State Superintendent Welcomes New State Board of Education Members
Michigan Department of Education Press Release LANSING—State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice welcomes the appointment today by Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Mr. Marshall Bullock II to the State Board of Education (SBE). Bullock was appointed to fill the seat of Mr. Jason Strayhorn, who resigned from the board in July when he moved out of the state for family reasons.
Bullock will join Dr. Mitchell Robinson as new members of the SBE in January. Dr. Robinson was elected in November to an eight-year term to succeed SBE President Dr. Casandra Ulbrich, who chose not to run for re-election after 16 years of distinguished service on the board. Current SBE Vice President Dr. Pamela Pugh was re-elected in November to her second eight-year term. Bullock is appointed to finish Strayhorn’s term, which expires January 1, 2029.
“I welcome Dr. Robinson and Mr. Bullock to the state board and look forward to working with them to serve the children, families, and educators of Michigan,” Dr. Rice said. “Dr. Pugh, Dr. Robinson, and Mr. Bullock bring a broad and diverse range of experience to help guide the continued improvements to our state’s public schools and create brighter futures for Michigan’s children.”
Bullock is a retiring state senator from Detroit who will lead Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s government affairs efforts starting next year. Bullock earned a Bachelor of Arts in Human Services from the University of Phoenix and has dedicated nearly three decades of his career to improving the lives of youth through social work and as a juvenile justice advocate.
Dr. Robinson is associate professor of music education at Michigan State University. He received bachelor’s degrees in music education and trumpet from the State University of New York at Buffalo, a Master of Music Education degree from the Hartt School, a Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Administration from SUC at Oswego (NY), and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the Eastman School of Music. He was previously coordinator of music education at the University of Connecticut, and also taught at the Eastman School of Music.
Dr. Pugh was first elected to the State Board of Education in 2014. She is a member of the Healthy Schools Network Board of Directors, and a member of the Board of Directors for the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE), where she serves as chair of the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion committee. She is the chief programs officer for The Chisholm Legacy Project: A Resource Hub for Black Frontline Climate Justice Leadership.
The Michigan Constitution confers upon the State Board of Education leadership and general supervision over all public education, including adult education and instructional programs in state institutions. It serves as the general planning and coordinating body for all public education and shall advise the legislature as to the financial requirements in connection therewith.
