SLO County school district superintendent to retire. ‘One of the greatest honors’
Eric Prater, the longtime leader of San Luis Obispo schools, will retire at the end of next school year.
Prater made the announcement to staff and families in a message on Friday afternoon via ParentSquare, a school communications platform.
“After thoughtful reflection and conversations with my family, I’ve decided to retire as Superintendent of San Luis Coastal Unified School District in July 2027,” Prater wrote.
By then, Prater will have served as superintendent for 17 years in the school district, which encompasses campuses from SLO to Morro Bay. He will have served in public education in California for 34 years, he said.
Prater started as superintendent in San Luis Coastal in 2010. During his tenure, the district navigated the COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, previously a major income source for the district, which is largely funded by property taxes.
“It has truly been one of the greatest honors of my life to work alongside such dedicated educators, staff members, families and community partners in service of our students,” he wrote.
The retirement announcement means the San Luis Coastal school board will soon launch the process of searching for a new superintendent through an executive search firm. An item to approve a request for proposals for a search firm was on Tuesday night’s school board meeting agenda.
Prater said the board will get input from families, staff, students and community members to gauge what qualities the community wants from their new district leader.
According to Prater, the board plans to select a candidate by fall — but they wouldn’t start until Prater’s departure in July 2027.
“This timeline allows for a thoughtful transition and meaningful onboarding so our next leader is well prepared to continue the important work underway in our district,” Prater said.
Until then, Prater said he plans to focus on supporting the district’s students, staff and schools.
“I look forward to continuing this work together over the next year and helping ensure a smooth and successful transition for the district we all care so deeply about,” he said. “Thank you for your partnership, your trust and for all you do each day to support the students of San Luis Coastal.”
The Tribune reached out to Prater for more details on why he made the decision to retire. He said via email that he’ll turn 60 in January 2027, and wants to have “enough energy, inspiration and capacity to love to do other things in this life.”
“A former superintendent friend of mine in the Bay Area decided to keep going — well into his mid-60s — only to be diagnosed with cancer,” Prater said. “He died one year after he retired.”
Prater said that fate is common in high stress jobs, including public education.
“That’s not going to be my story,” he said. “I still love what I do, and I love the community I serve. The kids remain at the center of my universe. I want to keep it that way.”
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