Carmen Beck, assistant professor of education at Cal State San Bernardino, has been named the 2026 Professor of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA).

Beck will be honored during ACSA’s Awards Dinner and President’s Gala at 6 p.m. Nov. 6 in Chula Vista. The event is part of the 2026 ACSA Leadership Summit, scheduled for Nov. 4-7.

“Being named both the ACSA Region XII and 2026 State Professor of the Year is deeply meaningful to me,” said Beck, who also serves as assistant director of the Doctorate in Educational Leadership program. “My journey began as a bilingual aide and has taken me from the classroom to school, district, and county leadership, including serving as a Chief Academic Officer, and now to preparing the next generation of educational leaders as faculty. 

“Through it all, I have remained a teacher at heart. I am living proof that education can transform a life and a family, and my greatest hope is to create those same possibilities for others,” she said. “I receive this recognition with tremendous gratitude for the students, family, mentors, colleagues, and communities who have shaped my journey.”

Beck was selected through ACSA Region XII as part of the organization’s annual awards program, which recognizes educators, administrators and community organizations for their achievements and dedication to public education.

Her work focuses on equity-centered leadership, Latinx education and advancing women in educational leadership. Her research explores culturally responsive pedagogy, family engagement and social justice in schools. A former district administrator with more than 30 years of experience in K-12 and higher education, Beck combines scholarship, teaching and service to mentor future educational leaders.

Chinaka DomNwachukwu, dean of the James R. Watson and Judy Rodriguez Watson College of Education, called Beck “a proven educational leader” who has “made a lasting impact on generations of students and educators.”

“ACSA’s recognition of Dr. Beck underscores the significance of her contributions as both an educational leader and a leader of leaders,” he said. “Her influence is widely respected by colleagues throughout the region and across the state.”

“Dr. Carmen Beck is an exceptional educator, scholar and leader whose commitment to equity and culturally responsive educational leadership is evident in everything she does,” said Enrique Murillo Jr., director of the Doctorate in Educational Leadership program at CSUSB. “Her ability to connect research, practice and community engagement has made a lasting impact on our students and on the future educational leaders she mentors. ACSA’s recognition is a well-deserved acknowledgment of her decades of service and her unwavering dedication to creating more inclusive and just schools.”

An ACSA feature story, “Beck nurtures culturally responsive school leaders,” published July 13, describes her work developing leaders who can create more inclusive and community-centered schools.

Beck’s professional background includes an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Azusa Pacific University, a master’s degree in literacy and English language development and a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies from the University of Redlands. She also holds California teaching and administrative credentials, as well as a biliteracy specialist certificate from the University of California, Riverside.