NEWS RELEASE October 6, 2014
APS Hires Dr. Carlton D. Jenkins as Chief Academic Officer
ATLANTA – The Atlanta Board of Education voted to accept Superintendent Meria J. Carstarphen’s recommendation to hire Dr. Carlton D. Jenkins as chief academic officer (CAO) for Atlanta Public Schools (APS).
The APS chief 
academic officer is responsible for driving the district’s core academic function — curriculum and instruction delivery to more than 50,000 students.
Jenkins is credited with transforming schools and developing current and future leaders in K-12 public education as superintendent of Saginaw Public Schools District in Saginaw, MI. During his tenure, Jenkins increased the graduation rate by 14.1 percentage points and reduced the dropout rate by 4.9 percentage points over four years for all students. With more than 25 years of experience in education, Jenkins has served in leadership positions such as an associate administrator, principal of a middle school and three high schools, executive director of Project-GRAD leadership K-12 and executive director of secondary leadership.
A native of Phenix City, Ala., Jenkins received his undergraduate degree from Mississippi Valley State University, a master’s degree in educational administration and a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“As we implement a new strategic direction for Atlanta Public Schools, Jenkins will have a crucial role in fulfilling our mission of preparing students for college and career success,” Superintendent Carstarphen said.
“I look forward to being a part of Atlanta, APS, and a strong team that is dedicated to supporting students and leading our teachers and staff to academic success for all our students,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins will join APS on October 20, 2014.
About Atlanta Public Schools
Atlanta Public Schools is one of the largest school districts in the state of Georgia, serving approximately 50,000 students across 106 learning sites. The district is organized into nine K-12 clusters with 87 schools, 17 charter schools and two citywide single-gender academies, where students are offered rigorous instructional programs that foster success in school and life. For more information, visit http://www.atlantapublicschools.us.
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