Bowser Appoints Paul Kihn as New Deputy Mayor for Education

Education consultant Paul Kihn has been appointed as DC’s new Deputy Mayor for Education, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced on Tuesday.

Kihn, who had a top school system post in Philadelphia, is expected to start work in the mayor’s administration on Monday. He’ll work as mayor’s top education adviser and handle policies across traditional and charter school sectors in the district.

Kihn, 52, will take over the job from Jennifer Niles, who stepped down in February after it was revealed that she helped the chancellor of the school system to skirt the competitive lottery so that her daughter could be transferred to a high school with a long waiting list.

Ahnna Smith worked as the interim deputy mayor for education since February this year. Smith, who is expected to stay, has been offered a senior adviser position in the mayor’s administration.

While appreciating Kihn’s work, especially in troubled schools in the private and public sectors, Bowser said he comes to the District with a diverse set of experiences in public education and management. “He has a fantastic background, including having served as a classroom teacher. He has worked in education and research, and understands the issues teachers and parents face, and he also has the experience putting that research into action,” Bowser told the D.C. Council at a Tuesday breakfast meeting.

On Monday, Kihn said that he’d previously tackled issues like graduation rates, attendance issue, including financial and organizational matters while he was working with school districts, state agencies and education philanthropies throughout the country.  “I served over a dozen school districts,” said Kihn. “Districts came to us with their most intractable challenges.”

Kihn will earn about $207,000 a year in the new role, according to Bowser’s office.