State Board of Education Names New Executive Director
State Board of Education President Dr. Teri Quinn Gray welcomes Donna Johnson as the board’s new executive director. Johnson, a former Delaware teacher, begins Aug. 1.
A Dover resident, Johnson graduated from Dover High School before majoring in mathematics at Wake Forest University and earning a bachelor’s degree in math education at Delaware State University. She is completing a master’s degree in educational leadership at Wilmington University.
Johnson taught high school mathematics at Caesar Rodney and Sussex Technical high schools from 1997 to 2006, when she took a district-level administration position with the Caroline Public Schools in Maryland as the coordinator of mathematics and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) initiatives.
In January, Governor Jack Markell appointed Johnson to the Governor’s STEM Council. She leads the council’s advisory committee and sits on the program evaluation committee. She also has helped Maryland implement its Race to the Top Initiative and developed the STEM program at CCPS.
Johnson has experience in classroom instruction, development and delivery of professional development, evaluation of teacher performance, data analysis, development and analysis of high stakes assessment, grant writing, and fostering partnerships in education with both local businesses as well as higher education. She has led statewide educational professional associations in Maryland and Delaware as well as participated in national educational advocacy groups.
“Donna’s deep classroom and administrative experience and her background in both in- and out-of-state public school systems will support her policy work here well,” Gray said. “She will be a great asset to the board.”
She succeeds Dr. Judi Coffield, who took a post in the Christina School District in May.
Johnson will report to the State Board of Education, a separate entity from the Delaware Department of Education. The seven-member board is appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state senate. The board’s responsibilities include reviewing and approving regulations as well as applications for state-chartered schools.
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Delaware's Department of Education is committed to promoting the highest quality education
for every Delaware student by providing visionary leadership and superior service.
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Contact Info.
Alison Kepner Delaware Department of Education 401 Federal Street, Suite #2 Dover, Delaware 19901 Phone: (302) 735-4035 Fax: (302) 739-4654 Email: akepner@doe.k12.de.us |
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