Chairperson Jeri Robinson and Quoc Tran Reappointed to Boston School Committee

Mayor Michelle Wu today announced the reappointment of Jeri Robinson, currently the Chairperson, and Quoc Tran to four-year terms on the Boston School Committee. The Boston School Committee is the governing body of Boston Public Schools.

“I’m proud to reappoint Chairperson Jeri Robinson and Quoc Tran back to the Boston School Committee, to continue the groundwork we’ve started to enhance the learning experience and school infrastructure for our children and families,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Both Jeri and Quoc are champions for all our students and school staff, and they’re committed to digging in and making the systemic changes our communities need. I want to thank them both for their leadership and look forward to continuing our work together.”

“I’m honored to continue my life’s work of preparing children for a bright future,” said School Committee Chairperson Jeri Robinson. “Boston Public Schools has entered a new era, and I’m excited as ever to work alongside my fellow Committee members and BPS administration to deliver the world-class education students, staff and families deserve.”

“The experience I gained as a Boston Public Schools parent and teacher helped me serve effectively in my first term,” said Boston School Committee member Quoc Tran. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to carry on building a system that will nurture the next generation of City leaders and workers alike.”

“Jeri Robinson’s steady and reliable work as chairperson, and Quoc Tran’s well-rounded perspective have made them trusted and valuable partners since I returned to Boston Public Schools,” said Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper. “I’m thrilled they’ll remain in place as we continue to improve facilities, foundations, and outcomes for students and families across the City.”

Both Robinson and Tran’s terms were set to expire in January of 2023. 

The School Committee is responsible for:

• Defining the vision, mission, and goals of the Boston Public Schools;
• Establishing and monitoring the annual operating budget;
• Hiring, managing, and evaluating the Superintendent; and
• Setting and reviewing district policies and practices to support student achievement.

The School Committee meets approximately twice per month during the school year to adopt, review and modify policies and practices that support teaching, learning and improved student achievement. With the exception of executive sessions, Committee meetings are open to the public, feature public comment periods, and are broadcast on Boston City TV.

Robinson, now retired, served as Vice President of Early Childhood Initiatives at the Boston Children’s Museum. She brings more than 40 years of experience in teaching and consulting in the fields of early childhood and museum education. She is the developer of the PlaySpace exhibit –one of the earliest prototypes for early learning family spaces in children’s and other museums – founder of the Boston Cultural Collaborative for Early Learning, and co-founder of both Families First Parenting programs and “Countdown to Kindergarten.” For many years, she has provided training and consultation to schools, early child programs, museums, and other organizations.

Ms. Robinson is a proud graduate of Girls Latin School. She received her B.S., M.S. Ed. and an honorary Doctorate in Education from Wheelock College, and serves on numerous boards dealing with family, community, multicultural, and early childhood education issues. In recognition of her work, Ms. Robinson has received awards such as the Wheelock Centennial Award, the Boston Parents Paper Family Advocate Award, the Women Who Care Award, and the Lucy Wheelock Award, was a 2004 participant in the Schott Fellowship in Early Care and Education. In 2005, she was named to the American Association of Museums, Centennial Honor Roll, in recognition of her contributions to the museum field in the past century and in 2010, was the recipient of the Abigail Elliot Award, given by BAEYC.

Tran is the parent of four BPS graduates. Prior to his retirement as secretariat deputy director of the Office of Diversity and Civil Rights at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, he developed and implemented diversity and inclusion strategies for over 22,000 employees, and created diversity and affirmative action plans to retain a diverse workforce. Prior to this role, he was the executive director of the Vietnamese American Civic Association (VACA), where he managed all operations of the organization related to serving the social and public assistance needs of Vietnamese refugees and immigrants. Mr. Tran was a BPS high school teacher for six years. He holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, a master's degree in education from Northeastern University, and a doctoral degree in law from Suffolk University.

Mayor Wu previously announced a call for applications to the Boston School Committee in November. More on the Boston School Committee can be found here.