Joe A. Hairston, Ed.D.
A visionary and progressive leader, Dr. Joe A. Hairston has served since 2000 as Superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools, the nation’s 26th largest school system. In his first year, Dr. Hairston charted a direction for the school system through the Blueprint for Progress, which presents key strategies and concrete performance indicators. Dr. Hairston’s results-based leadership has yielded a growing list of achievements including increased academic rigor for all students, greater student participation and success in Advanced Placement, and greater accountability and resource conservation. He is renowned for his use of technology to support classroom instruction, prepare students for new career opportunities, and increase the efficiency of school system operations.
Under Dr. Hairston’s leadership, Baltimore County Public Schools has been recognized by Education Week for having the fourth highest overall graduation rate among the nation’s largest school districts and by the Schott Foundation for having the third highest graduation rate for African American males among large school districts. The Washington Post has named 13 BCPS high schools – more than half of the county’s traditional and magnet high schools – among the top seven percent in the nation. Twelve BCPS schools have been named National No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Schools.
Dr. Hairston’s latest achievement is the formation of a groundbreaking partnership of major defense contractors and area universities and software developers to explore new ways to use virtual environments and other technology in classrooms. The group’s first project, a virtual learning environment in a Baltimore County high school has received praise from National Public Radio, eSchool News, CNBC, and the International Society for Technology in Education.
For his achievements, Dr. Hairston has been honored with dozens of local, national, and international awards, including the 2006 Graduate Alumni Achievement Award from the Virginia Tech Graduate School and Alumni Association. Additional recognitions have included: International Society for Technology in Education Outstanding Leadership Award; eSchool News Top 10 Tech-Savvy Superintendents Award; Education Technology Think Tank Technology to Empower Community Champion Leadership Award; Maryland Instructional Computer Coordinators Association Outstanding Technology Leader in Education Award, and Washington Post Outstanding Distinguished Educational Leadership Award.
