Barbara Jenkins

Dr. Barbara Jenkins dedicated more than 30 years to serving students and public education. In 2012, she was named superintendent of Orange County Public Schools (OCPS), the nation's eighth-largest district, serving more than 206,000 students. She retired from OCPS in December 2022.

During her tenure, OCPS earned the prestigious Broad Prize for Urban Education and received the Governor’s Sterling Award. OCPS also achieved AdvancED District Accreditation and a Sustained Excellence Award. Under her leadership, voters approved a $2.4 billion half-penny sales tax referendum for capital projects and two property tax referenda totaling $1.2 billion for operations to support a $5.5 billion annual budget. Most importantly, the district reached a record 97% graduation rate.

Dr. Jenkins received a presidential appointment in 2017 to the National Board of Education Sciences and was honored with the Baldridge Foundation Award for Leadership Excellence in 2022. She served as Chair of the Council of Great City Schools and is a Chief in Residence and leader of the Women in Leadership initiative with Chiefs for Change. She also serves on the board of trustees for ETS.

Dr. Jenkins is deeply involved in her community, serving on boards including AdventHealth, the Orlando Economic Partnership, and the Orange County Youth Mental Health Commission. She is a graduate of the University of Central Florida and the proud parent of three children with her husband.