STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION CHAIR

"A child in the far reaches of our state who does not have access to rigorous course work is at a significant disadvantage; a virtual school can help rectify this."

Howard Lee
Chairman, NC State Board of Education

Howard N. Lee was appointed to the State Board of Education by Governor Michael F. Easley on May 15, 2003, to fill an unexpired term. Board members unanimously elected him Chair of the Board. Lee, a former mayor of Chapel Hill and a former state senator, was the first African American to hold the post. During his tenure in the Senate, he gained a reputation as an education advocate, leading efforts to improve school safety, school accountability, and teacher quality. Most notably, Lee shepherded legislation through the General Assembly that established the ABCs Accountability Program and the Excellent Schools Act.

Chairman Lee received his BA in Sociology from Fort Valley State College and his Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is active on the Southern Regional Education Board and the Education Commission of the States. In addition to owning several businesses, Lee is a member of the North Carolina Utilities Commission and a former Senior Advisor with the Jim Hunt Institute for Public Policy. His term on the Board expires March 31, 2013.

More information can be found at the North Carolina State Board of Education site.