Dallas Dance Nominated for Obama Administration Education Post

Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent Dallas Dance has been appointed by President Obama to serve on the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans, according to a news release.

“I am grateful that these impressive individuals have chosen to dedicate their talents to serving the American people at this important time for our country,” Obama said in a statement. “I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

Dance has been schools superintendent in Baltimore County Public Schools since 2012. He was previously Chief School Officer for the Houston Independent School District from 2010 to 2012. Before that, he served as an administrator in Chesterfield County Public Schools and Louisa County Public Schools in Virginia. His career began at Henrico County Public Schools in Virginia from 2001 to 2007, where he served as principal, assistant principal, summer school principal, administrative aide, and English teacher.

Dance has also taught as an adjunct professor at Averett University, the Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Houston, and the University of Richmond. He received a B.A. from Virginia Union University, and an M.Ed. and Ph.D. from Virginia Commonwealth University.

During his “State of the Schools” address in the spring, Dance highlighted several programs and initiatives that will start this school year, according to a statement from Baltimore County Public Schools.

• Digital learning program to equip all students with laptop/tablet by 2017
• Fourth-grade Spanish program in 10 elementary schools
• Resources for special needs preschool students and those in free and reduced-price meals program
• One Card building access program and attendance monitoring systems
• Rigorous learning opportunities for middle school students (e.g., expanding world languages for sixth grade; eighth-grade high school credit program)
• Equity policy to ensure every child has access to quality learning

Elaborating on the equity initiative, Dance said: “We’re seeing things like race, family income and whether they receive special education services predicting our students’ achievement,” according to The Baltimore Sun, which reported nearly half of the school system’s students qualify for the county’s free and reduced-price meal program.