Douglas Ragland
Douglas Lee Ragland (born August 23, 1956 in Fairfield) was superintendent of Midfield City Schools from 2007 to 2010 and has represented District 1 on the Birmingham Board of Education since 2017.
Ragland grew up in Wylam. He graduated from Ensley High School, being among the first African American students to integrate there. Upon graduation in 1974, Ragland enrolled in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), eventually settling on a major in elementary education.
In 1978, Ragland got his first full-time teaching job at Center Street Elementary School, and was transferred to Huffman Middle School after three years. In 1989 he returned to Center Street Elementary as assistant principal, then in 1990, left the Birmingham area to become principal of Western Height Elementary School in Eufaula.
In 1998, after he was named Alabama National Distinguished Principal, he returned to serve as early childhood/elementary personnel coordinator for Birmingham City Schools central office. While there he married the former Teresa Wiggins, an educator and pastor. In 2003 he became a hearing officer for the system. In 2004, he left Birmingham again to become superintendent of Greene County Schools.
After Donnie Breaseale announced he was retiring effective on August 1, 2007, Ragland was selected from a field of five candidates for Midfield's superintendent position. In 2010, Ragland informed the board that he would rather not extend his contract, retiring on September 1 of that year. In 2014 he began working in prison education ministry through The Upper Room Fellowship Church.
Ragland ran for the open District 1 seat on the Birmingham Board of Education in the 2013 Birmingham municipal election. He lost in a runoff with Sherman Collins.
When Collins vacated his seat to run for City Council in 2017, Ragland defeated Cedric Small in a runoff. He ran for re-election in the 2021 Birmingham municipal election.
Governor Kay Ivey appointed Ragland to the Alabama Educational Television Commission in 2019. He also serves as the Alabama Commissioner for the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission.
| Preceded by: Donnie Breaseale |
Midfield Superintendent 2007–2010 |
Succeeded by: Nikita Williams |
| Preceded by: Sherman Collins |
Birmingham Board of Education District 1 2017– |
Succeeded by: ' |
References
- Plott, Bill (July 27, 2007) "Midfield chooses Ragland as new superintendent." The Birmingham News
- Plott, Bill (July 31, 2007) "Superintendent touts healthy dose of academic competition." The Birmingham News
- Norris, Toraine (April 5, 2010) "Midfield school superintendent won't try to extend contract." The Birmingham News
- "Board of Education Contenders and Their Backgrounds." (August 19, 2021) The Birmingham Times
External links
- Douglas Ragland campaign website
- Douglas Ragland at ballotpedia.org