Dr. Lester W. Young Jr., Chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents. (Submitted Photo)
The Central New York School Boards Association recently held a Roundtable featuring New York State Board of Regents Chancellor, Dr. Lester W. Young Jr..
The Central New York School Boards Association recently held a Roundtable featuring New York State Board of Regents Chancellor, Dr. Lester W. Young Jr., who was appointed Chancellor in January of this year. He’s the first African American to ever hold that position.
Dr. Young has served as a Regent member since 2008. He has made creating opportunities “where every student can be successful” the guiding principle of his more than 50 years of public service. He began his career with the New York City Department of Education, holding positions as: Teacher, Guidance Counselor, Supervisor of Special Education and Principal. During his tenure as Principal, PS 183 Brooklyn (Ocean-Hill Brownsville), was recognized as a School of Excellence by the United States Department of Education (USDOE) and the New York State Education Department (NYSED) in 1987.
Dr. Young volunteers as a mentor to superintendents, principals and aspiring leaders throughout New York City. He has been recognized by many local, national education, and civic education organizations for his professional contributions.
He is profiled in Men of Courage II, documenting the lives and achievements of 27 African American Men. He is also a contributing writer to Child by Child: The Comer Process for Change in Education, 1999. Dr. Young received the Ed.D. degree from Fordham University and M.S. degree from Brooklyn College.
During the Zoom conference for CNYSBA, Chancellor Young gave a brief presentation and then answered questions from those who attended remotely. Dr. Young spoke about education in New York in 2021, as we face possible budget cuts and re-opening struggles due to the COVID-19 pandemic, among other topics.
