares how his experience in rural education offers critical lessons for school systems everywhere-and he's now calling for increased community-driven support in education.
"You don't need to wait for a policy change to start helping students," said Jordan. "Look at the tools, people, and spaces already around you. That's where change starts."
Jordan's message focuses on everyday action and low-cost innovation. During his time as principal and superintendent, he secured over $270,000 in competitive grants, including the Stronger Connections Grant (2024) and a High-Impact Tutoring Grant (2022-2024). These grants funded student safety upgrades and academic recovery efforts across his district.
He also led a $60,000 library-to-media centre renovation and spearheaded tutoring programmes that directly supported students impacted by post-COVID learning gaps.
The Need Is Urgent-And Widespread
In the United States, more than 25% of public schools report not having access to targeted tutoring programmes. In the UK, one in four secondary schools lack modern learning spaces or catch-up funding, according to 2024 Ofsted data.
Jordan argues this isn't just a funding issue-it's a leadership gap.
"Leadership isn't about title-it's about seeing what's missing and stepping in," he explained. "I was just a small-town assistant principal when we first started building new programs from scratch."
His background in entrepreneurship adds weight to his approach. Before becoming superintendent, Jordan co-owned J3 Timing which is a fun race timing company. He also ran the Stockton 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament for 15 years, raising over $50,000 for local youth sports programs. These experiences, he says, helped him see schools not only as places of learning-but as hubs of innovation, sport, and community growth.
Empowering Others to Lead-Where They Are
Jordan doesn't just want to share his own success. He wants to empower others.
"Teachers, parents, coaches-anyone can lead," he said. "If you've got an empty room, you've got a tutoring space. If you know five people in your town who care, you've got a task force. That's how it starts."
His interview also highlights the value of cross-sector collaboration. He serves on the Illinois Masonic Student Assistance Program (IMSAP) state committee, which provides over $80,000 in free professional development to schools each year. He also works on the Educational Committee for State Representative Jason Bunting, helping shape school policy from the ground up.
Call to Action: Act Small, Think Big
Rather than a national campaign or funding drive, Jordan's call is simple and local:
Start a volunteer tutoring group-even once a week.
Partner with local business owners to support student projects or events.
Turn unused school spaces into places students actually want to be.
Get involved in school boards or state committees.
Raise awareness about the real needs of students in your community.
"It doesn't have to be complicated," said Jordan. "You just have to care-and act."
To read the full interview, visit the website here.
About Andrew Jordan
Andrew Jordan is the Superintendent of Donovan CUSD #3 and a former Illinois Principal of the Year. He has led major school improvement efforts, secured over $270,000 in education grants, and champions community-driven leadership. He also serves on state education committees and advocates for student-first solutions across Illinois.
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SOURCE: Andrew Jordan
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
