Jefferson Crain
Jefferson Crain retired in 2021 as the longest-serving executive officer of the board in the 170-year history of the Los Angeles Unified School District. In his remarkable 26-year tenure, he served 34 board members and worked closely with nine superintendents. As executive officer, Crain oversaw all administrative matters related to the board's operations.
Throughout his tenure, Crain was a crucial liaison between the board of education, district staff, public agencies, labor, community organizations and members, ensuring effective communication and transparency. He developed and implemented procedures to ensure the public was fully informed of the board's actions, facilitating over 1,400 regular and closed-session meetings.
Crain holds a bachelor’s degree in physical science from the University of California, Berkeley and a secondary teaching credential in mathematics from California State University, Los Angeles, with supplementary authorizations in physics and chemistry. He also earned a California School Business Management Certificate from the University of Southern California and was honored with the Kappa Delta Phi Education Honor Society membership.
Crain has been actively involved in community service, serving as a commissioner for the Pasadena Choice Commission, a founding member of the Mental Health Association Human Services Academy Advisory Board, and cofounder and former volunteer director of the Children’s Art Project of the Central American Refugee Center. He has contributed to the National Writers Union as an editor of LA Writer and served on various educational committees, including the Measure M Construction Bond Oversight Committee for South Pasadena USD.