Jerry D. Weast, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Dr. Jerry D. Weast is Superintendent of the Montgomery County Public Schools, the largest and most diverse school system in Maryland and the 16th largest district in the nation. Appointed to the position in 1999 and reappointed in 2003 and 2007, Dr. Weast is directing an ambitious comprehensive reform effort designed to raise academic standards and narrow the achievement gap for nearly 140,000 students. Since 2004, Dr. Weast has led an inclusive team of school system and union leaders, working together with Harvard University researchers and leaders from prominent school systems across the nation in the Public Education Leadership Project, to study school system governance. The managerial excellence he has overseen led to Montgomery County Public Schools’ receipt of the U.S. Senate/Maryland Productivity Award in 2005. In addition, the school system was a 2006 Finalist for a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. In May 2008, Dr. Weast was honored by APQC, a nonprofit benchmarking and best practices organization, with the C. Jackson Grayson Distinguished Pioneer Medal in recognition of his innovative leadership in dramatically driving quality and process improvement in K–12 education.
In recognition of his innovative leadership in early childhood education, professional development, school accountability, and parent involvement, Dr. Weast was named the Maryland Superintendent of the Year in 2003 and was one of the final four candidates for consideration as the National Superintendent of the Year. He is one of a few superintendents to have won the state superintendent of the year award in two different states. Dr. Weast has served as superintendent for 30 years, overseeing eight school districts in five states. He has been in public education since 1969 and also has been a clinical professor and instructor at several universities.
At the national and international levels, Dr. Weast has presented extensively at conferences and seminars, not only to educators, but to clinicians, professional negotiators, Federal Aviation Administration managers, executives of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and technology professionals, on topics such as school reform, early childhood education, technology in education, strategic planning, effective leadership, community collaboration, business partnerships, school–union partnerships, professional development, and crisis management. Dr. Weast has led in developing collaborative relationships with employee organizations, which have resulted in ground-breaking professional development programs and employee evaluation systems for professional, support, and administrative personnel. These initiatives have earned national recognition.
Internationally, Dr. Weast has addressed members of the European Council of International Schools, has undertaken Fulbright-funded travel to Northern Ireland to consult with school administrators on school integration, has twice been invited to the People’s Republic of China, and has been invited by Japan’s Ministry of Education to speak on the topic of school reform. The author of numerous educational research articles and reports, Dr. Weast serves on the boards of various policy, educational, business and community organizations, including the Committee for Economic Development, Peabody College (Vanderbilt University) National Ed.D. Advisory Board, and Junior Achievement Worldwide Education Group.
Dr. Weast was appointed a Post Doctoral Fellow in the Graduate School of Duke University. He holds an Ed.S. Degree in General Administration from Pittsburg State University in Kansas and an Ed.D. in Educational Administration from Oklahoma State University, where he was named to the Hall of Fame in the College of Education.
Honors and Awards (partial list)
- 2008 - Grayson Award, American Productivity and Quality Center, Houston, TX
- 2008 - Tech Savvy Superintendent Award, eSchool News
- 2006 - Cable Telecommunications Association of Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia Educator of the Year
- 2005 - Maryland Music Educators Association Administrator of the Year
- 2004 - Yale School of Child Development—annual award for continuing support of initiatives in early childhood learning
- 2003 - Public School Superintendents of Maryland Superintendent of the Year Named to Board of Trustees, Committee for Economic Development Inducted—Oklahoma State University College of Education Hall of Fame American Association of School Administrators President’s Technology Award
- 1999 - North Carolina Association of School Administrators Superintendent of the Year and Phi Delta Kappa Outstanding Administrator of the Year
- 1998 - North Carolina School Boards Association Superintendent of the Year and Piedmont Triad Star Award in recognition of regional leadership
- 1992/1996 - Order of the Long Leaf Pine, presented by Governor James Martin (1992) and Governor James Hunt (1996)
Publications (partial list)
- Weast, Jerry D., Saphier, Jonathon D., and Simon, Mark. 2003. “How to Include Student Results in Teacher Evaluation—Responsibly.”
- Weast, Jerry D. 2001. “Why We Need Rigorous Full-Day Kindergarten.” NAESP Principal (May)
- Weast, Jerry D., et al. 1999. “Revitalizing the Middle School: The Guilford County Process.” The Middle School Journal (May)
- Weast, Jerry D., and Young, Jonathan. 1999. “Sharing the Visioin: The Superintendent as Teacher.” Leadership ’99, North Carolina Association of School Administrators (Spring/Summer)
- Weast, Jerry D. 1997. “When Bigger Can Be Better.” The School Administrator (October)
- Weast, Jerry D. 1996. “Truth Telling in Staff Assessments.” The School Administrator (September)
Professional Memberships/Community Activities (partial list)
- American Association of School Administrators
- National School Boards Association
- Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
- Public School Superintendents Association of Maryland
- Horace Mann League of the United States
- Phi Delta Kappa
- Council for Exceptional Children
- Board of Advisors, School Leaders Risk Management Association
- Board of Advisors, National Philharmonic
- Board of Advisors, Junior Achievement Worldwide Leadership Council
- Board of Directors, Committee for Economic Development
- Board of Directors, Junior Achievement of the National Capital Area
- Board of Directors, Montgomery County, Maryland Chamber of Commerce
- Board of Advisors, Universities of Maryland at Shady Grove