For Daria, the work starts with the foundation: kindergarten. Under his leadership, TCS teachers were empowered to re-envision the kindergarten curriculum so that students are reading on grade level by the time they reach third grade. The early results show that the effort is working, too. This initiative is coupled with the system's award-winning summer learning academy, which was designed to reinforce skills learned to avoid the phenomenon called the "summer slide." Results show that students who participated in TCS summer learning programs didn't see the summer slide like their peers who did not attend. In 2020, TCS debuted the ELEVATE Dual Enrollment Scholarship Program, backed by the City Council.
"I absolutely am always looking to improve to do better and do more and that really does put me on the run a good bit, but I really wouldn't have it any other way," said Daria, who was named one of 25 Superintendents to Watch by the National School Public Relations Association in 2017.
He and his wife Susy have two children. Nicholas attended the Tuscaloosa City Schools and now attends The University of Alabama. Tyler attends the Tuscaloosa City Schools. Daria earned his doctorate in Educational Administration from the University of Alabama and earned National Superintendent Certification through AASA in 2020.