David Parker
David Parker is the Superintendent of the Forest Grove School District. David has advanced through a 23-year education career as a science teacher, principal, and central office administrator. David has vast experience in specific areas of interest for Oregon schools, including Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs, technology, and redesigning employee evaluation systems. He is an experienced leader known for his work in collaborative teams and standards-based teaching and learning.
When asked about his “one big dream” for education, David shared the importance of realizing that not every student has equal access to the same educational opportunities. Beyond this, he highlighted that this has been true for decades and emphasized the necessity of collectively examining the systems that we have put into place. “We have to continue to figure out … what [it is] about these systems that are creating these outcomes for kids year after year with only real marginal increases or decreases each year.” David’s other big dream for education is ensuring that students get an equal start in literacy and numerology from day one of their time in the classroom.