Volusia County Schools Superintendent Dr. Carmen Balgobin is driven by a deep commitment to safety, academic success, and future readiness for Volusia’s more than 60,000 students. In a time marked by both challenges and opportunities, Dr. Balgobin has crafted a vision to address today’s needs while preparing students for tomorrow’s realities.
Prioritizing Safety and Attendance
When asked what keeps her up at night, Dr. Balgobin emphasized the importance of safety in today’s unpredictable environment. “We live in a world with certainties, but even more uncertainties,” she explained. “It’s our responsibility to create an environment where students and staff feel safe and supported every day.” For Dr. Balgobin, safety is essential to fostering an environment where students can fully engage and grow.
Alongside safety, Dr. Balgobin views consistent attendance as vital to student success. Nearly 30% of students miss more than 10% of the school year, which can create significant learning gaps. “Every day matters when it comes to learning,” she noted. Volusia’s new attendance initiative increases communication with families and provides support to address attendance barriers, ensuring that every student has the best chance to succeed.
Preparing Students for Diverse Futures with Career and Technical Education
Dr. Balgobin’s vision of success goes beyond academics, emphasizing pathways that prepare students for a variety of futures. She has expanded Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs across middle and high schools to provide students with hands-on, workforce-ready skills. “Workforce education is more important than ever,” she said, pointing out that success today doesn’t necessarily require a college degree.
Under her leadership, Volusia County has expanded CTE offerings to include over 80 unique programs, from welding and HVAC to aerospace engineering and coding. Partnerships with local businesses bring additional value, as students gain hands-on experiences through internships, job shadowing, and other opportunities that connect learning to real-world skills. “We want to build a bridge between education and industry so that students leave prepared to succeed in the community and beyond,” she said.
Innovating for the Future: Adapting Programs to Emerging Needs
Looking beyond the present, Dr. Balgobin sees the importance of evolving to meet the demands of the future. Volusia’s curriculum now includes programs in high-demand fields like artificial intelligence (AI), coding, and aerospace engineering, all of which are based on student interest surveys and feedback from business partners. “We’re constantly adapting to make sure our programs align with students’ skills and aspirations and reflect the evolving workforce,” she shared. Dr. Balgobin plans to continue expanding these offerings, guided by ongoing collaboration with students and industry leaders.
Building Resilience Through Education: A Personal Journey
Dr. Balgobin’s own life experience has shaped her belief in the power of education. Growing up, she faced multiple challenges, including attending 13 different schools before graduating high school and transitioning from a Spanish-speaking country to the U.S. as a teenager. These disruptions could have derailed her, but her parents instilled in her a strong belief in the value of education as a way to create opportunity and overcome obstacles. “Education was something that couldn’t be taken from me, no matter what challenges I faced,” she recalled. Her personal resilience has fueled her commitment to ensuring every student in Volusia County has access to a stable and supportive learning environment.
Expanding Global Perspectives Through Language Programs
Dr. Balgobin sees language learning as essential for students in a globalized world. Volusia County has introduced dual-language programs in elementary schools, allowing students to gain literacy in both Spanish and French. “Language learning is about more than words; it’s about understanding and respecting culture,” she explained. “We’re equipping students with skills that allow them to see and connect with the world in new ways.”
Her goal is to prepare students for a global society by helping them become biliterate, bilingual, and bicultural. For Dr. Balgobin, these language programs provide a well-rounded perspective and give students a competitive edge as they move through their educational journey and into their careers.
A Vision for Lifelong Learning and Community Impact
As she leads Volusia County Schools, Dr. Balgobin is focused on a vision that goes beyond academics to prepare students for lifelong learning. Her approach emphasizes inclusivity, adaptability, and a commitment to helping every student reach their potential. “Our role isn’t just to educate students for what’s happening now but to prepare them for what lies ahead,” she said. With a foundation in safety, career readiness, language learning, and family engagement, Dr. Balgobin is creating a district where students are prepared to thrive in the 21st century.
Dr. Balgobin’s leadership reflects her conviction that education is “the great equalizer,” giving every student the opportunity to succeed in an increasingly complex world. By combining her own resilience with a forward-thinking approach, she is helping Volusia County Schools build a future-ready district that serves as a source of pride and opportunity for all.
