May 5, 2016
CLINTON, Miss. – Chiefs for Change (CFC) today announced Dr. Carey M. Wright, state superintendent of education, is one of four new education chiefs who have joined the organization.
John White, CFC Board Chair and Louisiana State Superintendent of Education said, “This is an especially strong group of leaders who we're proud to have join our work to prepare all students for college and careers. In the era of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), student success depends on state and district Chiefs now more than ever. These four leaders have implemented strategic, innovative policies and practices that we all can learn from.”
Formed in 2015, Chiefs for Change is a bipartisan network of state and district education chiefs dedicated to preparing all students for the future. CFC’s 21 members represent 2.8 million students.
“I'm thrilled to be joining forces with mission-aligned colleagues from around the country,” Wright said. “Being able to work collaboratively with peers is invaluable, especially as we prepare our plans to continue improving student outcomes, and supporting teachers and leaders, under ESSA.”
Along with Wright, CFC’s new members include:
- Malika Anderson, Superintendent of the Achievement School District, Tennessee
- Steve Canavero, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Nevada
- Lewis D. Ferebee, Superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools, Indiana
“One commonality among our members is that their thinking begins with students," said CFC CEO Mike Magee. “And they do the hard work of creating a culture where everyone thinks that way, where kids are the North Star. Their mission is to transform our systems—which in most cases were designed 50 or even 100 years ago—so that they serve today’s kids and tomorrow’s. Our four newest members are great representative examples of that kind of transformational leadership.”
Along with joining CFC, Wright recently joined the board of directors for the Council of Chief State School Officers and was appointed to the Advisory Committee on Ending Chronic Absence (ACECA), a national committee established by the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. ACECA is a bipartisan effort that builds on the research that reducing chronic absence has a direct impact on academic achievement, starting in the early grades.
Prior to her current post, Wright served as the Chief Academic Officer for the District of Columbia Public Schools as well as the Deputy Chief for the Office of Teaching and Learning. From 2003 to 2009, Wright served as the Associate Superintendent for the Office of Special Education and Student Services for the Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland. In her capacity as associate superintendent she was responsible for student services for 150,000 students and special education programming for 17,000 students with disabilities, managing a budget of $325 million, and much more.
Wright spent the majority of her career in Maryland's Howard County Public Schools, where she was a teacher, a principal for 15 years, and the director of special education and student services.
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