White joins national coalition of school chiefs for reform

Louisiana Superintendent of Education John White is the newest member of Chiefs for Change, a coalition of 11 state education leaders from around the nation advocating for bold reform in schools. Chiefs for Change falls under the purview of the Foundation for Excellence in Education, a national education policy organization headquartered in Tallahassee, Fla. According to the Chiefs for Change website, its five guiding principles are: achievement-focused teacher and school leadership effectiveness; rewarding excellence and replacing failure with success; high academic standards; transparent and rigorous accountability; and viable options for all students. Those fall pretty well in line with the school reform agenda Gov. Bobby Jindal is aggressively pushing. White was Jindal’s choice to lead Louisiana schools, and he previously served as superintendent of the Recovery School District of Louisiana, as well as deputy chancellor of the New York City Department of Education and executive director for Teach For America Chicago and Teach For America New Jersey. “As a powerful voice that puts the needs of children at the center of our national debate, Chiefs for Change has made a tremendous impact on our efforts to ensure the educational rights of all Americans, and thus the future of this great country,” White says in a release. “I’m looking forward to working with this dynamic group of leaders who are determined to ward off adversity and push for sweeping changes.” Click here for more information about Chiefs for Change.