Dr. Carey M. Wright, Ed.D., was appointed State Superintendent of Schools by the Maryland State Board of Education in April 2024. A native Marylander, she previously served as State Superintendent of Education in Mississippi. She is credited with elevating Mississippi to become a national leader in literacy instruction and outcomes during her nine-year term from 2013 to 2022.

As the longest-serving Mississippi state superintendent, Dr. Wright led the implementation of successful education reforms that resulted in significant annual gains in English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency. During her tenure, Mississippi’s ranking for NAEP fourth-grade reading rose from 50th to 21st in the nation.

Prior to her leadership in Mississippi, Dr. Wright was chief academic officer for District of Columbia Public Schools as well as deputy chief for the Office of Teaching and Learning. Dr. Wright also served as associate superintendent for the Office of Special Education and Student Services for Montgomery County Public Schools. A product of Prince George’s County Public Schools, she began her teaching career there and held teaching and administrative roles in the Howard County Public School System.

Dr. Wright is a former member of the Chiefs for Change Board of Directors. Notably, the U.S. Secretary of Education appointed her in 2019 to the National Assessment Governing Board, which sets policy for NAEP, the Nation’s Report Card. Her honors include the 2022 Mississippi Top 50 Most Influential Leaders Award. She is a University of Maryland graduate, earning undergraduate, advanced and doctoral degrees in education.