Program Directory

 
City Club of Cleveland - Dr. Susan Tave Zelman
 
 
 
Dr. Susan Tave Zelman, who has been with the Ohio Department of Education since 1999, announced on May 28 that she will step down as superintendent of public instruction when a new superintendent is hired and will stay on until December 1 through the transition. She will speak on where Ohio public schools have been, where they are now, and where they will be going.

During her nine years as superintendent, Zelman has advanced Ohio's educational system from the middle of the pack in state rankings to seventh this year in Education Week's annual Quality Counts Report. The 2008 report gave Ohio and A for standards, assessment and accountability improvements. National and state results show Ohio has increased average student scores on state tests and empowered high school students to outperform national SAT and ACT averages. The Goldman Sachs Foundation recently named Ohio a winner of the prestigious Prize for Excellence in International Education, citing policies and programs that prepare Ohio students for a competitive position in the 21st century global marketplace.

Previously, Zelman served as deputy commissioner of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, served for six years in the Massachusetts Department of Education and chaired the Department of Education at Emmanuel College in Boston.

Gannett Newspapers named Dr. Zelman as one of the 10 most powerful and influential women in Ohio state government. She holds a Ph.D. in education from the University of Michigan.
June 6, 2008