Denise Juneau facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Denise Juneau
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Juneau in 2010
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| Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools | |
| In office July 1, 2018 – May 1, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Larry Nyland |
| Succeeded by | Brent Jones (acting) |
| 16th Superintendent of Public Instruction of Montana | |
| In office January 5, 2009 – January 2, 2017 |
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| Governor | Brian Schweitzer Steve Bullock |
| Preceded by | Linda McCulloch |
| Succeeded by | Elsie Arntzen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 5, 1967 Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Parents | Stan and Carol Juneau |
| Education | Montana State University (BA) Harvard University (MEd) University of Montana (JD) |
Denise Juneau, born on April 5, 1967, is an American lawyer and educator. She is also a politician from the state of Montana. She served as Montana's Superintendent of Public Instruction from 2009 to 2017.
Juneau is a member of the Democratic Party. She made history as the first Native American woman elected to a statewide office in the United States. Her mother is from the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, and her father was from the Blackfoot Nation.
In 2015, Juneau ran for a seat in the United States House of Representatives. She was not elected, losing to the Republican candidate, Ryan Zinke. In 2018, the Seattle Public Schools board chose Juneau to be their new superintendent. She started this job on July 1, 2018, and left the position on May 1, 2021.
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Early Life and Education
Denise Juneau was born in Oakland, California, on April 5, 1967. Her parents are Stan and Carol Juneau. Her family moved to Montana in 1969. Juneau finished high school in 1985 at Browning High School, which is located on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation.
Juneau earned a bachelor's degree in English from Montana State University in 1993. The next year, in 1994, she completed her Master of Education Degree at Harvard Graduate School of Education. She also took classes for a doctorate at the University of New Mexico in 1997 and 1998. Juneau then decided to study law. She attended the University of Montana Law School and earned her law degree in 2004.
Career Highlights
Early Career in Education
Juneau worked in schools in Browning, Montana, helping with educational support from 1986 to 1988. She was a high school teacher in New Town, North Dakota, from 1994 to 1995. She also taught in Browning, Montana, from 1995 to 1997.
From 1998 to 2001, Juneau worked as an instructional specialist at the Montana Office of Public Instruction. While there, she became the Director of Indian Education. In this role, she helped put into action Montana's "Indian Education For All" program. This program teaches students in public schools about Montana's American Indian history and culture.
After law school, Juneau worked as a law clerk for judges at the Montana Supreme Court from 2004 to 2005. She then worked as a lawyer for a law firm from 2005 to 2006. From 2006 to 2008, she was a division administrator at the Office of Public Instruction. In 2009, the National Indian Education Association named Juneau "Educator of the Year."
Political Campaigns
In 2008, Juneau decided to run for Superintendent of Public Instruction in Montana. She won the Democratic primary election in June. In the main election in November, she won with 51% of the votes. This made her the first American Indian woman to win a statewide office in the United States.
Juneau ran for re-election in 2012 and won again. Because of term limits, she could not run for this position again in 2016.
On November 4, 2015, Juneau announced she would run for Montana's seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. She was defeated by the Republican representative, Ryan Zinke, in the general election.
Montana State Superintendent of Public Instruction
As Montana's Superintendent of Public Instruction, Juneau worked to improve education in the state. She reported that Montana's high school graduation rate increased by 4.7 percent during her time in office. The dropout rate also decreased by 1.3 percent.
Juneau also helped create Montana's "Schools of Promise Initiative." This project used federal money to help schools improve. It focused on supporting students' learning and emotional needs, especially in schools that faced more challenges.
In 2012, Juneau gave a speech at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. She spoke about education policies. In 2015, she received an award from the Harvard Graduate School of Education for her contributions to education. She also received the 2015 Leo Reano Memorial Award from the National Education Association.
Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools
In April 2018, the Seattle Public Schools board chose Denise Juneau to be their new superintendent. She started her role on July 1, 2018.
In March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, schools in Washington state closed. Juneau announced that Seattle Public Schools would not immediately switch to online learning. She made this decision to ensure fairness for all students, especially those who might not have access to computers or internet at home. She resigned from this position on May 1, 2021.
Personal Life
Juneau is a registered member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation through her mother, Carol Juneau. Her father, Stan Juneau, was a member of the Blackfeet Nation. He passed away in 2020. She also has family connections to the Tlingit and Haida peoples.
