Haslam Names Candice McQueen Education Commissioner

Governor Bill Haslam on Wednesday announced that Dr. Candice McQueen, a teacher and dean at Lipscomb University in Nashville, will join his cabinet as commissioner of the Department of Education.

Ms. McQueen, 40, serves on Lipscomb University’s executive leadership team as senior vice president, and as dean she oversees the College of Education as well as the 1,300 pre-k through 12th grade students in three schools at Lipscomb Academy.  She has led training, support and professional development efforts for thousands of current and future classroom teachers, instructional coaches and school leaders. Before joining Lipscomb in 2001, Ms. McQueen was a teacher in elementary and middle schools.

“Lipscomb’s College of Education produces some of our state’s best teachers, and Candice gets a lot of credit for that,” Governor Haslam said. “She has taught in a classroom, so she brings both the experience of being a teacher and of preparing teachers to teach.  I am grateful for her willingness to serve in this role, and I know she’ll do a great job as we continue our efforts to provide a quality education for all Tennessee students.” 

Ms. McQueen’s college and teacher preparation programs have been highlighted at the state and national levels for excellence in teacher preparation design and teacher candidate outcomes.  In her six years as dean, Lipscomb’s College of Education has grown by 54 percent with 72 percent growth at the graduate level, has added 15 new graduate programs, including a doctorate, and has created innovative partnerships that focus on collaborative design and delivery for coursework and programming. 

In 2012, Ms. McQueen partnered with the Tennessee-based Ayers Foundation to initiate The Ayers Institute for Teacher Learning and Innovation, which focuses on supporting higher academic standards, embedded professional learning and new approaches to leadership training and support. Tennessee’s higher education institutions are using the resources to prepare new teachers and many Tennessee school districts and other states are using the resources for professional development. 

“I have spent most of my career focused on developing and supporting educators to help our students succeed, and I look forward to bringing that experience and perspective to the important work of leading the Department of Education,” Ms. McQueen said. “Tennessee is headed in the right direction. We are making a real difference in the lives of our children and the future of our state.  My goal is for every graduate to be college and career-ready so they can succeed in the future.  I want Tennessee to continue to set the pace and lead the nation in the reforms and innovations that are making a real difference in the lives of our students.”

Ms. McQueen serves on the board of the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education and the executive committee for the American Association of Independent and Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education. She is frequently asked to serve as an expert on teacher preparation issues by groups such as the Aspen Institute, Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), and the Lumina Foundation. 

Ms. McQueen was also named to the first Leadership Tennessee class in 2013 and serves on numerous boards, including the PENCIL Foundation’s executive board, State Collaborative on Reforming Education’s steering committee, STARS (Students Taking a Right Stand) Nashville, and the Mayor’s Youth Master Plan Leadership Council. 

Ms. McQueen, a native of Clarksville, has a bachelor’s degree from Lipscomb, a master’s from Vanderbilt, and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas. She and her husband, Andy McQueen, a law partner at Bass, Berry and Sims, live in Nashville and have two children, Abigail, 11, and Henry, 8.

Ms. McQueen replaces Kevin Huffman who announced his departure last month.  Her first day on the job will be Tuesday, Jan. 20.

The Professional Educators of Tennessee welcomed Ms. McQueen with the following statement:

"We look forward to working with Dr. McQueen on critical education issues facing Tennessee Educators. Dr. Candice McQueen is well versed in the hard work teachers’ face every day as she has taught in both private and public elementary and middle schools. She is familiar with Tennessee, one of our major concerns."

“We have admired Dr. McQueen’s work from afar, and are looking forward to working with her more closely," said Executive Director J. C. Bowman.

"Priorities for a new commissioner must first be student-centered. Our students must have the resources and innovative instruction to compete in a world-class economy here in Tennessee. We are reminded that the working conditions of our educators become the learning environment of our students, therefore teachers must also be a high priority in the new commissioner’s agenda. Finally, Tennessee will need to continue to allocate resources devoted to the transition of standards. As we have maintained, we believe it is time to move beyond the Common Core debate. We need to continuously build state specific standards that are challenging and meet the needs of Tennesseans. This needs to be done with legislative input and with the involvement of Tennessee educators. In this season of hope, we truly look forward to working with Dr. McQueen to move our state forward."

The State Collaborative on Reforming Education released the following statement from President and CEO Jamie Woodson:

"The selection of Dr. Candice McQueen to lead the Tennessee Department of Education is an important moment for our state, our educators, and our students. Dr. McQueen’s experience as a classroom teacher, a pioneer in providing high-quality training and support to educators, and a leader in higher education makes her uniquely qualified for this role.
 
"Most important, however, is Dr. McQueen’s relentless focus on what is best for students. She is a collaborative leader who has a track record of working with Tennessee educators, parents, policymakers, and community leaders to advance work that improves student achievement, from great teaching in every classroom, to higher academic expectations for all students, and strong leadership throughout schools and districts.
 
"Governor Haslam’s announcement sends the message to all Tennesseans that preparing students for success remains priority number one. Tennessee is headed in the right direction, and we must now build on that success on behalf of the students in our state."

State Democratic Leader Craig Fitzhugh said, "On behalf of the entire House Democratic Caucus, I want to congratulate Dr. Candice McQueen on her appointment as our next Commissioner of Education. Dr. McQueen's credentials are well-known in Tennessee and around the country, but her most important asset is the time she spent in the classroom.