BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Former Bellevue School District Superintendent Mike Riley has been found dead, district officials confirmed on Wednesday.

Riley was found dead in his apartment in Virginia on Wednesday morning. He was 58.

The cause of death has not been determined.

Riley took the position as superintendent in July of 1996 and led the district for 11 years until December 2007 when he took a position as the senior vice president of College Board in Virginia.

During his time with the Bellevue School District, Riley aimed to create a standardized curriculum and provide individual help early on for struggling students. He also encouraged teachers to use up-to-date technology in the classroom.

Riley's accomplishments include offering of full-day kindergarten to all children regardless of their family's ability to pay, and urging teachers to seek certification from the National Professional Teaching Standards Board. During Riley's time, the district boasted more National Board Certified teachers than any other in the state.

"I'll always remember Bellevue as a place of hope," Riley wrote in his farewell note to his staff. "I will always look to the Bellevue can-do spirit for inspiration."

In lieu of flowers, Riley's family has requested that donations be made to Bellevue Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA or a children's charity of your choice, according to the district's Web site.