Karolyn Belcher named Chief Academic Officer for CCSD
January 6, 2020
Charleston County School District announced Karolyn Belcher as the new Chief Academic Officer, beginning January 6, 2020.
Belcher will lead the District’s Learning Services division. Belcher is an experienced educator with nearly 30 years of experience as a teacher, principal, teacher trainer, and organizational leader.
Most recently, Belcher was Interim Chief Talent Officer for the Alliance College-Ready Public Schools network in Los Angeles, serving 13,000 students.
Belcher began her career in education as a seventh grade science teacher in New Orleans.
Belcher was a founding member of TNTP (formerly The New Teacher Project) and worked in various roles over an 11-year period, including national president for three years and leadership positions in new teacher effectiveness, talent and operations, and human capital in partnership with more than 200 school systems nationwide.
Belcher helped build the innovative Teaching Fellows program, attracting thousands into the classroom to teach math, science, and other high-need subjects.
Belcher founded and led the John A. Reisenbach Charter School in Harlem, NY for five years. She also worked in various leadership positions with Teach For America in New York and Texas.
For the last decade, Belcher has worked with many of the nation’s largest school systems in New York City, Washington, D.C., Nashville, Houston, New Orleans, Chicago, and Philadelphia.
In addition to her work experience, Belcher is a Broad Academy Fellow, a prestigious two-year fellowship for highly accomplished educational leaders.
Belcher earned degrees from Mount Holyoke College and Teachers College at Columbia University.
In her new role in Charleston County, Belcher will focus on improving core instruction in English language arts and math, helping attract a more diversified teacher workforce, and investing in evidence-based programs to reduce the opportunity gaps between white students and students of color.
About the Charleston County School District
Charleston County School District (CCSD), a nationally-accredited school district, is the second largest school system in South Carolina representing a unique blend of urban, suburban, and rural schools spanning 1,300 square miles along the coast. CCSD serves more than 50,000 students in 87 schools and specialized programs. With approximately 6,100 employees district-wide, CCSD is the fourth largest employer in the region.
CCSD offers a diverse, expanding portfolio of options and specialized programs, delivered through neighborhood, charter, magnet, IB (international baccalaureate), and Montessori schools, and is divided into three Learning Communities. Options include specialized programs in science, engineering and mathematics; liberal arts; music and other creative and performing arts; career and technical preparation programs; and military and other public service enterprises.
