Shawn Bird

Dr. Shawn Bird currently serves as the Chief of Schools for Portland Public Schools. In this role, Dr. Bird supervises all aspects of school leadership including the professional development of school leaders. Bird began his career in public education as a teacher, and school leader at the secondary level in Houston, Texas before assuming central office positions of Principal Supervisor in the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Chief Academic Officer for the Pasadena Unified School District.

Dr. Bird has always worked in urban settings and has a proven track record of improving student achievement. Dr. Bird’s research interests include high school reform, reading comprehension, English learners, and leadership development. He is the co-author of Closing the Achievement Gap: How to Pinpoint Student Strengths and Differentiate Instruction and Help Your Striving Readers Succeed (Scholastic, 2009).