Bob Wise facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bob Wise
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Wise in 2008
|
|
| 33rd Governor of West Virginia | |
| In office January 15, 2001 – January 17, 2005 |
|
| Lieutenant | Earl Ray Tomblin |
| Preceded by | Cecil H. Underwood |
| Succeeded by | Joe Manchin |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from West Virginia |
|
| In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 2001 |
|
| Preceded by | Mick Staton |
| Succeeded by | Shelley Moore Capito |
| Constituency | 3rd district (1983–1993) 2nd district (1993–2001) |
| Member of the West Virginia Senate from the 17th district |
|
| In office December 1, 1980 – December 9, 1982 |
|
| Preceded by | William T. Brotherton Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Tod J. Kaufman |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Robert Ellsworth Wise Jr.
January 6, 1948 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Sandra Casber
(m. 1984) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Duke University (BA) Tulane University (JD) |
Robert "Bob" Ellsworth Wise Jr. (born January 6, 1948) is an American politician. He served as the 33rd governor of West Virginia from 2001 to 2005. Before that, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1983 to 2001. After leaving public office, Wise became the president of the Alliance for Excellent Education. This group works to improve high schools across the country.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Bob Wise was born on January 6, 1948, in Washington, D.C.. He grew up in the Kanawha Valley of Kanawha County, West Virginia. He went to George Washington High School in Charleston. In high school, he ran track and was elected vice president of the student body.
In 1966, Wise started college at Duke University. He earned a degree in Political Science four years later. After Duke, he went to law school at the University of Houston and later at the Tulane University School of Law. He worked hard, even waiting tables, to get his law degree.
Wise became a lawyer in 1975 in Charleston, West Virginia. He helped people with property tax reform and supported coal miners seeking help. He also assisted victims of the 1972 Buffalo Creek disaster and the 1978 Mingo County floods.
Political Career in West Virginia
Wise started his political journey in 1980. He ran for a seat in the West Virginia Senate, which is part of the state's government. He won his election with support from teachers and labor groups. People noticed his energetic campaign style.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
In 1982, Bob Wise decided to run for the United States Congress. He won his election and served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 18 years, from 1983 to 2001. During this time, he was elected nine times in a row.
As a member of Congress, Wise worked on important committees. He was part of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. This helped him get money for road projects in West Virginia. He also served on the Education and Labor Committee.
Some of his big achievements included laws about chemical safety and clean air. He also helped pass a law for better mental health care. People saw him as a very dedicated leader for his state.
Governor of West Virginia
In 2000, Bob Wise ran for Governor of West Virginia. He won the election and became the state's 33rd governor on January 15, 2001. In his first speech, he promised to improve health care, education, and the state's economy. Soon after, he had to deal with major flooding in southern West Virginia.
Education and the Promise Scholarship
Governor Wise focused a lot on education. He created the Promise (Providing Real Opportunities for Maximizing Instate Student Excellence) scholarship program. This program helps West Virginia students pay for college.
The first Promise scholarships were given out in 2002. They covered full tuition for students with good grades and SAT scores who wanted to attend a state college or university. This scholarship helped more students graduate from college in four years. It also encouraged more students to stay in West Virginia for their higher education.
Wise also worked to fund the Higher Education Grant Program. He set up a hotline for safer schools. He also pushed for pre-Kindergarten programs for all four-year-olds in the state.
Other Achievements as Governor
As governor, Wise also expanded the federal Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This program helps children from lower-income families get health insurance.
He faced challenges with the state budget. He worked to cut spending while still improving roads and schools. Wise also tried to bring new businesses to West Virginia. He helped get grants for projects like the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute and Cabela's.
In 2002, Wise was chosen to lead the Southern Governors Association. This showed his leadership among governors in the southern United States.
After His Political Career
Alliance for Excellent Education
Since 2005, Bob Wise has been the president of the Alliance for Excellent Education. This is a group that works to make sure all students, especially those who need extra help, graduate from high school ready for college and jobs. The Alliance focuses on important education topics like digital learning and helping more students graduate.
The Alliance wants to help all high school students succeed. They pay special attention to students who are at higher risk of not graduating. Thanks to efforts like theirs, the high school graduation rate in the U.S. has reached a record high.
The Alliance works with leaders to suggest ways to improve schools. They also host events to share information about how better education can help everyone.
Digital Learning Day
In 2011, the Alliance started a center to study how technology and digital learning can help students. In 2012, they held the first nationwide Digital Learning Day. Millions of students and teachers took part. This day celebrates how technology is used in schools to help students learn.
In 2016, Digital Learning Day focused on making sure all students have access to the internet. Bob Wise talked about ways to bring internet to students even outside of school, like putting Wi-Fi on school buses.
Digital Learning Playbook
A guide called the Digital Learning Playbook was created to help schools use new digital learning tools. This guide helps educators find ways to offer new learning opportunities to students.
Future Ready Schools
In 2013, Project 24 was launched to help school districts use technology better. This project became the Future Ready Schools initiative in 2015. It helps school leaders make sure they are using digital tools to personalize learning for students. Bob Wise met with President Barack Obama to talk about this important work.
National Board of Professional Teaching Standards
From 2009 to 2015, Bob Wise was the chairman of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. This group works to set high standards for teachers across the country. It helps make sure teachers are excellent at what they do.
Studies have shown that teachers certified by this board often help students learn more in subjects like math and English. By 2013, over 100,000 teachers in all 50 states had earned this special certification.
Other Education Work
Bob Wise is a popular speaker on education topics. He advises the U.S. Department of Education and the White House. In 2010, he helped create the Digital Learning Council, which studied how to make digital learning high quality. He has received awards for his work in education, including the Thought Leader Award.
Fighting Cancer
Bob Wise is a prostate cancer survivor. He had surgery in 1999. Because of his experience, he is very involved in the fight against cancer. He leads an organization called C-Change. This group brings together different organizations to work towards ending cancer. They discuss new ways to fight the disease.
Campaign Finance Reform
Wise is also part of the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One. This group works to make sure that money does not unfairly influence politics. They want to make elections more fair.
Personal Life
Bob Wise is married to Sandra Casber Wise. They have two children, a son named Robert and a daughter named Alexandra. Bob Wise also has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. He and his wife live in Washington, D.C.
