WASHINGTON — Former Montgomery County schools superintendent Paul L. Vance has died.
Vance, who also served as superintendent for D.C. schools, served in Montgomery County from 1991 to 1999. He was the first black man to hold the role.
He died May 2 at a hospital in Rockville, according to an obituary in The Washington Post.
Montgomery County Councilman George Leventhal said that Vance deserves credit for the county schools’ reputation as being among the top school systems in the country.
“He understood the needs of every part of our community,” Leventhal said. “Dr. Vance did not allow elected officials to ignore the needs of the less achieving segments of the school population, and helped us focus on equity and distributing resources in a way that assists those who need the most help.”
In a statement, County Executive Ike Leggett called Vance a trailblazer.
“He believed in access to a quality education for all and for the excellence that would allow each and every child the opportunity to realize his or her full potential. His example lives on in the thousands of lives he touched,” said County Executive Ike Leggett in a statement.
After retiring, Vance served with the county’s NAACP and he was a member of the University System of Maryland Board of Regents, according to Montgomery County Public Schools.
He also went on to lead D.C. Public Schools as superintendent, a predecessor role of today’s chancellorship, from 2000 to 2003, according to DCPS.
According to the Washington Post, Vance resigned from D.C. Public Schools because of a debate over changes to the school system’s governance, the system’s financial problems and concerns related to school vouchers.
“Dr. Vance guided Montgomery County Public Schools through a tremendous period of change. Throughout his tenure, he remained focused on setting high expectations for all students while working to meet their individual needs and interests,” said Montgomery County school board President Patricia O’Neill in a statement.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Dr. Vance’s family as they celebrate his life, his work, and his commitment to making the future better for our children,” O’Neill said.
Before coming to Montgomery County, Vance served as deputy superintendent for Baltimore City Public Schools and he worked for Philadelphia schools, according to the state Board of Regents.
WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report.
