State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Job Description

State Superintendent of Public Instruction (2600005A)

State Board of Education

Jennifer Gates, jennifer.gateso.gov

Feb 6, 2026, 12:59:00 PM

William Green Building 30 West Spring Street Columbus

United States of America-OHIO-Franklin County-Columbus

$170,000-$190,000

Full-time

Work Hours : 8:00 AM-5:00 PM

Technical Skills :
Education

Professional Skills :
Building Consensus, Building Trust, Decision Making, Leading Others, Managing Meetings

The State Board of Education is made up of 19 members — 11 who are elected and 8 who are appointed by the governor. The chairs of the education committees of the Ohio House of Representatives and Ohio Senate serve as non‑voting ex officio members. The Board provides oversight for Ohio’s educational workforce in terms of licensure, professional conduct, and Rapback reporting, along with other duties related to educator evaluation systems, local professional development committees, the Resident Educator Program, Ohio Teacher of the Year, inter‑district property transfers, and more.

The Superintendent serves as secretary of the State Board of Education.

• Provides expertise in the field of K-12 education.
• Serves as the executive officer of the State Board of Education.
• Administers, directs, and coordinates all internal and external operations of the Board and assists in fulfilling the following educational responsibilities and functions within the Board’s statutory authority, in accordance with Section  of the Ohio Revised Code:
  • Adopts requirements for educator licensure.
  • Processes and issues educator licenses.
  • Investigates and resolves educator misconduct complaints.
  • Evaluates background checks, evaluates eligibility for licensure, and participates in the retained applicant fingerprint database program.
  • Determines school district territory transfer disputes.
  • Administers the teacher and school counselor evaluation systems.
  • Oversees the Ohio Teacher of the Year program.
  • Interfaces with and provides staff support to the Educator Standards Board.
• Implements the educational policies, orders, directives, and administrative functions of the State Board of Education, including but not limited to the following:
  • Implementation of the Board’s policies and procedures.
  • Promulgation of administrative rules in accordance with Section  of the Ohio Revised Code and Chapter 119 of the Ohio Revised Code.
  • Advocacy of the Board’s legislative, budget, and policy recommendations regarding priorities for primary and secondary education to the Director of the Department of Education and Workforce.
  • Facilitation of Board requests for assistance from the Department of Education and Workforce in the exercise of the Board’s statutory powers and duties.
  • Facilitation and communication of information with the Department of Education and Workforce as necessary for both entities to effectively perform their functions including sharing proprietary or confidential information.
  • Compliance with all statutory and regulatory requirements.
• Represents and advocates on behalf of the Board and actively engages with the Governor’s office, state agencies, federal agencies, legislators, national organizations, and stakeholders.
• Leads staff to carry out the day-to-day administrative responsibilities for all aspects of the Board’s operations including:
  • Recruiting, hiring, and training staff, setting compensation, conducting performance evaluations, and disciplining and terminating employees.
  • Developing organizational structure and staffing patterns to support the work of the Board.
  • Developing employment policies and procedures.
  • Assigning and supervising staff.
• Oversees the Board’s budgetary and financial operations including its annual operating budget, receipt of revenue, disbursements of funds, and approval and execution of contracts.
• Oversees the development and implementation of the information technology plan for the Board.
• Serves as the Secretary of the State Board of Education and attends board meetings.
• Maintains records of all official proceedings of the Board, keeps the records,…