Ken James (educator)
Encyclopedia
T. Kenneth James, Ed.D., was appointed as Commissioner of the Arkansas Department of Education by Governor Mike Huckabee
on March 1, 2004, effective May 3, 2004. Prior to his appointment, he served as the Superintendent
of Schools in Fayette County
Public Schools (Lexington
, Kentucky
); Little Rock, Arkansas
; Van Buren, Arkansas
and Batesville, Arkansas
. James also served as Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services with the Escondido Union High School District in Escondido, California
.
James earned a Doctorate
in Educational Administration and Supervision from Northern Arizona University
and the United States International University (now Alliant International University
) in San Diego, California, in 1992. He received a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Northern Arizona University and a Bachelor's degree
from Arkansas State University
.
James began his career in education in 1972 and has served as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, principal, coordinator of planning and assessment and Assistant Superintendent. His work in California provided him with experience in schools with large minority student populations.
He is active in the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators, and has served as legislative chair of the curriculum committee. In 1998, he was selected as the Superintendent of the Year for the State of Arkansas. James has served as an officer or board member of several professional organizations, including Arkansas Curriculum and Instruction Administrators, Economics America and the Arkansas Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development. He presently serves on the University of Arkansas Educational Administration Steering Committee, the State Advisory Board on Reforming Education, and the AASA Board of Directors. He also has intimate knowledge about school assessment in the state, having served on the ACTAAP Administrative Testing Committee. On May 29, 2009, James announced his resignation as Commissioner of Education effective June 30, 2009.
Mike Huckabee
Michael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
on March 1, 2004, effective May 3, 2004. Prior to his appointment, he served as the Superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of Schools in Fayette County
Fayette County, Kentucky
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 295,083 in the 2010 Census. Its territory, population and government are coextensive with the city of Lexington, which also serves as county seat....
Public Schools (Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
); Little Rock, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
; Van Buren, Arkansas
Van Buren, Arkansas
Van Buren is the second largest city in the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area and the county seat of Crawford County, Arkansas, United States. The city is located directly northeast of Fort Smith at the Interstate 40 - Interstate 540 junction...
and Batesville, Arkansas
Batesville, Arkansas
Batesville is the county seat and largest city of Independence County, Arkansas, United States, 80 miles northeast of Little Rock, the state capital. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 9,556...
. James also served as Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services with the Escondido Union High School District in Escondido, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
James earned a Doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in Educational Administration and Supervision from Northern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University is a public university located in Flagstaff, Arizona, United States. It is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and has 39 satellite campuses in the state of Arizona. The university offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees.As of...
and the United States International University (now Alliant International University
Alliant International University
Alliant International University is a private, non-profit higher education institution based in San Diego, California. It offers programs in six California cities and four locations outside the United States...
) in San Diego, California, in 1992. He received a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Northern Arizona University and a Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from Arkansas State University
Arkansas State University
Arkansas State University is a public university and is the flagship campus of the Arkansas State University System, the state's second largest college system and third largest university by enrollment. It is located atop on Crowley's Ridge at Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA...
.
James began his career in education in 1972 and has served as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, principal, coordinator of planning and assessment and Assistant Superintendent. His work in California provided him with experience in schools with large minority student populations.
He is active in the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators, and has served as legislative chair of the curriculum committee. In 1998, he was selected as the Superintendent of the Year for the State of Arkansas. James has served as an officer or board member of several professional organizations, including Arkansas Curriculum and Instruction Administrators, Economics America and the Arkansas Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development. He presently serves on the University of Arkansas Educational Administration Steering Committee, the State Advisory Board on Reforming Education, and the AASA Board of Directors. He also has intimate knowledge about school assessment in the state, having served on the ACTAAP Administrative Testing Committee. On May 29, 2009, James announced his resignation as Commissioner of Education effective June 30, 2009.