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The longest-serving schools superintendent in the Tri-Valley is stepping down in June, with Chris Funk announcing his upcoming retirement to the Dublin Unified School District community on Friday.
A career educator with 14 years of superintendent experience overall, Funk was hired to right the ship in Dublin starting in the 2021-22 school year after leading the East Side Union High School District in San Jose. His tenure at DUSD was highlighted by the opening of the long-anticipated Emerald High School on the east side of town, but also marked by difficult budget discussions in the past couple of years like many districts around the Bay Area.
“In Dublin Unified, I’ve witnessed firsthand the power of a community committed to both excellence and equity,” Funk said in his weekly newsletter Friday, revealing his plan to retire at the end of this academic year.
“Together, we’ve opened new schools, expanded opportunities, strengthened Professional Learning Communities, and deepened our collective focus on belonging and student achievement,” he said. “These accomplishments reflect not one individual’s effort, but the shared vision and dedication of a remarkable team of professionals and a supportive community.”
“It has been an honor to serve as your superintendent and to contribute to the future of this extraordinary district,” Funk added.
The DUSD Board of Trustees expects to discuss the superintendent search process at its first meeting of the new year, Board President Kristin Speck told the Pleasanton Weekly on Saturday morning.
“I am grateful for Chris Funk’s leadership over the past five years as our superintendent,” Speck said.
“When he first arrived, Chris tackled the challenges of a large funding gap for our capital projects, ensuring we had enough funds for Emerald and also for our older west side elementary schools,” she continued. “He was a steady leader during our post-COVID recovery efforts and supported the district as the student growth leveled off after 10 years of dramatic growth.”
“Thanks to his advocacy, teacher compensation was significantly increased, making Dublin a place where educators are truly valued and now earn the highest salaries in the region,” Speck said. “We appreciate Chris’s commitment to our students, staff, and community.”
Arriving at a disruptive time in Dublin, Funk represented the chance at stability following a run of four superintendents in just over two years. He will leave as the most-tenured superintendent in the Tri-Valley, with every other peer just in their second year with their district.
Funk told the Weekly on Saturday that he believes the district was “extremely successful” in achieving his top goals from when he started in July 2021, which he sees as “embedded in the daily work of DUSD”.
“(1) Identify the district’s top five bond priorities and align remaining bond funds to those priorities using an equity-based framework,” Funk said. “(2) Establish high-level indicators that track three-to-five-year trends, along with actionable sub-indicators that enable schools to make ongoing instructional and support adjustments; and (3) Strengthen systems and practices that build a more equitable school community for all students.”
Asked to name a top accomplishment during his five years in Dublin, Funk cited the district’s new gem on Central Parkway that welcomed its first students last school year.
“We delivered on a longstanding commitment by opening Emerald High School and stabilizing a bond program that had lost direction and community trust,” he said.
Retirement has been on Funk’s mind for months.
He said he informed Speck in August that he was planning to step down after the current school year, with the full board being told during closed session at last week’s meeting and district leadership, staff and the community at-large getting the news in his weekly update email on Friday.
“This decision comes with deep gratitude for the countless people who have made this work so meaningful: our students, families, staff, and community partners,” Funk wrote to the community.
That Dec. 9 board meeting included a nearly hour-long discussion on the district’s first midyear budget check-in – which had a much different tone after a financial error that Funk said he took “full responsibility” for was discovered and rectified, to the tune of $3.6 million. The mistake, which occurred because of overstated “vacancy savings” figures that weren’t caught before 2025-26 budget adoption, is contributing to DUSD now needing to target $8.4 million in cuts for its 2026-27 budget.
The board session last week also saw turnout from Dublin Teachers Association members and supporters amid the union’s impasse with the district in labor negotiations.
Funk’s decision means the trustees will add the future of the superintendent’s office as a parallel agenda priority alongside ongoing budget deliberations and union bargaining in the new year.
“At our initial board meeting in January, we will start talking about how to proceed with the superintendent search. The board will review all available options then and decide on the process we will follow,” said Speck, who was selected to serve a second straight year as president in a 3-2 vote Dec. 9.
“As I look ahead to my final semester,” Funk told the community, “my focus will remain on ensuring a smooth leadership transition and continuing the work of building an educational system where every student thrives.”
As for what lies ahead personally and professionally after June, Funk said he foresees a permanent retirement from full-time employment after more than 30 years in education.
“I am fully retiring from work in public education and will not be pursuing any future leadership roles. I may consider limited consulting or mentoring opportunities,” he told the Weekly.
