Gaston Caperton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gaston Caperton
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| 31st Governor of West Virginia | |
| In office January 16, 1989 – January 13, 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Arch A. Moore Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Cecil H. Underwood |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
William Gaston Caperton III
February 21, 1940 Charleston, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
Dee Kessel
(m. 1965; div. 1989)Rachael Worby
(m. 1990; div. 1998)Idit Harel
(m. 2003; div. 2012) |
| Education | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BA) |
Gaston Caperton, born on February 21, 1940, is an American politician. He was the 31st Governor of West Virginia from 1989 to 1997. Later, he led the College Board, which creates important tests like the SAT and AP exams. He belongs to the Democratic Party.
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Early Life and Career
Caperton was born in Charleston, West Virginia. He attended Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia. He then studied at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
After college, he returned to Charleston. He took over his family's insurance business. Under his leadership, it grew into a very large company. He also owned a bank and a mortgage firm. Caperton was first elected governor in 1988. This was his first time running for public office.
Governor of West Virginia (1989–1997)
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Gaston Caperton served two terms as Governor of West Virginia. He focused on improving the state's finances, education, and economy.
Winning Elections
In the 1988 election, Caperton was not expected to win. However, he won his party's primary election. Then, he defeated the Republican governor, Arch A. Moore Jr., in the main election.
He ran for re-election in 1992. Caperton won the Democratic primary. He then won the general election against his Republican opponent. He could not run for a third term in 1996 because of state rules.
Improving State Finances
During his first term, Governor Caperton worked to fix West Virginia's money problems. He helped pass new laws about ethics and road building. He also supported education bills.
He raised taxes to help the state's finances. This helped reduce debts of over $500 million. It also created a $100 million surplus. A magazine called Financial World said West Virginia was the most improved state. Some people criticized him for raising taxes. But his supporters said the previous governor had not been clear about the state's financial issues.
Boosting Education
Governor Caperton made education his top priority. He supported a program to build new schools. This led to $800 million in investments. Fifty-eight new schools were built, and 780 schools were renovated. This helped two-thirds of West Virginia's public school students.
He also raised teachers' salaries. They went from 49th to 31st in the nation. He trained over 19,000 educators. This helped teachers use technology better in classrooms. He pushed for "computers in every classroom." This program started in kindergarten and went through sixth grade. Later, it expanded to include grades 7-12.
In 1996, West Virginia's progress in education technology was recognized. Caperton received the Computerworld Smithsonian Award. The award sponsors called him a "visionary." They said he "fundamentally changed the education system in America" using technology.
Growing the Economy
As governor, Caperton worked hard on economic development. He focused on modern roads and infrastructure. He also worked on prisons, a clean environment, and health care.
West Virginia's economy improved during his eight years. Unemployment dropped from 9.8% to 6.2%. This was because about 86,000 new jobs were created. He also started the West Virginia Streams Restoration Program. This program helps treat acid drainage from coal mining.
National Leadership Roles
Near the end of his second term, Caperton held important national roles. He chaired the Democratic Governors' Association in 1996. He was also on the National Governors' Association executive committee. He led the Appalachian Regional Commission. Caperton received many awards and honorary degrees for his work.
Tamarack Arts Center
One special project from Caperton's time as governor is Tamarack. This facility is a museum and art gallery. It has studios for visiting artists. Tamarack showcases products made in West Virginia. It helps market products from over 1,200 West Virginia artists.
After Being Governor
After his time as governor, Caperton taught at Harvard University. He also started the Institute on Education and Government at Columbia University.
Leading the College Board
On July 1, 1999, Caperton became President and CEO of the College Board. This is a non-profit group of over 4,200 schools and colleges. The College Board is famous for its SAT college admissions exam. It also runs the Advanced Placement Program (AP). This program lets high school students take college-level courses.
Caperton worked to make AP courses more available. He especially wanted inner-city and rural students to have access. He was concerned about unequal chances in education. He encouraged middle school students to go to college. USA Today called him an "education crusader."
In 2004, Caperton led a successful effort to change the SAT. The College Board added a writing test. They also included more critical reading and advanced math. The new SAT aimed to better reflect what students learn in high school. The first new SAT test was given in March 2005.
Under Caperton's leadership, the College Board started "Don't Forget Ed!" This effort aimed to make education a key topic in the 2012 presidential campaign.
In 2012, Caperton wrote a book called "The Achievable Dream." It shares lessons on how to create great schools.
Current Role
Gaston Caperton is now the Vice Chairman for Leeds Equity Partners. This company focuses on education investments. He has been in this role since January 2013.
Personal Life
Gaston Caperton was born in Charleston, West Virginia. He has been married three times. He has two sons, William Gaston IV and John, with his first wife, Ella Dee Caperton.
