Biographical Information: Born Roderick R. Paige in Monticello, Miss., on June 17, 1933, he is the son of public school educators. Paige earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree from Jackson State University and a master鈥檚 degree and a doctorate in physical education from Indiana University. Before beginning his career in education administration, he was a college football coach for two decades. Paige became superintendent of the Houston Independent School District in 1994 and was known for his successful leadership and innovative reforms as head of the large district. He also served as the dean of the College of Education at Texas Southern University. He was the first African-American and the first school superintendent to serve as education secretary. After leaving the Education Department, he became a public policy fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. He recently served as the interim president of his alma mater, Jackson State University.
Served Under: President George W. Bush
Dates of Tenure: 2001-2005
Fun Fact: In 1967, while football coach at historically black Jackson State University, his team played in a game that broke the color barrier at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Miss.
Highlights of Tenure:
- Paige helped create the No Child Left Behind Act, which was based in part on his work as superintendent of the Houston Independent School District. After the measure was signed into law in January 2002, Paige oversaw the new law鈥檚 implementation.
Archives of Note:
Rod Paige of Houston has become the nation鈥檚 highest-paid superintendent, after a school board vote there raised his salary to $275,000 a year. (May 17, 2000)
Houston schools Superintendent Rod Paige appears to have widespread support in Washington as President-elect Bush鈥檚 pick for secretary of education. (Jan. 10, 2001)
The new secretary of education鈥檚 first week on the job was a whirlwind, with President Bush declaring Jan. 22-26 to be 鈥湴拿排芄仿厶斥�� and aggressively promoting his 鈥淣o Child Left Behind鈥� education plan. (Jan. 31, 2001)
Secretary of Education Rod Paige, the superintendent of schools in Houston before he was tapped by President Bush to head the Department of Education, will complete his first six months on the job later this month. (July 11, 2001)
Top Department of Education officials offered a generally optimistic outlook last week on how the new federal education law is playing out in states and school districts. (Sept. 11, 2002)
Secretary of Education Rod Paige鈥檚 reference last week to the National Education Association as a 鈥渢errorist organization鈥� prompted calls by the union鈥攁nd some others鈥攆or his resignation, though the White House made clear that no such action would be forthcoming. (Mar. 3, 2004)
Secretary of Education Rod Paige is declaring the No Child Left Behind Act a success, arguing that there is ample evidence the law is improving student achievement. But linking test scores directly to federal policy is a risky business, and some say the Bush administration is getting way ahead of itself. (Oct. 8, 2004)
U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige, who has made promoting and carrying out the No Child Left Behind Act the focus of his tenure as the nation鈥檚 top education official, has resigned, pending the confirmation of a successor. (Nov. 15, 2004)
The NAACP, along with leaders of fiscally conservative groups and former Education Secretary Rod Paige, say lawmakers ought to be spending more on education and less on their prison systems. (Apr. 08, 2011)
Commentaries by Rod Paige
Houston schools Superintendent Rod Paige discusses a holistic approach to school reform鈥攁nd how it paid off for Houston. (Nov. 8, 2000)
As a nation, we must develop children who are productive and happy, not kids who can just pass a test and get through school, say Rod Paige and Mike Huckabee. (Jan. 26, 2005)
Change is inevitable, and school leaders need to imitate others鈥� success, Robert Maranto and Rod Paige write. (Sept. 19, 2012)
