Mayor Frank G. Jackson concurs with school board’s decision

CLEVELAND – Yesterday, the Cleveland Board of Education voted to name Eric Gordon as the next Chief Executive Officer of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, stating that Gordon has demonstrated the requisite academic and leadership skills to effectively serve the Cleveland Municipal School District as Chief Executive Officer.

Mayor Frank G. Jackson concurred with the decision in a letter to Board Chair Denise Link.

This vote also formally ended the CEO search process and the resolution expressed thanks to the CEO Search Advisory Committee, the CEO Screening Committee and all candidates who applied for the position.

Gordon currently serves as Chief Academic Officer of CMSD, a position he has held since October 2007 and was a significant contributor to the development of the district’s Academic Transformation Plan in 2010.

Under his leadership, CMSD has engaged in the development of a three-tiered academic improvement model that focuses on both traditional academic achievement strategies and also on improving the conditions for learning for students and families.

The strategy produced dramatic reductions in serious safety incidents, suspensions, and expulsions in Cleveland’s schools and overall increases in student attendance, an increase in achievement test scores, and the district’s highest-ever state rating of Continuous Improvement.

With a commitment to providing high quality education for urban students, Gordon implemented a district-wide scope and sequence curriculum and implemented the CMSD’s conditions for learning “Humanware” strategy.

In addition, he is responsible for principal and teacher professional development, organizational and individual performance goals, evaluation and assessment.

Gordon completed both a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Mathematics Education and a Master’s of Education degree in school administration and supervision at Bowling Green State University.

Prior to joining the leadership team at CMSD, Gordon taught in the New Orleans Public Schools and the Toledo Public Schools and has served as a high school principal in urban, rural, and suburban school districts. In 2001, he was recruited to the Columbus area to serve as founding principal for the rapidly-growing Olentangy Local School District’s second high school.

In 2005, he earned his superintendent’s license from Ohio State University.