Rod Paige

Rod Paige
7th United States Secretary of Education
In office January 20, 2001 – January 20, 2005
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Richard Riley
Succeeded by	Margaret Spellings
Superintendent of the Houston Independent School District
In office 1994–2001
Preceded by	Yvonne Gonzales (interim)
Succeeded by	Kaye Stripling (interim)
Personal details
Born	(1933-06-17) June 17, 1933 (age 91) Monticello, Mississippi, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Gloria Crawford ​ ​ (m. 1956⁠–⁠1982)​ Stephanie Nellons
Children	1
Education	Jackson State University (BA) Indiana University Bloomington (MA, EdD)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Navy
Years of service	1955–1957

Roderick Raynor Paige (born June 17, 1933) served as the 7th United States Secretary of Education from 2001 to 2005. Paige, who grew up in Mississippi, moved from college football coach and classroom teacher to college dean and school superintendent to be the first African American to serve as the U.S. education chief.

Paige was sitting with George W. Bush at the Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida, when Bush received the news that a second plane had hit the World Trade Center in the September 11, 2001 attacks.

On November 15, 2004, Paige announced his resignation after overseeing the President's education agenda for four years. White House domestic policy adviser Margaret Spellings was nominated as his successor. The U.S. Senate confirmed her on January 20, 2005 after Bush's inauguration for a second term.

Paige served as interim president of his alma mater, Jackson State University, from November 2016 to June 2017.^[1][2]