Extend sympathy on passing of Rod Paige.

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To: Rules
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Norwood, Frazier, Simmons
(12th), Butler, Thomas, Blount, DuPree,
Hopson, Michel

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 509

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION EXTENDING THE SINCEREST SYMPATHY OF 1
THE MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE ON THE PASSING OF MISSISSIPPI NATIVE 2
DR. ROD PAIGE, THE NATION'S FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN TO SERVE AS 3
UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF EDUCATION, AND PAYING TRIBUTE TO HIS 4
MEMORY AND LEGACY. 5
WHEREAS, Dr. Rod Paige, an educator, coach, and administrator 6
who initiated the nation's landmark No Child Left Behind law as 7
the first African American to serve as United States Education 8
Secretary, passed away on December 9, 2025. Former President 9
George W. Bush, who appointed Dr. Paige for the nation's top 10
federal education post, announced the death. Paige was 11
ninety-two; and 12
WHEREAS, under Paige's leadership, the Department of 13
Education implemented the No Child Left Behind policy that in 2002 14
became Bush's signature education law and was modeled on Paige's 15
previous work as a school superintendent in Houston, Texas. The 16
law established universal testing standards and sanctioned schools 17
that failed to meet certain benchmarks. "Rod was a leader and a 18
friend," Bush said in his statement. "Unsatisfied with the status 19
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quo, he challenged what we called 'the soft bigotry of low 20
expectations.' Rod worked hard to make sure that where a child 21
was born didn't determine whether they could succeed in school and 22
beyond"; and 23
WHEREAS, Roderick R. Paige was born to two teachers in the 24
small Mississippi town of Monticello. The oldest of five 25
siblings, Paige served a two-year stint in the U.S. Navy before 26
becoming a football coach at the high school and then junior 27
college levels. Within years, Paige rose to head coach of Jackson 28
State University, his alma mater and a historically black college 29
in the Mississippi capital city. With a 1967 football game, his 30
team became the first to integrate Mississippi Veterans Memorial 31
Stadium, once an all-white venue; and 32
WHEREAS, after moving to Houston in the mid-1970s to become 33
head coach of Texas Southern University, Paige pivoted from the 34
playing field to the classroom and education, first as a teacher, 35
then as an administrator, and eventually, the dean of its college 36
of education from 1984 to 1994. Amid growing public recognition 37
of his pursuit of educational excellence, Paige rose to become 38
superintendent of the Houston Independent School District, then 39
one of the largest school districts in the country. He quickly 40
drew the attention of Texas' most powerful politicians for his 41
sweeping educational reforms in the diverse Texas city. Most 42
notably, he moved to implement stricter metrics for student 43
outcomes, a strategy that became a central point for Bush's 2000s 44
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bid for president. Bush frequently praised Paige on the campaign 45
trail for the Houston reforms he called the "Texas Miracle." Once 46
Bush won the election, he tapped Paige to be the nation's top 47
education official; and 48
WHEREAS, Paige was the first school superintendent to serve 49
as Secretary of Education. The driving force behind his work as 50
Secretary was his shared belief with President Bush that education 51
is a civil right, just like the right to vote or to be treated 52
equally. Paige believed it is wrong to fight discrimination with 53
discrimination. For that reason, he strongly supported the 54
President's vision of affirmative access that promotes diversity 55
in our nation's colleges and universities through race-neutral 56
alternatives; and 57
WHEREAS, as Secretary, Paige held the Department of Education 58
to the same high standards expected of our schools. Upon taking 59
office, he learned of wide-scale criminal fraud, waste, and abuse 60
within the department. In response, he made improving management 61
one of his priorities. Paige rallied the department to create the 62
Blueprint for Management Excellence in order to build an 63
organization worthy of the taxpayers' trust and the President's 64
vision, a vision grounded in the belief that good government is 65
not only closer to the people, but also more accountable to the 66
people. The department-wide implementation of the blueprint 67
streamlined operations, and provided strategic direction, 68
resources, and focus for the department's central mission: 69
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ST: Extend sympathy on passing of Rod Paige.
ensuring equal access to education and promoting educational 70
excellence throughout the nation; and 71
WHEREAS, into his nineties, Dr. Paige still publicly 72
expressed deep concern and optimism about the future of U.S. 73
education; and 74
WHEREAS, we pay tribute and cherish fondly the memory of this 75
most public-spirited professional educator whose dedication, 76
expertise, and commitment to excellence in education have made a 77
lasting impact on our state. Today our thoughts and prayers are 78
with Rod Paige's family and friends and the students he 79
represented and served for so many years: 80
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF 81
MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That 82
we do hereby extend the sincerest sympathy of the Mississippi 83
Legislature on the passing of Mississippi native Dr. Rod Paige, 84
the nation's first African American to serve as United States 85
Secretary of Education and pay tribute to his memory and legacy. 86
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be transmitted 87
to the surviving family of Dr. Paige, transmitted to the United 88
States Secretary of Education, and President of Jackson State 89
University, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps. 90