With almost 20 years of private sector, state and federal education policymaking experience, Scott Jenkins announced today he will seek the Republican nomination to the State Board of Education.
“It’s time to change how Michigan does the business of education,” Jenkins said in announcing his candidacy. “For years, the State Board of Education has tinkered with a horribly underperforming system. At a time when other states are opening doors for innovative programs and schools, Michigan tries to keep an antiquated system running at the expense of thousands of children. ”
Jenkins recently lead a comprehensive school district renewal initiative in the Pontiac School District as the on site manager for the Chartwell Education Group. Chartwell is an international consulting firm founded by former U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige. Prior to working with Chartwell, Jenkins spent 4 years working at the executive level in the technology industry. Most recently, he was employed as the Associate Vice President for Client Services for a Fortune 500 software and information technology services company.
“We can’t just talk about creating a bright future for the students of Michigan, we have to make the tough choices and changes needed to make it a reality,” he said. “It all starts by facing the brutal truth that dozens of Michigan school districts are in crisis. The system ignores thousands of students every year and the evidence is in the rising dropout rates and lack of preparation for college and the global marketplace. It is a moral outrage that we allow school districts to continue to fail generations of our children by not providing the basic education needed to succeed in this competitive world.”
Prior to his private sector experience, Jenkins was a Presidential Appointee to the United States Department of Education. He served as the Chief of Staff in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, and as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs. In these capacities, he helped implement the Administration’s education policy at the state and local levels. Prior to his federal experience, he was education policy coordinator for Michigan Governor John Engler, where he was instrumental in passing and implementing the Michigan Merit Award, supporting Charter School expansion, schools of choice policy, and the Teacher Technology Initiative.
Jenkins has been active locally in county and district Republican Party organizations. He is a member of the Williamston Schools Foundation and Rotary. Jenkins is married with two children.
