Kaleem Caire: A Three-Decade Journey to Transform American Education
A fifth-generation Madisonian, Kaleem Caire has dedicated his career to ensuring all children have access to quality education and opportunities to succeed. His work spans more than 30 years and has had impact at local, state, and national levels, demonstrating remarkable persistence in pursuing educational equity despite facing obstacles along the way.
National Impact and Policy Leadership
One of Kaleem's most significant national contributions came in 2001 when, as founding president of the Black Alliance for Educational Options, he commissioned a groundbreaking study on high school graduation rates. This research revealed that only half of America's Black andLatino students were graduating from high school, shifting national, and international, attention from dropouts to graduation rates. The study's impact was far-reaching - it influenced the accountability measures embedded in the NoChild Left Behind Act of 2001, inspired Education Week's annual Diploma Counts report, and encouraged the investment of $billions in education reform in theUnited States and other countries.
His expertise and leadership led to several prestigious federal appointments, including:
- Reviewing state applications to the U.S. federal charter school grants program (2001-03)
- Serving on the Independent Rules Panel advising theU.S. Secretary of Education and U.S. Congress on the national assessment of NoChild Left Behind (2002-2007)
- Acting as an expert reviewer for President Obama'sRace to the Top initiative (2009-2010)
Washington DC: Building Coalitions for Change
While in Washington DC, Kaleem demonstrated his ability to bring diverse stakeholders together for educational improvement. As executive director of Fight For Children, he managed an unprecedented coalition including DC's mayor, U.S. Secretary of Education, White House leadership, and local stakeholders. This effort secured $40 million in new federal funding through the Three Sector Education Initiative, which has since grown to provide over $1.4 billion for DC education reform, helping DC earn distinction as the nation’s fasted improving school district before the global Coronavirus pandemic.
Madison: Persistent Leadership for EducationalExcellence
Returning to his hometown, Kaleem has shown remarkable resilience in pursuing educational improvement. As CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison (2010-2014), he significantly expanded the organization's impact in education and employment. He established the organization’s noteworthy Advanced Employment Services program, leading to a significant increase in job training and employment among adults and children in Dane County, Wisconsin. Though his proposal for Madison PreparatoryAcademy charter school wasn't approved by the Madison school board, he persisted in his mission to create excellent educational opportunities.
This persistence led to the founding of One CitySchools in 2014, which now operates successful preschool and public charter schools enrolling 492 children. Under his leadership, One City Schools has:
- Raised over $50 million in private philanthropy
- Achieved a 95% kindergarten readiness rate and the fastest improving rates of academic achievement among public schools serving majority Black and Latino children in WI
- Established innovative partnerships, including becoming the first Anji Play preschool program outside mainland China
Recent Achievements and Ongoing Impact
Kaleem's ability to build coalitions across political and social divides continues to yield results. His recent work to establish theWisconsin Independent Charter School Advocates (WICSA) and a statewide cross-partisan coalition helped secure historic increases in state education funding - $2.6 billion in the 2023-25 budget, including improved special education reimbursement rates.
A Legacy of Transformation
Throughout his career, Kaleem has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to educational equity and excellence. His work consistently shows several key characteristics:
- Building effective coalitions across political and social boundaries
- Persistent focus on data and measurable outcomes
- Innovation in educational programming and delivery
- Commitment to both immediate impact and systemic change
From commissioning national research to founding schools, from influencing federal policy to building local programs, Kaleem has maintained a singular focus on ensuring all children have access to quality education. His three decades of work represent a comprehensive effort to transform American education, creating pathways for all children to succeed academically and become positive forces in their communities and the world.
His journey continues through One City Schools and his ongoing advocacy work, exemplifying how persistent, principled leadership can create lasting educational change despite obstacles and setbacks. Kaleem's career demonstrates that transforming education requires both bold vision and the patience to build consensus, always keeping the ultimate goal - student success - at the forefront.
Personal Background
In2008, Kaleem was among the first recipients of the University of Wisconsin’sForward Under Forty Award and in the same year, was named a DistinguishedAlumni by the University of Wisconsin Alumni Association for his work in education and community development. He was also the youngest recipient of theCity of Madison’s (WI) Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award in 2001 and the Urban League of Greater Madison’s Whitney Young Jr. Award (2001). He has received numerous local and national awards and citations for his leadership in business, education, and community development. Kaleem presently resides inFitchburg, WI and has five children: three sons ages 17, 29 and 31 and two daughters ages 22 and 26 (as of October 1, 2024). He is also an Pahara-Aspen Institute Fellow.
