Anthony D. Jackson, Ed. D, is the Superintendent of the Chatham County School System in central, North Carolina.  CCS is one of North Carolina’s fastest growing school systems serving 10,000 students in 20 schools with 1500 employees.  Prior to joining the Chatham County School system, in July 2021, Dr. Jackson was the award winning Superintendent of the Vance County School System in Henderson, NC, leading 17 schools educating 6,000 students, with 1,000 employees for 6 years, Superintendent of Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools for 4 years and division Superintendent of the Henry County Public School System in Martinsville, Virginia for 3 years.

Dr. Jackson’s career in public education spans 28-years and began as a teacher’s assistant, and has matriculated through the public school ranks as a music teacher, assistant principal, principal, and various central office administrative posts in several Virginia and North Carolina districts. Prior to returning to North Carolina, Dr. Jackson worked as the principal and Chief Administrative Officer of the Arts and Technology Academy Public Charter School (ATA), a highly successful public charter school in Washington, DC. He also served as a Regional Vice President for Curriculum and Instruction with a charter school management company.

While in Vance County, under Jackson’s leadership, student achievement improved positively. The district once designated a low performing district improved performance enough that the designation was removed one year after Jackson’ arrival. During Jackson’s tenure 13 of the 17 district schools improved their academic performance as defined by the state accountability system. The graduation rate increased from 77.6% to 90.3% and the dropout rate fell to 2.2% from a five year high of 5.25%. The district implemented a full scale digital transformation — training all staff to implement blended learning strategies in classrooms. The We-Inspire Digital Transformation initiative is being funded by a $200,000 Golden Leaf Foundation grant and a special appropriation of $400,000, from the Vance County Board of Commissioners.

Under Jackson’s leadership, the district implemented several innovative instructional programs including non-traditional programs (Youth Empowerment Academy for at-risk middle school students, the AdVanced Academy, a program that provides both credit recovery and credit acceleration opportunities for high school students, and the Vance Evening Academy, a program for at-risk high school students that serves as an alternative to long-term suspension). In 2017, the district opened E. M. Rollins STEAM Academy, the district’s first elementary theme based program and its only year-round school using the state’s Restart model for transformation. Additionally, during his tenure, Jackson, led the implementation of Opportunity Culture (Advanced Teaching Roles) strategies in eleven of its fifteen traditional schools, the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program, at the middle and high school levels, and World Languages at the elementary level. While restoring and expanding music and fine arts programs throughout the district, Jackson has led the development of new partnerships with key arts organization in the state and region, including the North Carolina Arts Council which led to the development of the Vance County String Orchestra program at the elementary level, A+ Arts Integration, and Wolf-trap.

In 2017, Jackson and his team are credited with leading the successful consolidation and redistricting of middle and high schools. The district received many accolades and commendations for the strategic community engagement process used to involve the entire community. Consolidation, which is normally extremely stressful in a community was embraced and heralded as a key lever of change that has brought the community together.

Throughout his career, Dr. Jackson has received numerous awards and commendations including, being named the North Carolina Central Region’s Superintendent of the Year in 2014. In 2017 Jackson received the prestigious Friday Medal for his leadership with implementing technological innovation in school systems in North Carolina.  This award is given annually by the Friday Institute for Innovation at North Carolina State University. In July, 2019, Dr. Jackson was again named the North Carolina Central Region’s Superintendent of the Year.  In November 2019, Dr. Jackson was named the 2020 North Carolina A. Craig Phillips Superintendent of the Year.

Dr. Jackson has a Bachelor of Science degree from East Carolina University, a master’s degree N. C. Central University and a doctorate degree in education from Walden University in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He serves on the boards of the local Economic Development Commission and the Vance County Public Schools Foundation and on the executive boards of the NC School Superintendent’s

Association, and the NC Alliance for School Leadership Development, the Science Math and Technology Center Board of Directors.  Jackson is the immediate past chair of the board of directors for The Innovation Project, a collaborative of innovation-focused districts in the state, and the current chair of the NC School Superintendent’s Association (NCSSA). Jackson has served as thought partner and mentor to new and novice Superintendents through his work with the NC Next Generation Superintendents program. He serves as adjunct professor in the masters and doctoral programs at NC State University and High Point University.

Dr. Jackson holds membership in many professional and civic organizations including Rotary International, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity Inc. Dr. Jackson is married to Dr. Tawannah Allen-Jackson, a professor of educational leadership at High Point University. He has two adult children and one grandchild. He enjoys singing, playing the piano, listening to jazz, fitness, traveling and spending time with his family.