Carl A. Cohn

Carl A. Cohn is a senior research fellow and professor emeritus in the School of Educational Studies at Claremont Graduate University, and an advisor to Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE). He was formerly the director of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE), a state agency established by California Governor Jerry Brown and the State Legislature to assist and advise school districts on academic performance. Cohn previously led the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) as superintendent. He later served as clinical professor at the USC Rossier School of Education and as a federal court monitor for the special education consent decree in the Los Angeles school system. Earlier, he was superintendent of the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD), where his leadership earned the district a Broad Prize for Urban Education. Notably, Cohn was America’s longest-serving urban superintendent, making LBUSD a model for high academic standards and accountability. He has served on the California State Board of Education and worked as a faculty advisor for the Broad Superintendents Academy and the Harvard Urban Superintendents Program. Currently, he serves on the boards of the American College Testing (ACT), the Freedom Writers Foundation, Western Governors University, and EdSource. Dr. Cohn received his EdD in administrative and policy studies from the University of California, Los Angeles.

updated 2024