Phoenix – Jason Williams, one of the leading candidates for Superintendent of Public Instruction, announced today that the Equality Arizona Political Action Committee (PAC) has exclusively endorsed his candidacy.  In a statement sent June 11, the gay and lesbian advocacy organization said they are excited to work with candidates “who are willing to step up to build a better, more inclusive Arizona.”

“As an openly-gay candidate, not only do my life experiences shape my views on equality issues, but my drive to ensure every child - including every lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender child - has access to an excellent public education will guide my decisions as Superintendent of Public Instruction,” said Williams.  “I am thankful for having received the endorsement of Equality Arizona, then-Arizona Human Rights Fund, in the 2006 election, and I am honored to be working with them to win this election.”

In 2006, Williams secured the Democratic Party nomination for Superintendent of Public Instruction with a majority of votes in 14 of 15 counties.  In the general election against the Republican incumbent, Williams received more votes than any other non-incumbent Democrat in the closest of all the statewide races.

Since then, Williams has continued his work to ensure every child in Arizona has access to a quality public education.  He currently serves as a Managing Partner for BlueDynamic and was the founder of AZ School Works.  In addition to working with the Roosevelt School District, Williams is a faculty member for Arizona State University’s Beat the Odds Institute Parent Liaison Academy, meets weekly to mentor an eighth grade student through Arizona Quest for Kids, and serves on several education-related Boards of Directors and Advisory Committees, including College Depot, Communities in Schools, Genesis City, and Phoenix Collegiate Academy.

From 2000 - 2005, Williams served as Executive Director of Teach For America (TFA) in Phoenix.  During his tenure, local funding for the program doubled, teacher placements increased 150%, and the number of schools and districts partnering with TFA increased 100%.  In addition, under his leadership, student achievement levels for the Phoenix program increased significantly, turning the region from TFA’s lowest to its highest performing region in the U.S. in just three years.