Stephen Pruitt took office as the sixth president of the Southern Regional Education Board in July 2018.

He started his education career as a high school chemistry teacher in Fayette County, Georgia. During his career, Pruitt has amassed education policy, assessment, and instructional background at the local, state and national levels.

Before coming to SREB, Pruitt was Kentucky’s state commissioner of education. At the national level, he had worked closely with state agencies and educators around the country to improve policy and practice in science education. In Georgia, Pruitt served as science and mathematics program manager, director of academic standards, associate state superintendent for assessment and accountability and chief of staff for the Georgia Department of Education.

Pruitt currently serves on national boards of the National Research Council’s Board on Science Education, Center for Assessment, Data Quality Campaign, Auburn University College of Education Advisory, and the University of North Georgia Alumni Association Board of Directors. He has served on the National Academies of Science Committee on Conceptual Framework for New Science Education Standards that developed the Framework for K-12 Science Education setting the vision for science education in the country.

A native of Georgia, Pruitt holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of North Georgia, a master’s degree in science education from the University of West Georgia and a Doctor of Philosophy in chemistry education from Auburn University.

Pruitt and his wife are the parents of two children. His wife and son are educators in Georgia and their daughter works in the cybersecurity industry.