Michelle King (educator)
Michelle King | |
|---|---|
 King in 2013 | |
| Born | March 9, 1961 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died | February 2, 2019 (aged 57) |
| Education | B.A., at University of California, Los Angeles |
| Occupation | Educator |
| Employer | Los Angeles Unified School District |
| Title | Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District |
| Children | 3 |
Michelle King (March 9, 1961 – February 2, 2019) was an American educator. She was the first black woman to serve as superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the second-largest school district in the United States. She was appointed in January 2016 by the Los Angeles Board of Education.[1][2]
Early life
[edit]King was born in Los Angeles, California. Her father was an attorney and her mother worked for the county. King attended schools in the district she would eventually lead. She was one of the few black students at Palisades High School, a school with wealthy and mostly white students. King excelled in academics and was also a cheerleader.
She attended the University of California, Los Angeles, hoping to enter the field of education.[3] At UCLA she earned a bachelor's degree in biology. She later received a master of science in administration from Pepperdine University, and then completed her doctorate in education at the University of Southern California.[4]
Career
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King was a career employee of the district. She rose from classroom teacher, through leadership roles to lead the organization. LAUSD spans over 720 square miles with over 640,000 students, 900 schools, 187 public charter schools, 60,000 employees, and a $7.5 billion budget. She taught at Porter Junior High and Wright Middle School and became the principal at Hamilton High School. Under her leadership, Hamilton's test scores far exceeded annual improvement targets. In 2014 she became deputy superintendent under Superintendent John Deasy. She acceded to the top leadership position in January 2016.[3]
King is credited with pushing the district's graduation rate to record levels. Her major initiative was to expand the number of schools with special programs as the district dealt with the impact of independently-operated charter schools. She retired in 2018 because of medical issues.[5] Under her administration the district provided support to DACA students and protested changes in federal immigration policies. She stated, “I am concerned by this decision and its long-term impacts on the students, families and employees of L.A. Unified....These young immigrants have made valuable contributions to the community and the nation they consider their home, and they have earned the right to a permanent place in its history.”[6]
Recognition
[edit]In 2015 King was named “Woman of the Year” by Women On Target, a non-profit advocacy group supporting leaders in Southern California's African-American community.[7]
In 2017 National Association of School Superintendents named King Superintendent of the Year. That same year she received her doctorate in Education and Educational Leadership from USC.[8]
Personal life
[edit]King was divorced. She was a cancer patient and went on medical leave on September 15, 2017. She and the school district had intended for her to return by January 22, 2018, but she ultimately chose to stay on medical leave and retire at the end of the school year. She died on February 2, 2019.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ "Former LA Unified Superintendent Michelle King dies at age 57". Daily News. 2019-02-03. Retrieved 2019-03-29.
- ^ Blume, Howard (12 January 2016). "Who is new L.A. Unified Supt. Michelle King?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2019-03-29.
- ^ a b Blume, Howard (3 February 2019). "Dr. Michelle King, the first African American woman to lead L.A. Unified, dies at 57". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "A Conversation with LAUSD Superintendent Michelle King". Southern California Grantmakers. May 13, 2016.
- ^ Resmovits, Howard Blume, Joy (6 January 2018). "LAUSD chief Michelle King won't return from medical leave for cancer, plans to retire". Los Angeles Times.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Resmovits, Joy. "L.A. Unified Supt. Michelle King says DACA students have earned the right to 'a permanent place'". chicagotribune.com.
- ^ Montemer, Author: TJ (January 9, 2018). "Citing Cancer Prognosis, LAUSD Superintendent Michelle King to Retire".
{{cite web}}:|first=has generic name (help) - ^ "LAUSD's Michelle King gets a diploma—and honored as Superintendent of the Year". USC Rossier School of Education. May 23, 2017.
- ^ "Dr. Michelle King, the first African American woman to lead L.A. Unified, dies at 57". Los Angeles Times. 2019-02-03. Retrieved 2019-09-07.