Former U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige Dies at 92
Former Education Secretary Dies at 92
Rod Paige, a former U.S. secretary of education and the first African American to hold that position, died on Tuesday at the age of 92. Former President George W. Bush, who appointed Paige to lead the Department of Education, announced his death in a statement without providing further details.
Leadership of No Child Left Behind
As U.S. secretary of education from 2001 to 2005, Paige oversaw the implementation of the No Child Left Behind law, which became a signature education policy of the Bush administration in 2002. The law was modeled on Paige’s earlier work as superintendent of the Houston Independent School District. Under the policy, universal testing standards were established, and schools that failed to meet specified benchmarks faced sanctions.
Early Life and Education Career
Roderick R. Paige was born in Monticello, Mississippi, a town of roughly 1,400 residents, to two parents who were teachers. He was the oldest of five siblings. After serving a two-year stint in the U.S. Navy, he became a football coach at the high school and junior college levels. He later rose to the position of head football coach at Jackson State University, his alma mater and a historically Black college in Jackson, Mississippi.
Role in Integrating a Mississippi Stadium
While at Jackson State University, Paige’s football team participated in a 1967 game that made the team the first to integrate Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, which had previously been an all-White venue.
Move to Houston and Academic Leadership
In the mid-1970s, Paige moved to Houston, Texas, to become head football coach at Texas Southern University. He subsequently shifted his focus from athletics to education, working as a teacher and administrator before becoming dean of the university’s college of education, a role he held from 1984 to 1994.
Superintendent in Houston and National Attention
Paige later became superintendent of the Houston Independent School District, which was among the largest school districts in the United States at the time. His implementation of stricter metrics for student outcomes in Houston drew attention from leading Texas politicians. George W. Bush frequently highlighted Paige’s reforms in Houston during his 2000 presidential campaign.
Belief in High Expectations for Students
During his tenure as education secretary, Paige repeatedly emphasized the importance of high expectations for children. In an interview with the Washington Post, he stated that assigning only minor tasks to some students was inadequate and that setting high expectations, along with supporting students in meeting them, was essential.
Later Changes to Federal Education Policy
In 2015, members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate agreed to scale back many provisions of No Child Left Behind. The changes reduced the Department of Education’s authority in setting testing standards and removed its power to sanction schools that did not improve. That same year, President Barack Obama signed legislation overhauling federal education law, introducing a new framework for accountability, teacher evaluations, and interventions for low-performing schools.
Return to Jackson State University
After leaving the Department of Education, Paige returned to Jackson State University, where he had formerly been a student. In 2016, at the age of 83, he served as the university’s interim president.
Continued Engagement in Education
Into his 90s, Paige remained publicly engaged in discussions about U.S. education. In 2024, he authored an opinion piece in the Houston Chronicle in which he discussed lessons drawn from Houston’s education experience and referred to the city’s role in demonstrating what works and what does not in efforts to improve schools.