Ted Kimbrough facts for kids

Ted D. Kimbrough was an important American educator. He worked as a superintendent for three large school districts: Chicago Public Schools, Sacramento Unified School District, and Compton Unified School District. A superintendent is like the main leader or CEO of a school district.

Early Life and Education

Ted Kimbrough was born in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up in a nearby town called Evanston, Illinois. He was Black.

He went to Northern Illinois University for his first college degree. Later, he earned his master's degree from California State University, Los Angeles.

Starting His Career in Education

Kimbrough began his career as a teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District. He taught industrial arts, which is about practical skills and tools. He worked in this district for 26 years.

After teaching, he became a principal of a school. He then moved into bigger leadership roles. He helped the school system with laws and money. He also became an assistant superintendent, helping to manage the whole district.

Leading Compton Unified School District

In 1982, Ted Kimbrough became the superintendent of the Compton Unified School District. He started his new job in October of that year.

The school system in Compton faced many challenges when he arrived. It had changed leaders often, with eleven different superintendents in 15 years. There were also problems with student safety and other issues. Kimbrough worked hard to improve things. He looked into different problems and made changes. In his first two years, he brought in many new leaders.

Kimbrough faced some disagreements during his time as superintendent. The school board, which helps run the district, was sometimes divided. Despite these challenges, he worked to make things better.

During his time, teachers went on strike. Also, in 1989, 158 teachers left the district for jobs that paid more in Los Angeles.

Kimbrough also created programs to connect California's state universities with the public schools. This helped students think about college.

Many people believed Kimbrough brought more order and professionalism to the school district. He was also credited with making schools safer by decreasing gang-related activity. Some educators praised the progress made under his leadership. In 1987, a group called the Association of California School Administrators named him "superintendent of the year." The next year, the American Association of School Administrators also gave him this award. They praised his efforts to improve communication and help students facing difficulties.

Kimbrough left Compton in 1990 to work in Chicago. Even with the improvements he made, the state of California took control of the Compton school district in 1993. This happened because the district still had poor educational results.

Leading Chicago Public Schools

After a long search, the Chicago Board of Education chose Kimbrough to lead Chicago Public Schools. He started in January 1990. This was the third-largest school system in the United States. Many students in Chicago were Black, and the school officials wanted a Black superintendent. Kimbrough received a high salary, making him one of the highest-paid school superintendents in the country.

Chicago's school system also faced many problems. It had a high number of students leaving school early. There were also safety issues and low test scores. In 1987, the United States Secretary of Education had even called the system the nation's worst. Many of these problems were similar to what Kimbrough had faced in Compton.

When Kimbrough started, Chicago Public Schools was changing how it worked. New laws gave parents more control over local schools. This meant that the central school board gave up some of its power. The role of the superintendent was also changing. Kimbrough saw this as a big challenge and a chance to make a difference in a large city school district.

In March 1990, Kimbrough made changes to his team. He wanted to bring in his own leaders for the school administration.

His time in Chicago was described as "tumultuous," meaning it had many ups and downs. In 1993, the Chicago Board of Education decided to end his contract. They said he did not follow their directions. His time as superintendent ended on February 1, 1993.

Two years after Kimbrough left, the Chicago school district changed again. It moved from local control to mayoral control because of ongoing challenges.

Leading Sacramento City Unified School District

On February 6, 1996, Kimbrough began working as the acting superintendent for the Sacramento City Unified School District. He became the permanent superintendent a few months later, on May 7, 1996.

His time in Sacramento was short. In February 1997, he left his position. His career in education, which lasted 40 years, ended on February 20, 1997.

Personal Life and Death

Ted Kimbrough was married and had nine children.

He passed away on April 16, 2018, in Los Angeles. He was 83 years old and died from complications related to Alzheimer's disease.