Thomas Payzant, Ed.D.
Senior Lecturer
Harvard Graduate School of Education

Thomas W. Payzant began serving as Superintendent of the Boston Public Schools on October 1, 1995. His goal has been to achieve 144 schools of excellence with quality teaching and high expectations for learning for every Boston student.

In Focus On Children, a comprehensive plan approved by the Boston School Committee in July, 1996, Dr. Payzant established his blueprint for educational reform in Boston. Since then, Boston has instituted new curricula in all subjects, high stakes assessments for students, schools and all staff, and a massive remediation initiative to bring the educational skills of all students up to high standards. Working closely with leaders of the Boston business community, Dr. Payzant has raised over $30 million to support professional development in every Boston school.

As a result, Boston students and schools have demonstrated a consistent pattern of continuous improvement, in literacy and mathematics, in virtually every grade, on a variety of rigorous assessments, including the Stanford 9 Achievement Tests and the state's MCAS tests.

Dr. Payzant came to Boston after serving as Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education with the United States Department of Education. He has served as Superintendent in four communities prior to Boston, including his first in Springfield Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania where he was appointed Superintendent at the age of 28; and subsequently, in Eugene, Oregon, Oklahoma City, and the San Diego Unified School District where he served for 11 years prior to his appointment by President Clinton.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1940, Dr. Payzant received his high school diploma from Mt. Hermon School in 1958, his Bachelor's Degree from Williams College in 1962, his Masters in Teaching in 1963 and his Doctorate in Education from Harvard in 1968. He has received honorary doctorates from Claremont Graduate School, Curry College, Lesley University, Northeastern University, Wheelock College and Williams College. In 1998, Dr. Payzant was Massachusetts Superintendent of the Year and was named one of four national finalists for Superintendent of the Year. In 2004, the Council of Great City Schools presented the Richard R. Green Award for Excellence in Urban Education to Dr. Payzant. He has written numerous journal articles, reviews and chapters for books on education.

Dr. Payzant is married to Ellen Watson Payzant. They have three children and five grandchildren.