James B. Crow, who retired as executive director of the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) in 2021, has been chosen to join a select group of Texans to receive the Golden Deeds Award, a coveted award for distinguished service to education in the state. Crow will be presented with the award at the 2024 TASA Midwinter Conference January 29 in Austin.
TASA and the Texas A&M University Department of Educational Administration and Human Resource (EAHR) Development co-present the Golden Deeds Award each year to an individual from any profession who has, through actions and deeds, improved the educational system in Texas to enrich the lives of all Texas public school students. Recipients are chosen by a committee of school leaders from across Texas.
“James Crow dedicated five decades to serving Texas public schools. Most recently, he served as executive director of the Texas Association of School Boards for 26 years, making him the organization’s longest-serving executive director,” says current TASB Executive Director Dan Troxell, Ph.D. “Throughout his long career, he worked tirelessly to help lawmakers, policymakers, and local boards of education make informed decisions to support the best outcomes for every Texas student. … His unwavering devotion to providing excellent schools has served the education community well and provides a foundation for generations to come.”
Prior to becoming TASB executive director in 1995, Crow served in a variety of positions at the organization after joining the staff in 1981. During the 1981 Texas legislative session, he served on the staff of the Texas Senate Committee on Education. Before that, he worked for Austin ISD for six years, first as a high school journalism teacher and then as a public information officer.
In 1997, Crow was appointed by Texas Gov. George W. Bush to serve as a commissioner of the Education Commission of the States (ECS), a national organization devoted to assisting states develop sound education policy.
In honor of his contributions, TASB recently created the James B. Crow Innovation in Governance Award to recognize education professionals who carry on his vision of improving student education through school leadership.
