Terrance Carroll facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Terrance Carroll
Carroll in 2004
54th Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives
In office January 7, 2009 – January 12, 2011
Preceded by	Andrew Romanoff
Succeeded by	Frank McNulty
Member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 7th district
In office January 8, 2003 – January 12, 2011
Succeeded by	Angela Williams
Personal details
Born	Terrance D. Carroll (1969-01-16) January 16, 1969 (age 57) Washington, D.C.
Political party	Democratic
Occupation	Attorney, minister, politician

Terrance D. Carroll, born on January 16, 1969, is an American lawyer and minister. He is also a former politician from Colorado. He made history as the first African American to serve as the Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives. Mr. Carroll was elected as a Democrat in 2002. He represented House District 7, which includes parts of Denver, Colorado.

Terrance Carroll's Early Life and Education

Terrance Carroll grew up in Washington, D.C.. He was the only child of his mother. His mother came from a family that worked hard on farms. He attended Fork Union Military Academy and H. D. Woodson High School. In 1992, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Morehouse College.

After college, Mr. Carroll moved to Colorado. He first planned to study political science. He worked as a campus police officer. Later, he decided to study religion instead. He earned a Master of Divinity degree from the Iliff School of Theology in 1999. He also attended a leadership program at Harvard Divinity School in 2000. Today, he is an ordained Baptist minister.

Mr. Carroll continued his education. He studied law at the Sturm College of Law at the University of Denver. He earned his law degree, called a Juris Doctor, in 2005. While he was still in law school, he was chosen to fill a vacant seat in the Colorado House of Representatives in 2003. He is also an Eagle Scout, which is the highest rank in the Boy Scouts.

Currently, Mr. Carroll works as an attorney for Sherman and Howard LLC. He also writes opinion articles for the Denver Post newspaper. He is a special guest lecturer at the University of Redlands in California.

Terrance Carroll's Time as a Legislator

Mr. Carroll represented District 7 in northeast Denver. During his time, he led the House Judiciary Committee. He also served as the Assistant Majority Leader. In November 2008, he decided to run for Speaker of the House. This happened after another candidate did not win re-election.

On November 8, 2008, members of the Democratic Party in the Colorado House chose Mr. Carroll as their Speaker. He officially became the 54th Speaker of the House in January 2009. This was at the start of the Colorado General Assembly. The Colorado constitution sets a limit for how long members can serve. Mr. Carroll's term as a legislator ended in 2011.

Important Laws and Projects by Terrance Carroll

Mr. Carroll was very interested in improving education. In 2008, he worked with former Colorado Senate President Peter Groff to support a bill called SB130. This bill aimed to give Colorado schools more control. It would let them decide how to spend their money. Schools could also make their own choices about hiring teachers, what to teach, and how long the school day should be.

He also helped create laws to start new schools. He worked to make sure high school graduation rates were calculated the same way everywhere. Mr. Carroll also focused on public safety and fairness in the justice system.

One special project he supported was creating the Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway. This highway is on Interstate 70 in Colorado. It honors the brave African American pilots who served during World War II.