Dr. Terry Holliday wins Excellence in Education Award
The AdvancED Kentucky Council has named Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday this year’s recipient of the Excellence in Education Award for his unparalleled leadership in promoting and advancing excellence in education. The award was presented at the AdvancED Kentucky Council meeting in Lexington on May 30.
The AdvancED Council recognizes one individual each year with the Excellence in Education Award. The council is made up of practicing professional educators from across the state and is responsible for the oversight of school and system accreditation in nearly 800 accredited institutions in Kentucky. The award is based on an individual’s professional training, depth of professional experience, publications and presentations, as well as service to the education community and AdvancED and SACS CASI (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement).
In making the presentation, Randy McCallon, Chairperson of the Kentucky Council, indicated that Dr. Holliday had been selected for this award because of his steadfast commitment to:
- generating a common vision and mission for higher expectations among students, faculty, and the education community
- demonstrating a record of significant and distinguished contributions and accomplishments to the education profession
- providing a lasting positive impact on student learning
- serving as a role model and mentor for students and future generations of educators
- demonstrating significant professional contribution to SACS CASI
Before coming to Kentucky in 2009 as Commissioner of Education, Dr. Holliday served as a principal, district administrator and superintendent in North Carolina and South Carolina school systems. During his tenure in North and South Carolina, he received many awards and recognitions including the 2008 National Baldrige Performance Excellence Award and 2009 North Carolina Superintendent of the Year. In the last two years, Dr. Holliday has been selected to serve on national boards of two educational agencies including the National Assessment Governing Board, which guides National Assessment of Education Progress assessment. He was elected president of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), a national organization of public officials who head departments of education in 2012.
Dr. Holliday’s history of service to SACS CASI extends back nearly 20 years. He was among the first superintendents in the United States to implement the school system accreditation process during his tenure at Iredell-Statesville Schools in North Carolina. He has provided support and encouragement to Kentucky school system leaders to pursue AdvancED School System Accreditation, and he has endeavored to further align AdvancED accreditation requirements with those of the Kentucky Department of Education through the ASSIST™ platform.