Philadelphia school board member Angela McIver resigns, effective immediately

Members of Philadelphia’s Board of Education
Shown is Philadelphia’s Board of Education during a virtual meeting. Angela McIver, left third row, announced her resignation at Thursday’s meeting. (Johann Calhoun / Chalkbeat)

Philadelphia Board of Education member Angela McIver announced her resignation, effective at the end of Thursday’s board meeting. 

Neither McIver nor board President Joyce Wilkerson gave a reason for her exit or disclosed what she’d be doing next.

In 2018, McIver was one of the first nine members Mayor Jim Kenney appointed to the Philadelphia Board of Education. The board took over control of the district after the state-appointed School Reform Commission disbanded. McIver is credited with creating the board’s “goals and guardrails” initiative to focus on student achievement.

“Her contributions to the board’s evolution from the School Reform Commission have been invaluable,” Wilkerson said. “Dr. McIver was instrumental in the development of goals and guardrails.” 

Wilkerson also cited McIver’s work on the board’s five-year plan to raise student achievement and her efforts to boost arts and music education, as well as athletics. 

“I speak on behalf of the board and saying we’ve truly valued Dr. McIver’s perspective, both as an educator particularly in the area of math, and as a parent, as we worked on policies, budget, and strategic plans together,” Wilkerson said.

McIver, a former middle school math teacher, is the founder of Trapezium Math Club, which helps children build foundational math skills through after-school programming.

McIver thanked President Wilkerson for her leadership and expressed gratitude to other board members “who made me love coming to work every Thursday.”

McIver’s departure comes just months after Mayor Jim Kenney appointed three members: Lisa Salley, Reginald Streater, and Cecelia Thompson.

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