The Poudre School District in northern Colorado has selected Brian Kingsley as the district’s next superintendent. Kingsley is an alumnus of the Chiefs for Change Future Chiefs leadership development program and currently serves as the chief academic officer at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) in North Carolina.
“I’ve always felt strongly that every kid deserves the same shot at a great education that I was lucky enough to get, and that’s why I have dedicated my career to education,” Kingsley said. “I am so excited for my family and me to put down roots in Fort Collins and work with parents, teachers, and community members to build on the incredibly strong foundation that already exists. Poudre’s schools are strong because of the highly involved community of students, parents, teachers, administrators, and support staff. In Poudre, I see a community that is resilient and dedicated to progress no matter the challenge, and I’m inspired by the opportunity to be a part of a community whose values are so closely aligned with my family’s.”
Kingsley oversees instruction and academic initiatives and manages a budget of more than $200 million in the nation’s top-performing urban system for fourth grade reading and math and eighth grade math. Prior to CMS, Kingsley served in a top academic role in Wake County, North Carolina, where he helped increase graduation rates and expand access to Advanced Placement classes across all student groups.
Kingsley’s standing as a nationally respected leader in instructional design and curriculum implementation, along with his experience efficiently managing large teams and budgets, positions him to lead the Poudre School District. Students in the district regularly outperform their statewide peers, but like many school systems across the country, achievement gaps at the high school level are a cause for concern among community and civic leaders.
“Brian is one of the sharpest minds in the country when it comes to instructional design and curriculum implementation,” said Chiefs for Change CEO Mike Magee. “He is also a thoughtful, direct, and empathetic district leader. His balanced skillset and innovative approach are exactly what the Poudre School District needs to build on past successes and drive progress after the pandemic.”
Kingsley was part of the fifth cohort of the Future Chiefs program in 2020. The program identifies talented, diverse emerging leaders and integrates them into a community of practice where they receive coaching and mentorship from members of Chiefs for Change and participate in a variety of other learning opportunities. For more on the Future Chiefs program, click here.
Kingsley started his career as a middle school teacher in Broward County, Florida, in the late 1990s. He held a number of school-based leadership roles in the district before being appointed acting chief academic officer and executive director of instruction and intervention in 2014.
Kingsley has a bachelor’s degree from Penn State and a master’s in education leadership from Florida International University. He and his wife, Marilyn, an educator and learning specialist, have two sons. Their oldest attends New York University, and their youngest will attend Poudre schools beginning this fall. To learn more about Kingsley and what inspires his work, see this video.
About Chiefs for Change
Chiefs for Change is a nonprofit, bipartisan network of diverse state and district education chiefs dedicated to preparing all students for today’s world and tomorrow’s through deeply committed leadership. Chiefs for Change advocates for policies and practices that are making a difference today for students, and builds a pipeline of talented, diverse Future Chiefs ready to lead major school systems.
