17 Dec 2004
Ends Career in School District Where She First Began Teaching
DALLAS—Carol Francois, chief of staff for the Dallas Independent School District, will retire from the post Jan. 31 from the school district where she first began her career in education almost 30 years earlier.
Among her many accomplishments, Francois was at the forefront of the district's successful end to a federal desegregation order last year.
As chief of staff for the Dallas schools, Francois created and implemented a blueprint to improve student performance, encourage and nurture teachers and ensure the district's compliance with Texas guidelines for public schools.
"Dr. Francois' interest in seeing the district progress has been instrumental to the success we have seen in our schools. Her presence and leadership will be missed," said Interim Superintendent Larry Groppel.
Prior to accepting her position at DISD, Francois was the associate commissioner for education of special populations at the Texas Education Agency. She was a member of the Commissioner of Education's senior management team and responsible for the distribution of $2 billion in federal funds.
Also, she supervised several major TEA divisions including special education, student support programs, migrant education, parent involvement and community empowerment and program evaluation.
From 1995 to 1997, Francois served as assistant superintendent for human resources for the Wake County Public School System in Raleigh, North Carolina.
In 1992, she was a field service agent at the Education Service Center Region X in Richardson, Texas. Later she was promoted to director of the support services department in 1994. From 1991-92, she was a grade-level principal for the Richardson Independent School District.
In Dallas ISD, she taught English at Lincoln High School and at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. She left DISD in 1991 after serving as dean of instruction at North Dallas High School.
Professionally, Francois has more than 30 years of experience in education, but she admits starting her career at the age of three when she would teach class to her dolls.
Born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Francois graduated cum laude with a bachelor of science from Lock Haven University in Lock Haven, Pa. She received her master's degree in education from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa. Her doctorate in education is from Texas A&M University at Commerce.
Francois has been honored with several awards for her commitment to education, including being selected as Dallas ISD Teacher of the Year, Texas A&M University Alumni Ambassador, Meadows Foundation Principal Improvement Fellow and National Alliance of Black Educators Teacher of the Year.