Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, as Superintendent of Public Instruction, has now announced that she has appointed Charlene Williams to serve as the next Director of the Oregon Department of Education and Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction. Kotek says that Dr. Williams has a lot of experience as a public school administrator and a teacher.

Kotek says she will be the first Black woman in Oregon history to be appointed to the role.

Williams will officially take over as interim director on Monday, July 10. The Oregon Senate will take up her confirmation as permanent director in September.

“Dr. Williams will be a transformative, inclusive education director for all of Oregon,” Governor Kotek said. "I’m thrilled to work with someone who is highly skilled in developing and implementing programs designed at closing education gaps."

“First and foremost, my goal will be to support students in every corner of the state so that they have the same chance to succeed", Dr. Williams said. "I recognize the significance of my appointment to this role and the immense amount of work we have ahead of us. I’m looking forward to building partnerships with students, educators and families across Oregon that advance equity and student success.”

Williams spent the past seven years as an administrator in Southwest Washington public school districts, most recently as deputy superintendent at Evergreen Public Schools.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Williams previously served as an assistant superintendent in the Camas School District from 2016 to 2022.

She facilitated the adoption of the district’s first equity policy. She was also a recipient of the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) Award for promoting access, equity, and social justice in public schools.

Williams also previously worked for seven years at Portland Public Schools. Her last role at the district was as the Senior Director of School Performance, where she worked with the teacher's union.

Williams arrived in Oregon in 1999 to become a program coordinator and curriculum developer at Portland Community College.

“I am confident that Dr. Williams will continue ODE’s commitment to serving each and every student in Oregon’s 197 diverse school districts and striving toward equitable access to education for all our children,” Oregon Department of Education Director Colt Gill said. “Throughout the process I learned that Dr. Williams is a collaborator, she believes every student matters, and that she is deeply committed to serving all of Oregon’s kids. She is the right leader for Oregon schools at this time.”


--Bruce Armstrong

Post Date: 2023-06-27 17:52:28

Last Update: 2023-06-27 18:35:45