The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) has elected Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education, president-elect of its 2016-2017 Board of Directors. Elections took place during the 2016 Annual Policy Forum in Baltimore.
CCSSO is a nonpartisan, nationwide, nonprofit organization of state education chiefs that provides leadership, advocacy and technical assistance on major educational issues. CCSSO’s Board of Directors manages the overall business affairs of the Council and is the governing body of the organization.
Wright joined CCSSO’s Board of Directors in March.
“I am honored to be elected to serve in this new role for CCSSO and look forward to working with state education chiefs across the country to develop strategies to improve student achievement,” Wright said. “Our work is devoted to ensuring that all students, regardless of background, graduate from high school prepared for college, careers and life.”
Wright has been Mississippi’s state superintendent of education since 2013. Previously, she 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. She 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.
The following is a list of CCSSO’s 2016-2017 Board of Directors:
- President: Melody Schopp, South Dakota
- President-Elect: Carey Wright, Mississippi
- Past President: Tony Evers, Wisconsin
- Board Member: Virginia Barry, New Hampshire
- Board Member: Hanna Skandera, New Mexico
- Board Member: Stephen Pruitt, Kentucky
- Board Member: Jillian Balow, Wyoming
- Board Member: Brenda Cassellius, Minnesota
- Board Member: Tony Smith, Illinois
“The Board of Directors serves a critical role in driving the collective action of the Council of Chief State School Officers,” said CCSSO Executive Director Chris Minnich.