Dr. Terry Bergeson,
Superintendent of Public Instruction

For more than 35 years, Terry Bergeson has worked to ensure public school students achieve an education that truly prepares them for life beyond the classroom.

An advocate of teachers, educators and others within the public school system, Dr. Bergeson has continued to focus on what is best for students, and has worked tirelessly to build partnerships between legislators, educators, and parents and community leaders.

Dr. Bergeson was born and raised Massachusetts. She attended Emmanuel College in Boston, graduating in 1964 with a B.A. in English. She began her career in education as a public school teacher and counselor, first in her home state of Massachusetts and then in Alaska. In 1969, she earned a master’s degree in counseling and guidance from Western Michigan University.

That same year, Dr. Bergeson moved to Washington state to become a counselor at Lincoln High School in Tacoma. While at Lincoln, she created and implemented a successful experimental program for at-risk students, which retained about 60 potential dropout students, significantly increasing their academic achievement.

In 1977, Dr. Bergeson entered the University of Washington’s doctoral program. While studying and working as a graduate teaching assistant, she successfully completed a research project to increase mathematics and science enrollment of females and ethnic minorities in secondary schools. She was selected to serve as chair of the National Education Association’s Women’s Caucus and implemented a National Women’s Leadership Training Project.

As an advocate for education and educators, Dr. Bergeson became active in the Washington Education Association; she was elected vice president in 1981, then president in 1985. As WEA president, she promoted the association’s commitment to children and public education and raised citizen awareness of the need and direction for systemic education reform. She served the WEA as president for four years.

Dr. Bergeson then went back to work at the district level when, in 1989, she was hired as the executive director of the Central Kitsap School District. There, she supervised nine schools and several special programs.

In 1993, Dr. Bergeson was appointed executive director of the Washington State Commission on Student Learning. As executive director, Dr. Bergeson was charged with developing statewide standards for students, as well as a series of tests students must pass prior to graduation. She served as executive director until 1996, when she ran for and was elected as state superintendent of public instruction. She took office in January 1997.

In 2000, Dr. Bergeson again ran for state superintendent of public instruction, and was elected to the position for a second term of office. She continues her pledge to transform the teaching profession in Washington state, and to ensure all students achieve a diploma that prepares them for success in the 21st century.