Rudy Crew facts for kids

Rudolph Franklin "Rudy" Crew (born September 10, 1950) is an American educator and school leader. He has worked in many important roles in public education. He is currently the President of Medgar Evers College.

Before this, Rudy Crew was Oregon's first Chief Education Officer from 2012 to 2013. He was chosen by Governor John Kitzhaber. In this role, he helped manage Oregon's public education system. This system included everything from pre-kindergarten to college and career readiness programs.

One of his most well-known jobs was as the chancellor of the New York City Department of Education. He held this position from 1995 to 1999. He looked up to his second cousin, John Crew, who was also a school superintendent.

Early Life and Education

Rudy Crew was born on September 10, 1950, in Poughkeepsie, New York. His father, Eugene, raised him after his mother passed away when he was two. His father was a jazz trumpeter and worked as a night watchman.

Rudy was the first male in his family to go to college. He was also one of the African-American students who helped integrate Babson College. This means he was among the first Black students to attend the college.

After graduating from Babson, he continued his studies. He earned a Master of Education and a Doctor of Education degrees. He received these from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Career Highlights

Starting in Southern California

Rudy Crew's first job was teaching English in Southern California. He then began working as a school administrator. His early administrative roles were in Worcester, Massachusetts and Boston, Massachusetts.

He later became the assistant superintendent and then superintendent of schools in Sacramento, California. He held the superintendent position from 1988 to 1993.

Leading Schools in Tacoma

After Sacramento, Rudy Crew moved to lead the school system in Tacoma, Washington. During his time there, student test scores improved. This success caught the attention of the New York City Board of Education. They had changed leaders many times in a short period.

Some people noted that test scores increased in Tacoma in 1995. This was likely due to efforts to help students improve their test-taking skills. However, school officials in Tacoma believed that the improvements were set back when Crew left for New York. In New York, changes he started were later credited with helping test scores continue to improve.

Chancellor in New York City

In October 1995, Rudy Crew became the chancellor of New York City's Board of Education. He took over from Ramon C. Cortines. A few months later, he stated he would not make school uniforms required, unlike President Clinton's idea. As the leader of the nation's largest school district, he was sometimes called "the other Rudy." This was because the mayor, Rudy Giuliani, also had the same first name.

Crew disagreed with Mayor Giuliani's plan for a private school voucher system. The New York Times reported that Giuliani's public criticism led to Crew leaving the position.

Research has shown that a program Crew created, called the "Chancellor's District," helped improve struggling schools. In 2010, a group in New York City used this idea as a model for their own school improvement plan.

During his time, math and science scores dropped in 1997. This happened because new tests and higher standards were introduced. Mayor Giuliani blamed the school board and the system for these results.

After leaving New York, Crew led a program for school principals. This program was at the University of Washington for 15 months. He then took a leadership role at the Stupski Foundation in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Superintendent in Miami-Dade

In 2004, Rudy Crew became the Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. This is the fourth-largest school district in the United States. His salary was reported to be $400,000, making him the highest-paid superintendent in the country at the time.

His leadership in Miami was recognized in several ways. The district was a finalist for the Broad Prize for three years in a row (2006–2008). His School Improvement Zone was named a Top 50 Innovation by the Kennedy School of Government. Also, 12 high schools were named among the best by Newsweek. In 2008, Crew was named the National Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators. His programs were seen as a model for success, especially a high school reform program that helped boost Miami's graduation rate.

Some critics pointed to an increase in "F" graded schools in 2007. However, this was a statewide issue caused by changes in how schools were graded. The Greater-Miami Chamber of Commerce said that Crew's success was clear in the district's performance on the FCAT test. This showed significant improvement over five years.

In June 2008, the Miami Herald reported that Crew's School Improvement Zone had few major achievements in its first year. One school board member said they spent a lot of money without much result. However, supporters of the program noted that over three years, the percentage of "D" and "F" schools dropped significantly. One principal said the program helped her school raise its grade from a "D" to an "A" in three years.

In June 2008, Crew stated that the district had spent millions more than planned. This was due to hiring more teachers, losing state funding, and rising costs. Some school board members criticized his budget management. Despite strong support from business and community leaders, the School Board ended his contract in September 2008. He was replaced by Alberto Carvalho.

In 2009, the district continued to improve. High school students in Miami made greater gains than other students across the state.

Chief Education Officer in Oregon

Before Rudy Crew moved to Oregon, Governor John Kitzhaber worked to create a new education leadership role. This led to the establishment of the Oregon Education Investment Board. This board then hired Crew as the state's first Chief Education Officer. His contract paid him more than the combined salaries of the governor, state treasurer, and secretary of state.

Crew resigned from this position after one year of his three-year commitment. He left to become the president of Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, New York. After he resigned, there was some discussion about his frequent out-of-state trips for personal reasons. There were also questions about his attempts to be paid back for first-class air travel, which was against state rules.

Personal Life

Rudy Crew married his second wife, Kathy Byrne, in 1992. She is a mental health professional. He has four children from his first marriage to Angela. They divorced, and she passed away in 1999. He and Kathy have three step-children.