Aurora Institute Congratulates Christopher Rush as Next Director of Educational Technology

At a time when technological innovation is uniquely positioned to shape the context for next-generation learning, we are filled with delight and optimism over the appointment of Chris Rush as the Director of Educational Technology in the U.S. Department of Education Office of the Secretary.

Chris is a long-time friend and collaborator. He has spent the last 10 years at the nexus of leading public schools through education innovations and redesign, personalizing learning to meet each student’s needs, and accelerating student learning. Most recently, he has served as co-founder and chief program officer of New Classrooms, a New York City-based nonprofit that supports schools implementing new learning models.There, he leads Teach to One, a refined version of a personalized learning model hailed by Time magazine as one of the Top 50 inventions of 2009. 

Chris is also the architect of The Iceberg Problem, which challenged the field to begin reimagining K-12 assessment and accountability policies. He has also had roles in New York City’s education department, tech startups, and corporate information technology. He is an Aspen-Pahara education fellow alum and has been widely acclaimed within the field of education innovation. 

Chris joins the Education Department with a critical focus on taking the role of technology and innovation in teaching and learning to the next level and leading it through post-pandemic recovery. His role will help shape the federal government’s work to support educators and cement the field’s work on advancing educational equity.

Congratulations, Chris, on this well-deserved appointment and recognition. We look forward to your leadership at the federal level.