Rashid Ferrod Davis

Rashid Ferrod Davis is the Founding Principal of Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) who has more than 20 years of experience working in the New York City Department of Education as a teacher, assistant principal, and, most recently, the Principal of Bronx Engineering and Technology Academy (BETA). P-TECH is the first of what is now a network of more than 80 grades 9-14 schools across Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Rhode Island, and Texas. Louisiana will begin its replication this fall 2018. The continent of Australia is the first to replicate P-TECH outside of the USA with 14 schools announced and two P-TECHs will open in Morocco 2017. Taiwan and France are the most recent places outside of the USA announced to replicate. P-TECH was launched in September 2011, as a partnership between IBM, the New York City Department of Education, the City University of New York, and the New York City College of Technology. P-TECH was designed as a unique grades 9-14 school that serves an unscreened population, with no admissions requirements beyond showing interest. Students have the opportunity to complete high school requirements, an associate in applied science in the computer sciences field and earn industry experience. On February 12, 2013, President Barack Obama mentioned P-TECH in the State of the Union address. President Obama: “Now at schools like P-TECH in Brooklyn, collaboration between New York public schools and City University of New York and IBM, students will graduate with a high school diploma and an associate’s degree in computers or engineering. We need to give every American student opportunities like this.” On October 25, 2013, President Obama visited P-TECH and said that “P-TECH is proof of what can be accomplished, but we’ve got to have the courage to do it.”

Davis has been invited to the White House and participated in brainstorming sessions on High School Redesign and with national leaders on STEM schools. Davis has mentored more than 15 aspiring school building leaders through Baruch College’s Scaffolded Apprenticeship Model, Fordham University’s Educational Leadership Program Enhancement Project, and the New York City Leadership Academy, New York City’s Leaders in Education Apprenticeship Program, Touro College, and the Center for Integrated Teacher Education (CITE).

Davis is a graduate of Morehouse College with advanced degrees from Pace University, Teachers College, Columbia University, and Fordham University. In 2011, Davis was one of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators (CSA) members featured in the CSA back to school campaign. Davis is a 2012 Cahn Fellow, Program for Distinguished NYC Principals through Teachers College, Columbia University. In 2014 Davis received the Distinguished Service Award, Lewis Hines Award from the National Child Labor Committee. In 2015, Davis was selected as a New York Daily News Education Hometown Hero. In 2016 Davis was selected as a Legendary School Leader by the Black Caucus of CSA and Administrators and received Proclamations from the Council City of New York, the Assembly State of New York, 14th and 25th Senate Districts. In 2016 Davis was named to City and State’s 2016 “Brooklyn Borough 50” list for his contributions to the Brooklyn community. The Brooklyn Borough 50 annually recognizes 50 of the most powerful leaders in government, education, business, and culture who reside in Brooklyn. Davis has written about education, job skills and training in the 21st century workplace.