Meeting of the Board of Regents | September 2009

Executive Summary

Issue for Decision

Will the Board of Regents approve the appointment of John B. King, Jr. to the position of Senior Deputy Commissioner, P-12.

Reasons for Consideration

John B. King, Jr. has been recognized across the State and the nation for providing results-driven educational leadership. He has a proven track record of lifting the level of academic achievement for low-income minority students in urban settings, with the goal of ensuring that those students are prepared for college-level work. As co-founder and director of a college preparatory public charter middle school in Boston, MA, he developed an instructional program and school culture that provided not only the academic skills but also the self-discipline and character essential for success in high school and college.  One hundred percent of the school’s students are black or Latino and all of its graduates matriculate to college preparatory high schools; 80 percent of the school’s graduates who are now college-age are persisting in college.

In his current role as managing director of a network of college preparatory urban public charter schools in New York City, Mr. King has continued his work to improve educational outcomes for low-income students in urban settings. In 2009, 98 percent of grade 3-8 students in the network of schools overseen by Mr. King scored at Level 3 or 4 on the State’s math assessments, compared with 86 percent of all New York students and 82 percent of New York City students. And 89 percent of students in his network of schools scored at Level 3 or 4 on the State’s English Language Arts assessments, compared with 77 percent at the State level and 69 percent in New York City.

Mr. King is a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard College. Additionally, he holds an Ed.D. from Teachers College, Columbia University and is a 2007 graduate of Yale Law School. He has been a frequent speaker on closing the achievement gap and education reform and testified before the United States House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor in June of this year.

Proposed Handling

The Board of Regents will review John B. King’s credentials and experience in Executive Session on September 14, 2009.            

Recommendation

Accordingly, I recommend that you take the following action.

VOTED, that the Board of Regents accept the appointment of John B. King, Jr. to the position of Senior Deputy Commissioner, P-12, effective October 1, 2009.

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