Who is Korey Strozier, the new board member for Tacoma Public Schools?
The Tacoma Public Schools Board of Directors has gained a new member to the five-person leadership body.
Korey Strozier was selected by the board from nine candidates on Oct. 22. Strozier will fill the seat vacated by former board member Scott Heinze in August.
“I’m extremely humbled to have been selected to fill the vacancy on the Tacoma Public Schools Board of Directors,” Strozier said in a statement to The News Tribune. “There is a lot of great work already being done, and I’m excited to contribute and make an immediate impact on our efforts to serve every student, every day!
“I went through the Tacoma School District as a student and staff member, so being selected for the opportunity to serve in this capacity is a complete honor.”
Strozier, 31, is a 2007 graduate of Lincoln High School with a degree in social sciences from Central Washington University and a master’s degree in arts applied leadership from the City University of Seattle.
Strozier previously worked as an athletic director and graduation specialist at Foss High School. Now, he’s a program manager with King County, helping design and implement a Division of Vocational Rehabilitation program for people ages 16-21 with disabilities.
Strozier has two young daughters, one of them currently enrolled in Tacoma Public Schools. His wife works for the district as an office coordinator.
In an interview on Sept. 28, board members asked Strozier how he felt tackling difficult conversations regarding systemic racism and inequity in the district.
“I love having these conversations,” Strozier said. “I love making the situation uncomfortable so everybody can grow. It’s all about having those difficult conversations.”
On his application for the position, Strozier said he would bring Black male representation and perspective to the board.
“It is difficult to make decisions that positively affect specific groups without having someone to speak for that community at the table,” Strozier wrote.
Strozier said his first priority would be to engage with the other board members and learn about the issues. He also mentioned special education as a priority.
“I love special ed, but I’m not sure I’m in love with the term ‘special ed,’” he said. “I would love to see if we could move toward ‘inclusive education.’”
Board president Andrea Cobb said she’s excited to welcome a fellow Lincoln graduate to the board.
“My colleagues and I were extremely fortunate to have a strong pool of candidates to draw from and are looking forward to welcoming Mr. Strozier to the team,” she said via email. “We have lots of work ahead to continue to respond to the challenges of 2020 and are confident that Mr. Strozier will contribute from day one.”
Strozier will serve on the board until November 2021, at which point the seat will be up for election. The elected board member will serve for the remainder of Heinze’s term, which ends in 2023. Terms lengths are six years for Tacoma school board members.
Strozier said in his interview that he’s committed to the long haul.
“I’m here not to solve all the problems or see a personal agenda play out, but I’m here to be part of the solution. I’m here to put students first,” Strozier said.
This story was originally published October 27, 2020 at 5:10 AM.
