Rod Paige

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rod Paige
7th United States Secretary of Education
In office January 20, 2001 – January 20, 2005
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Richard Riley
Succeeded by	Margaret Spellings
Born	June 17, 1933 (1933-06-17) (age 76) Monticello, Mississippi
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	Jackson State University Indiana University-Bloomington

Roderick Raynor "Rod" Paige (born June 17, 1933), served as the 7th United States Secretary of Education from 2001 to 2005. Paige, who grew up in Mississippi, built a career on a belief that education equalizes opportunity, moving from college dean and school superintendent to be the first African American to serve as the nation's education chief.

Paige was sitting with George W. Bush at the Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida, when Bush received the news that a second plane had hit the World Trade Center in the September 11, 2001 attacks.

On November 15, 2004, Paige announced his resignation after overseeing the President's education agenda for four years. White House domestic policy adviser Margaret Spellings was nominated as his successor. The U.S. Senate confirmed her on January 20, 2005 after Bush's inauguration for a second term.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Other activities 4 Legacy 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Early life

Born in Monticello, Mississippi, Paige is the son of public school educators. He earned a bachelor's degree from Jackson State University in Mississippi and a Master's degree and a Doctor of Physical Education degree from Indiana University Bloomington. He also holds an honorary doctoral degree from the University of Houston, which was presented to him in 2000.

[edit] Career

Paige is the Chairman of the Chartwell Education Group, a company that supports schools, districts, and education boards.

Paige began his career coaching college-level athletics. He then served for a decade as Dean of the College of Education at Texas Southern University. He also established the university's Center for Excellence in Urban Education, a research facility that concentrates on issues related to instruction and management in urban school systems.

As a trustee and an officer of the Board of Education of the Houston Independent School District (HISD) from 1989 to 1994, Paige coauthored the board's A Declaration of Beliefs and Visions, a statement of purpose and goals for the school district that called for fundamental reform through decentralization, a focus on instruction, accountability at all levels, and development of a core curriculum. A Declaration of Beliefs and Visions was the catalyst that launched the ongoing, comprehensive restructuring of HISD.

Paige became the superintendent of schools of HISD in 1994. As superintendent, Paige created the Peer Examination, Evaluation, and Redesign (PEER) program, which solicits recommendations from business and community professionals for strengthening school support services and programs. He launched a system of charter schools that have broad authority in decisions regarding staffing, textbooks, and materials. He saw to it that HISD paid teachers salaries competitive with those offered by other large Texas school districts. Superintendent Paige made HISD the first school district in the state to institute performance contracts modeled on those in the private sector, whereby senior staff members' continued employment with HISD is based on their performance. He also introduced teacher incentive pay, which rewards teachers for raising test scores.

Many touted the "Houston Miracle" accomplished under Paige where student test scores rose under his leadership. A 60 Minutes report exposed many dropout rates touted in the "Houston Miracle" as false; deliberate fraud occurred at Sharpstown High School, for instance.^[1]. Not only were dropout rates falsified, but Houston area teachers admitted to raising test scores (for which they received cash bonuses) by cheating.^[2].

Paige once referred to the National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers union, as a "terrorist organization."^[3].

[edit] Other activities

Paige has served on review committees of the Texas Education Agency and the State Board of Education's Task Force on High School Education, and he has chaired the Youth Employment Issues Subcommittee of the National Commission for Employment Policy of the U.S. Department of Labor. Paige is a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He is a former member of the Houston Job Training Partnership Council, the Community Advisory Board of Texas Commerce Bank, the American Leadership Forum, and the board of directors of the Texas Business and Education Coalition. He is a prominent member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

[edit] Legacy

Houston ISD renamed campus of James Bowie Elementary School after Paige, naming it Rod Paige Elementary School.

[edit] References

1. ^ CBS News report on Paige
2. ^ "How Schools Cheat"
3. ^ FOXNews report on Paige

[edit] External links

• [1] Paige's entry in the International Who's Who; accessed September 1, 2006
• Backers and critics agree nominee reversed declines Houston Chronicle

Sporting positions
Preceded by Edward Clemons	Jackson State University Head Football Coach 1964–1968	Succeeded by Ulysses McPhearson
Preceded by Al Benefield	Texas Southern University Head Football Coach 1971–1975	Succeeded by Wendell Mosley
Political offices
Preceded by Richard Riley	United States Secretary of Education 2001 – 2005	Succeeded by Margaret Spellings

v • d • e Jackson State Tigers head football coaches Ellis • Merritt • Clemons • Paige • McPhearson • Hill • Gorden • Carson • Hughes • Bell • Comegy

v • d • e Texas Southern Tigers head football coaches Rettig • Durley • Paul • Benefield • Paige • Mosley • Sorey • Redmond • Taylor • Highsmith • Thomas • Wilson

v • d • e United States Secretaries of Education Hufstedler • Bell • Bennett • Cavazos • Alexander • Riley • Paige • Spellings • Duncan

v • d • e Cabinet of President George W. Bush (2001–2009)   Cabinet Secretary of State Colin Powell (2001–2005) • Condoleezza Rice (2005–2009) Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill (2001–2002) • John Snow (2003–2006) • Henry Paulson (2006–2009) Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld (2001–2006) • Robert Gates (2006–2009) Attorney General John Ashcroft (2001–2005) • Alberto Gonzales (2005–2007) • Michael Mukasey (2007–2009) Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton (2001–2006) • Dirk Kempthorne (2006–2009) Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman (2001–2005) • Mike Johanns (2005–2007) • Ed Schafer (2008–2009) Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans (2001–2005) • Carlos Gutierrez (2005–2009) Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao (2001–2009) Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson (2001–2005) • Mike Leavitt (2005–2009) Secretary of Education Rod Paige (2001–2005) • Margaret Spellings (2005–2009) Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Mel Martinez (2001–2003) • Alphonso Jackson (2003–2008) • Steve Preston (2008–2009) Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta (2001–2006) • Mary Peters (2006–2009) Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham (2001–2005) • Samuel Bodman (2005–2009) Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi (2001–2005) • Jim Nicholson (2005–2007) • James Peake (2007–2009) Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge (2003–2005) • Michael Chertoff (2005–2009)   Cabinet-level Vice President Dick Cheney (2001–2009) White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card (2001–2006) • Joshua Bolten (2006–2009) Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Christine Whitman (2001–2003) • Mike Leavitt (2003–2005) • Stephen Johnson (2005–2009) Director of the Office of Management and Budget Mitch Daniels (2001–2003) • Joshua Bolten (2003–2006) • Rob Portman (2006–2007) • Jim Nussle (2007–2009) Director of National Drug Control Policy John Walters (2001–2009) Trade Representative Robert Zoellick (2001–2005) • Rob Portman (2005–2006) • Susan Schwab (2006–2009) Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Joe Allbaugh (2001–2003)