George A. Coleman, MA, MEd

Now retired from his role as an Early Childhood System Development Specialist at C.E.S., George A. Coleman was twice named Acting Commissioner of Education during his 24 year career in the Connecticut State Department of Education (SDE). He retired from the department in October, 2011. While at the SDE he also held the position of as Deputy Commissioner of Education, Associate Commissioner of Education, Chief of the Bureau of Curriculum and Teaching and Chief of the Bureau of Early Childhood Education. He is now a private educational contractor, working at the Cooperative Educational Services in Trumbull, Connecticut.

Mr. Coleman joined the State Department of Education in 1987 as Kindergarten and Primary Grades Consultant. In that position he established the state’s rationale for full-day kindergarten investment and supported the department in procuring from the legislature the first state grant to support school districts in providing full-day kindergarten. He also drafted, on behalf of the State Department of Education, School Readiness legislation and funding level commitments, which is now greater than $200,000,000.

Mr. Coleman holds graduate degrees in early childhood education and curriculum and instruction from Teacher’s College at Columbia University. He is also an adjunct professor of history at Western Connecticut State University.