John King, Jr.
| John B. King, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| 14th Commissioner of Education of the State of New York | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2011 | |
| Preceded by | David Steiner |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1975 Flatlands, Brooklyn, New York, New York |
| Profession | Educator |
John B. King, Jr. (born 1975 in Brooklyn, New York) is the current Commissioner of Education of the State of New York. Appointed to the post in May, 2011, he succeeded David Steiner in the position.[1]
King is the son of John B. King Sr, who was Brooklyn's first African American principal and later was the New York City's executive deputy superintendent of schools. His mother was Adalinda King, a guidance counselor in the city's public school system who was born in Puerto Rico. When King was 8 years old, his mother died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 48 while working in a middle school. A few years later his father started showing signs of advanced Alzheimer's disease, which left King to more or less take care of himself. When he was 12 years old, his father died at age 79. King credits the New York City Public School System for literally saving his life after the tragic loss of his parents. He feels a devotion to give back to the educational system to make it possible to save more kids like him.[1]
The fourteenth occupant of the office of Commissioner,[2] King was the youngest person ever to hold the position, and also the first African-American in the post, as well as the first person of Puerto Rican descent to be appointed.[3] Possessing degrees from Harvard, Yale and Columbia Universities,[1] King is the founder of Roxbury Preparatory Charter School, a Massachusetts-based charter school,[1] and was director of Uncommon Schools before being appointed Senior Deputy Commissioner for P-12 Education in 2009.[4][5]
King has served on the Equity and Excellence Commission of the United States Department of Education, and was honored by Aspen Institute in 2008, named as a Fellow of the Entrepreneurial Leaders for Public Education.[5]
New York City Teacher and Principal Evaluation Plan
In June 2013, Commissioner King released a new teacher and principal evaluation plan for New York City, bringing New York State's largest school district into compliance with state law.[6]
2013 controversy
In October 2013, following the cancellation of several public meetings regarding the State of New York's Common Core Curriculum, King was called on to resign by several parent groups.[7]
Personal life
King currently resides in Slingerlands,a suburb of Albany, with his wife, Melissa, a researcher for Scholastic Inc., and their two daughters, Amina and Mareya.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Otterman, Sharon (May 16, 2011). "Charter Founder Is Named Education Commissioner". The New York Times. New York. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
- ↑ "John King Jr., State Commissioner of Education, NY State Department of Education". Urban Education Leaders Program Teachers College, Columbia University. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
- ↑ Gonen, Yoav (May 17, 2011). "State crowns King of schools". New York Post. New York. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
- ↑ Kolodner, Meredith (May 16, 2011). "State Board of Regents appoints John King Jr. to replace state education commissioner David Steiner". New York Daily News. New York. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Dr. John B. King, Jr.". New York State Education Department. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
- ↑ Joseph, Channing (June 1, 2013). "New York to Evaluate Teachers With New System". The New York Times. New York. Retrieved 2014-1-07.
- ↑ Clukey, Keshia (October 15, 2013). "arents statewide call for resignation of Education Commissioner". Utica Observer-Dispatch. Utica, NY. Retrieved 2013-10-15.
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by David Steiner |
New York State Commissioner of Education 2011 - |
Succeeded by Incumbent |