District 214 Board of Education, state and county honor Dr. Lázaro López as he concludes distinguished D214 career
The High School District 214 Board of Education recognized Dr. Lázaro “Laz” López for his extraordinary service at its June 25 board of education meeting, honoring a career that has helped shape the future of public education, college and career readiness, workforce development and opportunity for thousands of students.
As Dr. López prepares to retire from District 214, the Illinois Senate and Cook County Board of Commissioners have also adopted resolutions recognizing his distinguished career and lasting impact on students, families, schools and communities across Illinois.
Together, the recognitions celebrate a career defined by innovation, partnership and a belief that every student should graduate with more than a diploma. For decades, Dr. López has helped shape a model of high school education that connects rigorous academics with real-world experiences, early college credit, industry credentials, internships, apprenticeships and meaningful postsecondary pathways.
“Dr. López helped change the way people think about high school,” Superintendent Dr. Scott Rowe said. “He understood early that students need more than access to courses. They need guidance, experiences and opportunities that help them discover who they are, what they are capable of and where their future can lead. His work has opened doors for thousands of students, and his influence will continue to be felt across District 214 and beyond.”
Dr. López’s own story reflects the power of public education, service and opportunity. After serving in the United States Army, he began his postsecondary journey at College of DuPage before earning degrees from Illinois State University, Roosevelt University and Aurora University.
He began his District 214 career as an English teacher at John Hersey High School and went on to serve as principal of Wheeling High School, associate superintendent for teaching and learning, interim superintendent and executive director of the District 214 Education Foundation and Career Pathways.
At Wheeling High School, Dr. López helped reimagine what high school could be. Under his leadership, the school advanced STEM education, established one of the first high school nanotechnology labs in the country, launched early career pathways in manufacturing and health care, expanded dual-credit opportunities and built strong partnerships with business, higher education and community leaders.
His leadership at Wheeling earned him numerous honors, including the 2010 Dr. Elizabeth Ennis Innovative Educator Award, the 2012 Illinois Principals Association North Cook Region High School Principal of the Year and the 2013 Illinois Principals Association High School Principal of the Year.
In his districtwide leadership roles, Dr. López helped establish District 214 as a state and national model for career-connected learning. His work helped ensure that students could explore their interests, earn college credit, gain industry-recognized credentials, participate in work-based learning and make more informed choices about college, careers, military service, skilled trades, entrepreneurship and other meaningful pathways.
The resolutions also recognize Dr. López’s statewide impact through his service as Chair of the Illinois Community College Board from 2015 to 2025. In that role, he championed educational equity, seamless student transitions, dual credit, workforce development and the essential role of community colleges in creating opportunity for students, adult learners, working families and communities across Illinois.
Although he is retiring from his District 214 role, Dr. López will remain connected to the district as the volunteer leader of the District 214 Education Foundation. He will also continue his work to expand opportunities for students in a new role as senior director of pathways with Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University, where he will support college and career pathways and work-based learning efforts across Illinois and beyond.
Throughout his career, Dr. López has remained focused on a simple but powerful promise: that every student deserves the support, confidence and real-world experiences needed to pursue a future with purpose, dignity and economic mobility.
As he concludes his service to District 214, Dr. López leaves behind a legacy that can be seen in the thousands of students who have graduated better prepared for their futures, the partnerships that continue to connect classrooms to careers and the educators, policymakers and community leaders who have been influenced by his vision.