Governor Perdue to Appoint Brad Bryant as State School Superintendent

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue today announced that he would appoint Brad Bryant as State School Superintendent.  Bryant will take office July 1, to fill the term of Superintendent Kathy Cox who resigned to head an education think tank in Washington, D.C..  Bryant will also run for election in November as an independent.

“Brad has a wealth of experience as a parent, local school board member and State School Board member,” said Governor Perdue.  “He has done the big picture work and, on the other end of the spectrum, he understands what must take place in individual schools across the state to help students be successful.  He understands the blocking and tackling that has to happen to increase learning.”

“It’s an honor to be asked to serve as State School Superintendent,” said Bryant.  “As a parent who had children in public schools and whose wife continues to work in one, I know the challenges we face and how important a quality education is to our state’s future.”

Bryant has resigned as the 4th District representative on the State Board of Education, where he has served since 2003. He is also the past President of the National Association of State Boards of Education.  Bryant also worked as a Special Liason to the Clayton County and Warren County school systems to help them regain their accreditation.  Bryant served on the DeKalb County Board of Education for twelve years, including seven years as its Chair.

"Brad Bryant is an excellent choice for State Superintendent.  He is intelligent, experienced and passionate about ensuring success for all the students of Georgia,” said Superintendent Cox.  “I have enjoyed working with Brad on the State Board Education the last seven years.  I know that Brad is a supporter of the reforms we have begun in Georgia and will continue the hard work we have started.”

"Brad will make an outstanding State School Superintendent," said Gwinnett County Public Schools Superintendent Alvin Wilbanks.  "Having served on local and state boards of education he knows what school districts need for our students to excel."

"Brad Bryant certainly has the experience and leadership skills to perform the duties of the state school superintendent in an outstanding manner," said Steve Smith, Lowndes County Superintendent and president of the Georgia School Superintendents Association. "He commands the respect of board members, superintendents, teachers and his constituents."

A complete biography of Bryant is below:

William Bradley "Brad" Bryant has served as President of the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE), Southern Director and Governmental Affairs Committee Member for NASBE. Prior to his appointment to the State Board of Education in 2003, he served for twelve years as a member of the DeKalb County Board of Education and seven years as its Chair. He is a past President of the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) and was President of the National School Boards Association Southern Region. Additionally, he currently on the Georgia Drivers Education Commission. He has also served on the Governor’s Office of Education Accountability Report Card Committee, The Georgia Closing the Gap Commission and the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education.

Mr. Bryant holds a Bachelor’s from Presbyterian College in South Carolina, a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Georgia and a Juris Doctorate from Mercer University (Cum Laude). He is an attorney and a member of the State Bar of Georgia.

Mr. Bryant is an elder in the Rehoboth Presbyterian Church and a member of the Decatur Rotary Club. He has served President of the Presbyterian College Alumni Association and its Board of Visitors. Within his community, he has served as a member of the board of directors of the A*R*T Station, the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, Young Life Northlake, and the DeKalb County Development Impact Fee Study Group. He has served as the District Chair of the DeKalb District of the Boy Scouts of America. He is a member of Leadership DeKalb and served for seven years as its Chair. He is a Life Member of the Georgia and the National PTA and received the Georgia Department of Education 1990 Positive Parenting Award for Henderson Mill School. He and his wife Kay, a DeKalb County special education paraprofessional, served as co-presidents of the Henderson Mill Elementary PTA. They have two adult children, Benjamin, an associate with Alston & Bird, and Katherine, a recent double masters graduate in Natural Resources & Sustainability and in International Relations from The American University.

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