October 2024 – Dr. Jerry (Jay) Cummings
TABSE has a proud history since its organization, when in December 1986, the first meeting was held. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss a coalition of African American educators interested in developing strategies to help improve educational opportunities for students and African American students in particular. One of the educators to attend this organizational meeting was Dr. Jerry (Jay) Cummings. He was born in Jenkins, Kentucky, and moved with his family to Dayton, Ohio at the age of four. Jay graduated from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School and attended Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, where he earned his bachelor’s degree. He enrolled at Cleveland State University to earn his Master’s degree in Educational Administration, followed by earning his Ph.D. degree from The Ohio State University in Educational Leadership.
His educational professional career included teaching Industrial Arts at Rawlings Junior High School in Cleveland, Ohio and promotion to Assistant Principal in Cleveland, Ohio. In the early 1970’s, Jay moved to Dallas, Texas where he served in administrative roles for Dallas ISD before being offered a position in Austin, Texas, as Assistant TEA Commissioner and later Executive Deputy Commissioner from 1992-1999. During his assignment with TEA, Dr. Cummings joined the faculty at St. Edwards University as Adjunct Professor of the Master of Human Services Department where he served several years until his hire at Texas Southern University in 2000, as Dean of the College of Education until 2011. In 2011 Dr. Cummings returned to the classroom as a Tenured Professor at TSU in the College of Education until his retirement in 2021.
As a result of Dr. Cummings’ involvement and influence in TABSE, The Dr. Jay Cummings Demonstration School Program was established to acknowledge and highlight schools that have achieved outstanding student success during the current school year. Each year, those Demonstration schools are recognized and celebrated at the annual TABSE State Conference. He has been an active member of the TABSE Dallas, Austin and Houston local affiliates throughout his many years of service. Dr. Cummings was formerly on the editorial Board for the NABSE Journal. He has been the recipient of various HAABSE, TABSE and NABSE awards including the NABSE Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.
Health problems including Dementia have limited some of Dr. Cummings movements lately, however, he remains interested in the service of TABSE to students along with his association to his fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. He and his wife Victoria reside in Southwest Houston.
Submitted by Melvin Guider
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