Photo by Michael Casserly
Temple University’s College of Education and Human Development is excited to announce that Michael D. Casserly, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Constance Clayton Urban Education Leadership Award. This distinguished honor recognizes leaders who demonstrate exceptional dedication to advancing urban education, reflecting the vision and legacy of Constance Clayton, a trailblazer in the field who was the first woman and the first African American to serve as superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia from 1982 to 1993.
Presented annually, the award is given to individuals selected by a committee of faculty, alumni, students and community partners. It honors leaders whose work has transformed urban education through innovation, impact and a commitment to equity.
Casserly’s connection to Clayton is personal. While serving as chair of the Council of the Great City Schools, Clayton led the national search that selected Casserly as executive director and served as his mentor. For nearly five decades, Casserly has advanced her mission, leaving a lasting legacy on urban schools nationwide.
During his 29-year tenure as executive director of the Council of the Great City Schools, Casserly expanded membership from 44 to 78 districts, unifying big-city school systems around shared reform agendas that delivered measurable academic gains. He led the creation of the Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA), allowing urban districts to benchmark student performance nationally, and established the first comprehensive urban school key performance indicators system.
Casserly also played a critical role in securing more than $1 billion annually in additional federal funding for urban schools and guided the Philadelphia School Board in adopting its Goals and Guardrails governance framework, helping the district emerge as a national leader in COVID learning-loss recovery.
A relentless advocate for equity, Casserly helped shape landmark federal legislation, including the Magnet Schools of America Act and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. His initiatives promoting opportunity for students of color included the Pledge for African American Males, announced by President Obama as part of My Brother’s Keeper.
Casserly has served on boards including the W.T. Grant Foundation and the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO, and has produced nationally televised PBS programs on urban education. He continues to advise urban school boards at no cost and has mentored the next generation of urban education leaders through the Michael Casserly Urban Executive Leadership Institute for Superintendents. His 2024 book, The Enduring Promise of America’s Great City Schools, serves as both a career capstone and a guide for future leaders.
A Vietnam-era U.S. Army veteran, Casserly earned degrees from the University of Maryland and Villanova University. He has received numerous honors, including the NAACP’s Daisy Bates Award.
For his visionary leadership and lasting impact on urban education, Michael Casserly is the distinguished recipient of the 2026 Constance Clayton Urban Education Leadership Award.
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Celebrate Michael D. Casserly at the Constance E. Clayton Reception and Fundraiser!
Join us for an evening of recognition, reflection and celebration as we honor Casserly’s remarkable contributions to urban education and support the next generation of leaders. In addition to honoring Casserly, the event will feature the presentation of a scholarship to incoming first-year student, Anipsy Urena.
Saturday, April 18, 2026
5:30–7:30 p.m.
Morgan Hall 27 (1601 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19122)