(Portland, OR) — Governor Kitzhaber announced today that he has selected Tigard-Tualatin Superintendent Rob Saxton to serve as Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction. Mr. Saxton, along with Chief Education Officer Dr. Rudy Crew, is charged with transforming Oregon’s public education system, from early childhood services through K-12 and post-secondary education and training. Mr. Saxton will head the Oregon Department of Education.

“Rob Saxton has a proven time-and-time-again that he can deliver real results,” said Governor Kitzhaber. “His on-the-ground experience and excellent track record in the Tigard-Tualatin School District will help us achieve better outcomes for all of Oregon's students.”

For the past seven years, Mr. Saxton has served as superintendent of the Tigard-Tualatin School District, where he oversaw the successful implementation of the Response to Intervention (RTI) program. Under RTI, Tigard-Tualatin screens all students to identify struggling readers, and then seeks to prevent academic failure through early intervention, frequent progress measurement, and increasingly intensive researched-based instructional interventions for children who continue to struggle. Since 2006, Tigard-Tualatin has raised student performance on OAKS reading tests at all grade levels, and has reduced its racial achievement gap by 36 percent. Prior to Tigard-Tualatin, Saxton served as superintendent of the Sherwood School District and was principal of McMinnville High between 1996 and 2000. He has also been an assistant principal, teacher and coach in the Greater Albany School District.

"It will be an honor to serve the state and work with all Oregonians on our vision of 40/40/20," said Mr. Saxton. "As a native Oregonian – who is the child of educators and has spent a career working on education in our state – this is a significant opportunity."

The Chief Education Officer and Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction positions were created by legislation passed in 2011 as part of a package of education reforms meant to align the state's public education system – from prekindergarten through college – to support students more effectively and invest in better learning outcomes. They are responsible for ensuring that by 2025, all Oregon students will graduate from high school, 40 percent will get at least two years of post-secondary education or training and another 40 percent will earn a bachelor’s degree or higher. For the first time in Oregon, funding and governance is aligned for the entire continuum of public education, from pre-K to college and careers.

“The task ahead of us demands someone with Rob’s history of success, knowledge of Oregon, and focus on achievement for children and young adults," said Dr. Crew. "I am pleased to be working with someone whose skills and experiences in his own district will bring so much to Oregon overall.”

Mr. Saxton will serve on an interim basis beginning July 31 before going through Senate confirmation in September.