Rising Stars: Meet Theodore Jones of Eastside of Detroit

Today we’d like to introduce you to Theodore Jones.

Hi Theodore, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Dr. Theodore “Ted” Jones is deeply committed to ensuring that every Michigan student receives a high-quality education. A seasoned professional with a diverse background in education, policy, and community engagement, Dr. Jones has dedicated his career to advocating for equitable opportunities for all students.

Dr. Jones served as a central office administrator in Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) for six years, where he worked in the Office of the Superintendent and played a pivotal role in advancing policies to improve education for all students. His leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic ensured the Board of Education could continue public meetings, and he supported the District’s Partnerships and Innovation Division while helping build its fundraising capacity. He also earned his doctorate in educational leadership from Michigan State University during this time.

Before joining DPSCD, Dr. Jones gained extensive experience as a teacher, school social worker, and community organizer in Detroit’s public schools. He began his professional journey as a community organizer in Southwest Detroit, while earning a master’s degree in social work from the University of Michigan. His passion for public service led him to serve as a legislative director in the Michigan House of Representatives, where he focused on education policy. These experiences inspired him to establish his own firm specializing in community development, engagement, and political consulting.

Currently, Dr. Jones works for Global Detroit as its Senior Director of Talent Initiatives. In this role he leads a dynamic team of individuals developing and implementing innovative strategies and programs to leverage the contributions of global talent into Michigan’s economy. Primarily these initiatives include the Global Talent Retention Initiative to connect international student graduates with unmet talent needs among Michigan’s employers and the Global Entrepreneurs in Residence (Global EIR) program to assist international entrepreneurs who are interested in pursuing building their startup in Michigan.

In 2024, Dr. Jones was nominated as one of two Michigan Democratic Party candidates for the Michigan State Board of Education. Running a statewide campaign centered on educational equity, he received 2,401,799 votes—the top Democratic vote count in the race—and led all candidates in votes earned in Oakland County, Wayne County, and Detroit.

Dr. Jones holds a bachelor’s degree from Hampton University, a master’s in social work from the University of Michigan, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Michigan State University. Throughout his career, he has remained steadfast in his belief in the transformative power of education and continues to work toward a future where every Michigan student has the tools to succeed.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Starting a new career transitioning from working in state government and political campaigns to becoming a central office administrator in Detroit Public Schools Community District was one challenge. I had to approach my work in a different mindset that leaned more towards advanced planning and working towards shared priorities with different departments. Another challenge was transitioning from being a central office administrator to being a Senior Director with Global Detroit. This required even more advanced skill building in planning and execution, but more than that in learning how to manage and develop people towards realizing their full potential.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
When I ran for the Michigan State Board of Education this past election I was proudest of the issues that I discussed during the campaign. Education has the capacity to transform the futures of children, and can make their lives far better than where they may have started off. It is true for my family, as my grandfather grew up in poverty. But through pursuing educational opportunities, finally earning his doctorate in education like myself, in one generation my family was able to go from poverty to the middle class. That’s a power I still believe we are at risk of losing in Michigan. Since 2008, Michigan has cut education funding by $5 billion, leaving us ranked 41st in the nation. This has real consequences: 72% of our fourth graders are not reading at grade level, 76% of our eighth graders are not proficient at math, and 20% of our high schoolers are not graduating on time. I ran to ensure that every student in Michigan would have access to the high-quality education they deserve.

During the election, I discussed three key priorities.

1. Fighting for Increased Education Funding: Being a tireless advocate for better education funding, working alongside parents, students, and educators to:

– Attract and retain high-quality teachers,

– Provide universal preschool for four-year-olds,

– Offer better interventions for learning and mental health,

– Ensure all students learn in adequately maintained school buildings,

– Move toward a one-to-one student-to-computer ratio in classrooms.

2. Addressing COVID-19’s Impact on Student Achievement: The pandemic has left our students with learning delays and social challenges. To address this, I advocated for:

– Funding for high-quality tutoring and intensive learning cohorts,

– Increased wraparound services for social development and mental health support.

3. Fighting for a State’s Right to a High-Quality Education: Michigan’s Constitution guarantees an education, but it doesn’t ensure it’s a high-quality one. I discussed leading a coalition to amend our Constitution, giving parents the power to demand a truly high-quality education for their children.

Though I cam in third in a crowded field of candidates and my candidacy was ultimately unsuccessful, I was glad to have the opportunity to speak about education policy issues that no one was speaking about at the time and running on bold solutions that were rarely before talked about.

Together, these initiatives will create better schools and better futures for all Michigan students.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I would invite people to get in contact with me as I will still continue to work on education reform in Michigan. You can reach me at my email address at [email protected]. I would love to connect with similar minded folks as I work on future education reform efforts as our children need all of us to step forward and fight for the public education system that they deserve.

 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jonesformichigan.com
• Instagram: jones4michigan
• Facebook: jones4michigan
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodore-rhett-jones/details/experience/
• Twitter: @DrTedJones