Profile
Dr. Ralph A. Johnson is Director for Leadership at the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio. The ESC of Central Ohio Center for Achievement and Leadership Services provides executive training for practicing school superintendents as well a variety of consulting services to school boards. Dr. Johnson has also served as the former Superintendent In Residence at The Ohio State University, College of Education and Human Ecology. At Ohio State, he was responsible for coordinating the accelerated licensure program for Ohio Superintendents and directing the National Academy of Superintendents.
Prior to his current responsibilities, he served for 13 years as Superintendent of New Albany Schools, a suburb of Columbus. Ohio. New Albany is a comprehensive school district of approximately 4000 students of which 98% of its graduates pursue higher education upon graduation. New Albany has consistently ranked among the top school districts academically in Ohio. Dr. Johnson lead several funding campaigns that resulted in the successful construction of a new 200-acre campus with thirteen buildings and a new performing arts center. New Albany is the only school district in Ohio to have all of its programs, Elementary through High School, designated by the U.S. Department of Education as 'Blue Ribbon' schools.
Dr. Johnson also served for eight years as Principal of Upper Arlington High School in Columbus, Ohio, where 98 percent of all graduates attend colleges or universities. Upper Arlington High School has been academically designated as one of the leading college prepatory high schools in the Midwest.
Dr. Johnson has served as a consultant for the U.S. Department of Education; he has presented at the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) national conferences; he has also made presentations at the Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA) annual conferences and the Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA) state conferences; and has served as a consultant to numerous school districts in the Midwest.
Dr. Johnson served on the Executive Board of the Alliance for Adequate School funding; the Executive Board of the Franklin County Educational Council; the Executive Board of the New Albany Community Foundation, ex officio; the Metropolitan Educational Council; the Executive Board and Past President of the Franklin County Superintendents' Association; and the Advisory Board (Kitchen Cabinet) to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Dr. Johnson currently serves on several education commissions in Ohio, as well as a Board Member of KIPP, Central Ohio. He is a founding Board member of the New Albany Community Foundation. His most recent work with the Foundation includes establishing the Central Ohio Leadership Academy [view video about academy]. He currently serves on the Ohio Department of Education's State Standards Committee for Superintendents.
Dr. Johnson received his Ph.D from Ohio University in Educational Leadership, his M.A.in History from Marshall University, and his B.A. in History from Maryville College. Dr. Johnson attended public schools in New York City and graduated from high school at the Stony Brook School.
Recent recognitions that Dr. Johnson has received are:
John G. McCoy Award, to Ralph A. Johnson by the Founder and Past Chairman of the Board of Bank One for service to community in his role in helping to develop the $18,000,000 New Albany Performing Arts Center. Presented at the Wexner Classic Series Event.
New Albany City Council Recognition to Ralph A. Johnson, former Superintendent of New Albany Schools for “Leadership in Developing the New Albany School Campus”.
Ohio House of Representative Resolution of Recognition to Ralph A. Johnson, former Superintendent of New Albany Schools for “Service to Community in Leading the School District to the Designation of 'Excellent' During His Thirteen Years as Superintendent”.
New Albany Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award to Ralph Johnson, Superintendent of New Albany Schools for his “Leadership in New Albany Schools recent designation as an Academically Excellent School District by the Ohio Department of Education.”
Ohio Arts Council Administrator of the Year Award for “Leadership in the Arts” in developing the Alliance for the Arts and New Albany Performing Arts Center.
University Council for Educational Administration: Excellence in Educational Leadership Award for the development of New Albany's Learning Community Campus.
Recent and Current Projects
Dr. Johnson has been the chief consultant to the following Boards of Education in conducting searches for new Superintendents: Worthington City Schools, Dublin City Schools, Granville Village Exempted School District, Olengtangy City Schools, Licking Heights School District, Marysville City Schools, Fairbanks Local Schools, and Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical School. He has also assisted with the placement of central office as well as Treasurer positions in central Ohio.
In collaboration with Charles Parsons, Dr. Johnson has recently completed a monograph on “processes” for Treasurer evaluations The Ohio Treasurers Evaluation System [PDF]. He also was part of the team who authored the Ohio Superintendents Evaluation System [PPT].