Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) has announced the appointment of Dr. Darrell J. Sampson as the new associate superintendent for student services and post-secondary success, effective December 1, 2025.
According to PWCS, Dr. Sampson brings extensive expertise and a strong record of promoting student success and well-being. His professional background includes roles as an educational specialist, resource teacher, school counselor, and choral/vocal music instructor. Between 2004 and 2008, he taught within Prince William County Public Schools, where he developed his foundational commitment to supporting student achievement.
Before joining PWCS, Sampson was executive director of student services at Arlington Public Schools. In this role, he implemented systemic reforms that reduced chronic absenteeism, created more nontraditional learning pathways, and improved mental health and substance abuse support through collaboration with local authorities.
Earlier in his career, Sampson served as executive director of student support teams at Alexandria City Public Schools. He managed comprehensive support programs, revised discipline policies, and led wellness initiatives during the pandemic. He also co-chaired the Virginia Department of Education’s Student and Staff Supports Committee for the “Recover, Redesign, Restart” initiative and helped shape state policies, including Virginia’s Suicide Prevention Guidelines. According to PWCS, Dr. Sampson holds a doctorate in education policy, organization, and leadership with an emphasis on diversity and equity from the University of Illinois and a master’s degree in education and human development from The George Washington University.
PWCS is noted as the second largest school division in Virginia and the 32nd largest in the nation. It serves over 90,000 students across various educational levels including elementary through high school as well as preschool and specialty programs. The division offers academic specialty programs such as two Governor’s Schools, dual enrollment options, Advanced Placement courses, Cambridge Programme courses, International Baccalaureate courses along with career and technology certifications. Additionally, it provides instruction in ten world languages while emphasizing sustainability and family engagement with support for 174 languages. Partnerships with businesses and community organizations are also highlighted by PWCS which reports a 94.3% on-time graduation rate along with over $123 million in scholarships for the class of 2024 under the leadership of Superintendent Dr. LaTanya D. McDade.
