School & District Management

D.C. State Chief Makes Quiet Exit

By Sean Cavanagh — September 28, 2010 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Kerri L. Briggs’ tenure as state superintendent of education for the District of Columbia was spent largely working in the broad shadow cast by Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee.

Ms. Briggs’ recent departure from her post was characteristically quiet. News of her resignation came shortly after Washington Mayor Adrian M. Fenty’s loss in the city’s Sept. 14 Democratic primary election, which was followed by speculation about the job status of his aggressive, handpicked chancellor, Ms. Rhee.

Employees in the state superintendent’s office learned of Ms. Briggs’ resignation two days after the election, said Beth H. Colleye. Formerly the superintendent’s general counsel, Ms. Colleye been named interim superintendent.

“For the last nine years, I’ve worked at the federal, state, and local level,” Ms. Briggs wrote in an e-mail to her colleagues. “I have loved every minute and continue to be amazed by your commitment to creating better opportunities for children.”

As superintendent, Ms. Briggs—who declined an interview request—was responsible for administering traditionally state-level educational policies for the nation’s capital and overseeing a $402 million annual budget. Her work included managing several federal grants and programs, as well as assessments and academic standards. She also played a major role in crafting the District of Columbia’s successful $75 million application in the federal Race to the Top competition, Mayor Fenty said in a statement.

The office of the state superintendent of education operates like a state-level agency, with its own state board of education that advises the superintendent. It provides assistance to and monitors programs within Washington’s 45,000-student public schools—a system overseen by the mayor, who appoints the chancellor—as well as to schools serving the city’s 28,000 charter school students.

Kerri L. Briggs played a major part in the District of Columbia's win in the Race to the Top contest.

Ms. Briggs was appointed as superintendent a year and a half ago by Mr. Fenty, replacing Deborah A. Gist, who resigned the post to become Rhode Island’s state education commissioner. The District is heavily Democratic, and in that sense, Ms. Briggs’ appointment was unusual, in that she had formerly served as assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education in the U.S. Department of Education under President George W. Bush.

“She could have taken a comfortable job,” Ms. Colleye said. “Instead, she really tried to use her expertise to improve the lives of children, and I respect that very much.”

District of Columbia Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray, who defeated Mr. Fenty in the primary and is unopposed in the general election, is expected to appoint a full-time replacement for Ms. Briggs after his presumed move into the mayor’s office in January, Ms. Colleye said.

A version of this article appeared in the September 29, 2010 edition of Education Week as D.C. State Chief Makes Quiet Exit

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Reflections on Evidence-Based Grading Practices: What We Learned for Next Year
Get real insights on evidence-based grading from K-12 leaders.
Content provided by Otus
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Student Well-Being Webinar
Creating Resilient Schools with a Trauma-Responsive MTSS
Join us to learn how school leaders are building a trauma-responsive MTSS to support students & improve school outcomes.
School & District Management Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: We Can’t Engage Students If They Aren’t Here: Strategies to Address the Absenteeism Conundrum
Absenteeism rates are growing fast. Join Peter DeWitt and experts to learn how to re-engage students & families.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School & District Management Work or Play? How Principals Are Spending Spring Break
Some principals are catching up on TV and traveling, while others are preparing for the last stretch of the school year.
1 min read
Photograph of sunglasses and a smartphone with an orange towel on the beach
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Research Is Shedding New Light on Superintendents to Help Them Succeed
An emerging body of research examining the leaders of the nation's 13,000 school districts is yielding actionable insights.
6 min read
Illustration of silhouetted group of business people and binary code in abstract bright lights
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Quiz Quiz Yourself: When Are District and School Leaders Most Likely to Read Emails?
Wondering when district and school leaders are most likely to check their emails? Take our quick quiz and discover the ideal times to send your messages for better engagement.
MB Data Emails 031622 GettyImages 1170828052
DenEmmanuel/iStock/Getty
School & District Management Opinion You Shouldn’t Have to Sacrifice Your Health to Be a Good School Leader
Far too many principals suffer from trying to carry a crushing responsibility alone. I was one of them.
Joshua Ray
4 min read
A blue balloon rises above a group of orange balloons. Metaphor for leadership finding themselves alone at the top.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva