Johnathan X. Williams, Founder and Co-Director, The Accelerated School

Johnathan Williams began his teaching career with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) in 1990 and was elected to the United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) as the teacher's union chairman. He served in this capacity for three years and was elected to the UTLA House of Representatives in 1993.

Mr. Williams has strived to be the best educator possible by developing and presenting model teaching techniques and participating in numerous professional development activities. These experiences combined with a background in sales and banking inspired him to become a pioneer in education reform.

In 1994 he, along with Kevin Sved (Founder/Co-Director), wrote the charter document, secured the necessary financing, recruited and hired staff, and opened the first charter school South-Central Los Angeles, The Accelerated School (TAS). Under his leadership and as an independent star-up, TAS has enjoyed fiscal and operational freedom from the school district and union to create an ideal learning and teaching environment, where the professional staff and faculty engage parents and the community.

Mr. Williams has presented at numerous conferences and legislative hearings in 15 states and the District of Columbia regarding his experiences as a Founder and Co-Director of the nation's first charter Accelerated School, and one of the oldest recognized start-up charters. He has also participated in programs with former President Clinton and United States Secretary of Education Richard Riley as well as President George W. Bush and U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige.

His vision for charter schools and commitment to the growth of the movement are evident in the local statewide and national activities in which he participates. Mr. Williams serves on the Board of Directors for the California Network of Educational Charters (CANEC) and the California Advisory Commission on Charter Schools. As founding member of The Accelerated School, he has built a strong Board of Trustees, served as its president, and currently serves as secretary of the board. Under his leadership, TAS has secured over $40 million from public and private sources.

Presently TAS is undergoing a major transformation in student academic performance and construction, to facilitate sustained growth, and demand of over 2000 students on its waiting list. TAS students, on average, have doubled their scores on the standardized tests in temporary facilities. The new TAS campus will further these accomplishments with the inclusion of Pre-Kindergarten -12th grade classrooms; science laboratories; a health & wellness clinic; gymnasium; arts & music spaces; library and media center; as well as a Professional Development Center to train future leaders.

In 2001, The Accelerated Charter School was named TIME Magazine's "Elementary School of Year" for "having found the most promising approaches to the most pressing challenges in education."

Mr. Williams earned his BA degree from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).