Long Beach Unified’s School Board President Felton Williams has been elected chair of the board of directors for the Council of the Great City School—a national urban schools group, it was announced Wednesday.
Williams will head the board for a one-year term starting July 1, according to a release. He will succeed San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Richard Carranza.
Officials said the policymaking body of the national coalition represents 70 of the nation’s largest urban public school systems. CGCS has a 140-member board made up of the superintendent and a school board member from each of the districts.
“With Dr. WIlliams’ leadership experience in Long Beach, we are confident that the Council’s board will steer urban-school reforms forward,” Council Executive Director Michael Casserly stated.
Chancellor Kaya Henderson of the District of Columbia Public Schools will assume Williams’ current post as the council’s chair-elect.
Rounding out the leadership team for the 2016-2017 school years will be Lawrence Feldman, school board member of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools, as secretary-treasurer.
Williams is currently running for a fourth term on the Long Beach Unified School District Board of Education in the upcoming April 12 election.