Arlington, Va. — Jesse Ruiz, the former president of the Illinois State Board of Education, is being awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE). The national award is given annually to a state board of education member in recognition of outstanding service to public education.
“Serving on a state board is about leadership in the name of our children, and Jesse has certainly provided that,” said NASBE Executive Director Brenda Welburn. “He has been at the forefront of many issues, including equity in education for underserved students in his state, work he will certainly continue in the city of Chicago. For his many accomplishments in Illinois, we are proud to honor him with this award.”
Ruiz served on the Illinois State Board of Education from 2004 until 2011, when he left to serve as vice chairman of the Chicago Board of Education. During his tenure as state board chairman, he worked extensively on reducing the dropout rate and increasing the graduation rate, with the board raising the legal dropout age from 16 to 17. Under Ruiz’s leadership, the board clarified rules for enrolling students, making it easier for homeless, migrant, and other students in at-risk situations to gain access to public education
He also raised awareness of technical and trade programs available for students who are not considering a traditional college program. Ruiz was appointed in 2011 to the U.S. Department of Education’s Equity and Excellence Commission. El Valor honored him for his work in 2007 with its Education Excellence Award, and in 2005 he was given the Education Award by the state secretary of education. In addition, Mr. Ruiz was named one of the nation’s most influential Hispanics in the October 2010 issue of Hispanic Business magazine
“I am very proud to have served with Jesse Ruiz. When it came time to make a tough decision, Jesse always focused on what was best for students, no matter how difficult that may have been,” said State Superintendent of Education Christopher A. Koch. “When you have a leader that cares that much for kids, it helps put your job into focus and makes it that much easier to make tough choices and challenge adults to put students first.”
The award is being presented at NASBE’s national conference in Atlanta, Georgia on October 14.
The National Association of State Boards of Education represents America’s state and territorial boards of education. NASBE exists to strengthen State Boards as the preeminent educational policymaking bodies for citizens and students. For more, visit
www.nasbe.org.
