Stephen Pruitt

Stephen Pruitt

(FRANKFORT, Ky.) – State school leaders from across the country elected Kentucky Commissioner of Education Stephen Pruitt to the Council of Chief State School Officers’ (CCSSO) Board of Directors during the group’s 2016 Annual Policy Forum in Baltimore.

The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is a nonpartisan, nationwide, nonprofit organization of public officials who head departments of elementary and secondary education in the states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and five U.S. extra-state jurisdictions. The council seeks member consensus on major educational issues and expresses their views to civic and professional organizations, federal agencies, Congress and the public.

CCSSO’s Board of Directors manages the overall business affairs of the council and is the governing body of the organization. The board is composed of the president, the president-elect, the past president and six directors elected by the members from the CCSSO membership.

CCSSO’s 2016-17 Board of Directors includes:

  • President: Melody Schopp, South Dakota
  • President-Elect: Carey Wright, Mississippi
  • Past President: Tony Evers, Wisconsin
  • Board Member: Virginia Barry, New Hampshire
  • Board Member: Hanna Skandera, New Mexico
  • Board Member: Stephen Pruitt, Kentucky
  • Board Member: Jillian Balow, Wyoming
  • Board Member: Brenda Cassellius, Minnesota
  • Board Member: Tony Smith, Illinois

“The Board of Directors serves a critical role in driving the collective action of the Council of Chief State School Officers,” said Executive Director Chris Minnich. “I look forward to working with all the members of the Board to elevate the teaching profession and continue to ensure all students – regardless of background – graduate prepared for college, careers and life.”

Pruitt’s term runs until November 2018.