Dr. Ann Laing will serve as interim superintendent of the Racine Unified School District (RUSD) for the 2011-2012 school year. Most recently, Dr. Laing held the role of RUSD director of special education (a position that was recently renamed executive director of instruction and support) for four years. She has served RUSD for more than 23 years.
Dr. Laing began her educational career at Wind Point Elementary School as a third-grade teacher. She subsequently served in the capacity of regular education teacher and teacher of students with learning disabilities. She then taught at Northwest Missouri State University and directed the lab school for seven years. Following this, she held a variety of leadership roles in Racine Unified, including principal at North Park Elementary School, assistant superintendent of student services, area superintendent and assistant superintendent for elementary education.
As an administrator for RUSD, Dr. Laing has implemented a variety of initiatives that have improved instruction and student achievement. Perhaps one of the most influential was her work to implement inclusion so that students with disabilities are taught with regular education students in general education classrooms. This work ensures that all students in RUSD get the instruction and support they need to be successful learners.
In addition to implementing inclusive practices, Dr. Laing wrote the proposal to change assessment processes and instruments to support the implementation of the Northwest Evaluation Association’s (NWEA) Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment. Working with a group of kindergarten and early childhood teachers, she wrote the proposal to create the District’s 4-year-old kindergarten (4K) program, which has been successful in ensuring that the District’s youngest learners are prepared for grade school. She also wrote a proposal to change the administrative structure of the early childhood program to bring special education early childhood programs and 4K under the leadership of one RUSD early childhood principal. In addition, Dr. Laing worked with the Johnson Foundation to coordinate early childhood programs in the community to prepare students for kindergarten. This work continues to bring community partners together, recognizing that community support is imperative to the success of RUSD and the children of Racine.
Dr. Laing received a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education, Master of Arts degree in elementary education and Doctor of Education degree in reading and special education from Ball State University.
