Dr, Lester Young Jr., former Bklyn school superintendent, named to head state Board of Regents
The state Board of Regents on Monday elected Dr. Lester Young Jr, the former superintendent of Brooklyn’s NYC School District 13, which stretches from Fort Green to DUMBO to Brooklyn Heights, as its first Black chancellor.
Young, the son of famed jazz saxophonist Lester Young, grew up in Brooklyn and has worked in public service for five decades, serving on the board since 2008.
He takes the helm of the board at a particularly challenging time, as the state’s roughly 700 districts approach a full year of disrupted in-person learning, and face grave concerns about potential learning loss, enrollment declines, and budget gaps. Districts are also awaiting guidance on whether state standardized exams will go on this year.