SEATTLE -- The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced today that Irvin Scott has been named deputy director for effective teaching in the
College Ready strategy of its education division within its United States Program. Scott is currently Chief Academic Officer of Boston Public Schools, where he has earned a national reputation for his leadership in significantly improving student outcomes in Boston, especially among low-income students and students of color. He is expected to begin work at the foundation over the summer.
"Among his many impressive accomplishments, Irvin has worked collaboratively with teachers to reduce Boston Public School’s dropout rate to the lowest in more than two decades: 6.1 percent. He also partnered with teachers and led the work to increase Boston Public School’s graduation rate to an all-time high," said Vicki L. Phillips, Director of Education, College Ready. “Because Irvin deeply believes all students can achieve at a high level, he set out to prove that even the lowest-performing schools could produce stellar results. We are excited to have him bring that same passion to the foundation.”
In his new position, Scott will focus on the foundation’s work in Intensive Partnership Sites and Accelerated Partnership Sites, a cluster of communities with significant investments focused on transforming how teachers are recruited, developed, retained and rewarded. He will also lead a portfolio of work focused on supporting teachers and ensuring their voices inform the education reform dialogue. Research has shown that effective teachers are the single most important factor in a student’s success.
"The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has a deep commitment to ensuring every child who wants to pursue a higher education has that opportunity, and is equally committed to supporting and giving voice to the teachers who serve those students. I share those commitments,” said Scott. "I’ve been honored to work with Superintendent Johnson and the Boston Public Schools’ extraordinary students, parents, teachers and leaders. I am so proud of what we’ve accomplished together, and I am eager to take what we have learned to the foundation.”
As Chief Academic Officer, Scott is responsible for all k-12 academic programming in the Boston Public Schools. He currently oversees 135 schools in the district, which enrolls 56,000 students, 74 percent of whom are living in poverty. Under Scott’s leadership, many more students have had access to rigorous courses, and the district has seen a sharp increase in retention and achievement in Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and Dual Enrollment programs.