Joseph Wise

Dr. Joseph Wise has a long history of helping school districts, school boards, and leaders improve student achievement across the public, nonprofit, and private sectors. He has led organizations across North America to set ambitious goals and achieve notable results. Wise has successfully bridged academic, business, and governmental interests to implement and sustain organizational reforms. A passionate advocate for underserved and disadvantaged students, Dr. Wise emphasizes the need for urgent educational reforms to enhance America's global competitiveness through student academic success. His focus on governance, leadership, and student-parent engagement has driven his achievements. Dr. Wise served as Superintendent of Schools for Duval County Public Schools (Jacksonville, FL) and Christina School District (Wilmington, DE). He earned a reputation for visionary leadership and achieving measurable improvements in student performance and operational management. Currently, Dr. Wise is Chairman of the Board for LEAP Innovations, and Co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Distinctive Schools, a network of high-performing charter schools in Chicago. He also Co-founded and served as founding CEO of Acceleration Academies, which provides opportunities for youth who dropped out of school to re-engage and earn their high school diplomas. Wise remains a Senior Advisor and Board member for Excolere Equity Partners, which acquired Acceleration Academies in 2024. Additionally, Wise Co-founded Atlantic Research Partners, a firm supporting public schools in 18 states, and served as Executive Vice President of Edison Learning, providing education services to over 340,000 students across the U.S. and U.K. Wise's career began as a teacher, later advancing to executive roles in various districts, including Orange County Public Schools, Seminole County Public Schools, and Anne Arundel County Public Schools. Dr. Wise has received numerous honors, including the Champion for Children award (2006) and has served on the National Commission on Writing for America’s Families, the Eli Broad Institute for School Boards, and as a Fellow at the Eli Broad Urban Superintendents Academy. He has also been a board member of NWEA, currently also serving on the Boards of AUSL, America Succeeds, HMH, and Lemnis.