First Appointed K-12 Chief Confirmed by Senate - Oregon Department of Education

For immediate release
contact Crystal Greene, 503-947-5650

September 14, 2012

First Appointed K-12 Chief Confirmed by Senate

Rob Saxton confirmed as Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction

(Salem, Ore.) – Today, the Oregon Senate confirmed Rob Saxton as the state’s Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction. 2011 legislation made Oregon’s Governor the Superintendent of Schools with the authority to appoint a Deputy to run the Department of Education. With today’s confirmation, Saxton becomes the state’s first appointed K-12 chief and part of a new educational leadership team which includes Saxton, the Governor, and Dr. Rudy Crew, Oregon’s Chief Education Officer. These leaders are tasked with redesigning Oregon’s education system from birth to higher education to better support kids and produce strong education outcomes.

“I have never known such an exciting time to be involved in education, and I am deeply honored to serve as Oregon’s Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction," said Rob Saxton. "The task before us is large, but when we succeed the education outcomes for Oregon students will be improved, lives will be changed, and we will have set an example for the nation.”

Saxton has already laid out an ambitious agenda including reorganizing the work of the Oregon Department of Education, helping turn around low-achieving schools, supporting implementation of the Common Core State Standards, increasing alignment and integration with both early childhood and higher education, a focus on closing the achievement gap and equity issues, better services for English Language Learners, ensuring students enter school ready to learn, a newly designed report card to measure school performance, and increased school funding to support redesign efforts. Saxton had been serving as Acting Deputy Superintendent since the end of July.

“Rob Saxton has proven time-and-time-again that he can deliver real results,” said Governor Kitzhaber. “His on-the-ground experience and excellent track record in the Tigard-Tualatin School District will help us achieve better outcomes for all of Oregon's students.”

Saxton comes to ODE after decades working in Oregon schools and districts. For the past seven years, he served as the superintendent of the Tigard-Tualatin School District which has been recognized as a state leader in success with student outcomes in reading, math, science, and graduation rates. In his new role, Saxton will oversee the education of more than a half-million students in over 1,200 public and charter schools. Click here for Saxton’s biography.

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Rob Saxton, Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction
Crystal Greene, ODE Communications, (503) 947-5650
http://www.ode.state.or.us

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