Richmond Public Schools announces Jason Kamras as new superintendent of schools

Richmond Public Schools has announced a selection for its next superintendent of schools after a long process that included public meetings and feedback. After narrowing the field and hosting a closed door session Monday evening, Jason Kamras was announced as RPS’ new head.

Kamras comes to RPS from the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), where he has led some of the district’s most transformative work of the decade, resulting in unprecedented increases in student learning, student satisfaction, and graduation. He also holds the distinction of being the 2005 United States National Teacher of the Year, which he received for dramatically increasing achievement at one of the lowest-income schools in the city and for infusing the arts into his mathematics teaching.

“I am incredibly excited to join RPS and deeply honored to serve its students, families, and employees as Superintendent,” Mr. Kamras said. “I look forward to getting to know everyone in the RPS family and to working hand-in-hand with the Richmond community to ensure that every single student in RPS – regardless of background or circumstance – receives an outstanding education that prepares them to live their dreams.”

“I’m so excited for Richmond, as I’ve witnessed firsthand the incredible work Jason led in DC,” said Arne Duncan, former Secretary of Education in the Obama Administration. “You won’t find a leader more committed to equity, to working collaboratively with the community, and to ensuring an excellent education for every single child.”

“Mr. Kamras has more than two decades of experience in urban public education. Not only is he a proven leader in a large, diverse public school system, but he is also an award-winning educator,” said School Board Chair Dawn Page in a news release. “His nationally acclaimed work to attract, retain, and develop outstanding teachers and principals, his innovative efforts to radically improve instruction for all students in DC, and his laser-like focus on equity make Mr. Kamras the perfect fit for Richmond Public Schools.”

Kamras served in several senior leadership roles at DCPS. Most recently, he launched the new Office of Equity, focused on closing the achievement gap in the nation’s capital. He has also been a key leader in advancing district-wide conversations and policy changes related to race and equity at the school system.

He began his career in education in 1996 as a middle school mathematics teacher at Sousa Middle School in Washington, D.C. He holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy from Princeton University and a master’s degree in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. His wife is a former DCPS elementary school teacher and currently serves as a leadership coach and consultant for education non-profits. They have two elementary school-aged sons, both of whom are DCPS students.

Kamras is expected to take the helm at RPS on February 1st of 2018.