Berkeley Unified School District, or BUSD, Superintendent Brent Stephens will step down from his position when his three-year contract ends June 30.

Stephens’ decision to leave comes after nearly three years of leading the BUSD throughout what he described as an “exceptional time” in education. 

“It has been an honor to work beside so many remarkable educators, parents, community and City partners, and students,” Stephens said in an email shared with The Daily Californian by BUSD spokesperson Trish McDermott. 

In the email, Stephens highlighted several of the school district’s efforts toward advancing equity throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

To increase the accessibility of vaccines, BUSD, in partnership with the city of Berkeley, provided vaccines to “hundreds of staff and students,” according to the email.

“We were among the very few districts to fully re-open our elementary schools last year,” Stephens said in the email. “This year, we have developed a ‘gold standard’ approach to COVID testing and contact tracing.”

Stephens also listed the Ed Hub as one of the district’s proudest accomplishments. The hub, a partnership between BUSD and Berkeley Public Schools Fund, provided Berkeley families with various resources including meals and rent assistance, as well as mental health and academic support.

In the following weeks, the school board will determine its next steps in the search for Stephens’ successor, said BUSD school board President Ka’Dijah Brown in the email. 

“We in BUSD are grateful for the leadership that Dr. Stephens has exemplified while leading us through a global pandemic that challenged public education like no other time in history,” Brown said in the email. “He has done so with grace, vision, consistent communication, and a steadfast commitment to keeping our community safe, including students, staff and families.”