VCU professor Kimberly M. Bridges appointed to state Board of Education

By Sian Wilkerson

Longtime educator Kimberly M. Bridges has been appointed to the state Board of Education. The appointment was announced this month by the office of Gov. Abigail Spanberger.

Bridges, Ed.L.D., is an associate professor of educational leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University and director of Ed.D. capstone experiences in the School of Education.

Bridges spent more than 20 years in the world of K-12 and adult learning, both in the classroom and as a school board representative and senior policy analyst with the Virginia Department of Education.

“Our public schools mean so much to me – not only are they the backbone of a thriving democracy, they are springboards to better lives,” said Bridges, who is herself a product of Virginia public schools. “This is one way I can give back to a system that has done so much for me and for those I care deeply about,” including her children.

Bridges called the appointment a wish come true: “This is an amazing opportunity to set statewide education policy that helps K-12 students across Virginia receive excellent educational opportunities in positive and supportive learning environments,” she said. “As someone who has studied what effective and inclusive K-12 governance can be, I'm also excited to help ensure we are modeling best practices for collaborative and student-centered policymaking at the state level.”

At VCU, Bridges works with future educators and leaders who will navigate the intricate demands of K-12 education in Virginia and throughout the country.

“We are in a time of both great challenge and great potential,” she said. “I hope to leverage that potential with policy and guidance that is both future-facing and capable of addressing the real-world issues facing our schools.”

Citing Gov. Spanberger’s stated goal of making Virginia’s schools the best in the nation, Bridges said the goal is “bold and ambitious but totally achievable if we can deepen our focus on and expand our investments and partnerships in students’ academic success, and the enabling conditions it really takes to achieve that success at scale.”