Dr. Keith McGee, the new superintendent of the Watson Chapel School District (WCSD) in Pine Bluff, AR, had planned to become an attorney. But a confession from a student he tutored unlocked a completely different career destiny: Education.
While attending the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), Dr. McGee initially majored in pre-law with a minor in Criminal Justice and History. He was preparing to take the law school admission test (LSAT) and had applied to a law school in Arkansas.
While waiting to enter law school, he began tutoring young people in the Pine Bluff Housing Authority. One of his students told him something that would forever change his life.
“I had just graduated (from UAPB) in 1996, and a young man said, Mr. McGee, you explain this math better than my teacher. And something clicked. I’m not supposed to be a lawyer. I want to be a teacher,” Dr. McGee shared. “The good Lord shifted my path,” he added, his passion for education evident in his words.
After receiving a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Pre-Law from UAPB, he immediately returned, enrolled, and attended education classes during the summer session. He continued through the fall and spring semesters, completed his student teaching, and obtained his teaching license. He then became a social studies teacher and basketball and track coach at the historic Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, AR.
In July 2024, Dr. McGee was named the Watson Chapel School District (WCSD) Superintendent in Pine Bluff, AR. He expressed his gratitude and enthusiasm about returning to Pine Bluff.
“I took this position when this position became available because I wanted these kids to see hope. I feel very blessed and excited to be back home here in Pine Bluff to do the work with these kids. It’s always my mission to create a situation where all the kids can receive access and opportunities,” Dr. McGee said.
He looks forward to the WCSD collaborating with UAPB, the institution that he says “really gave birth to me in education.”
Dr. McGee recalls the late UAPB Chancellor Dr. Lawrence A. Davis, Jr., telling the story about his father, Dr. Lawrence A. “Prexy” Davis, Sr., encouraging students to come to Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical, and Normal College (now UAPB) because he wanted them to have an education.
He shared how the preparation he received from UAPB to become a teacher created stepping stones to a successful career in education. Over the past 18 years, he has served as both an assistant principal and principal at Horace Mann Arts & Science Magnet School in Little Rock, executive director of secondary schools, deputy superintendent and superintendent at the North Little Rock School District (NLRSD) in North Little Rock, AR, and deputy superintendent in the Little Rock School District.
While at Horace Mann, Dr. McGee was selected as the 2018 Verizon Innovative Learning Grant recipient. He shared that the overall school index rating improved from a “D” to a “B,” and reading scores increased by 11 percent in two years.
According to his vitae, under his leadership, the Little Rock School District saw increased achievements in reading by 20.7 percent and math by 20.4 percent in grades 3 through 10 from 2021 to 2022. The NLRSD saw increased achievements in reading by 13.5 percent and math by 10.9 percent in grades 3-10. In addition, the four-year graduation rate among the African American subgroup at the NLRSD improved from 73.2 percent to 84.5 percent by creating and implementing a districtwide dropout prevention initiative.
Before joining the WCSD, the Brinkley, AR native was appointed by the state to become the superintendent of schools in the Helena–West Helena, AR School District. “At the end of the day, Brinkley, my hometown, was the Delta. And those kids in the Helena-West Helena (H-WH) schools were the Delta. So, I took the H-WH opportunity because of the kids and not for any other reason. I took it because I wanted to make a difference for those kids in the Delta, but I also wanted them to see hope. And I wanted them to see hope through my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ using this vessel in Keith,” Dr. McGee said.
Dr. McGee shared plans for the WCSD. He is committed to ensuring that all district students read above their grade level and are well-prepared for their chosen careers or college.
“I’m excited to be here, and I know that we’re going to do some great things here. We have our set of challenges, but every school district does. And the key to these challenges is just how you overcome and how you are able to communicate and collaborate with each other,” Dr. McGee said.
“And I want to make sure that our scholars know that they can get a quality education here, right in the city, not just at Watson Chapel but at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff as well,” Dr. McGee said.
Reflecting on his early years as a teacher, he shared that it was all about career readiness. Although his aunt and uncle were teachers, he never considered becoming one.
“I really think that it would be a great idea if we can find a way to get minorities in general to go into education. Nationwide, there’s a shortage of teachers. Needless to say, that shortage is even higher among the African American race,” Dr. McGee said.
McGee added that he is “afraid” that retiring teachers are not being replaced because “we’re not compensating them well. I understand the value of compensation because you still have to take care of your family.”
He says students need teachers who want to be in this profession “not just because they can get a check.” He also knows that education is truly his calling and purpose in life.
“For me, I get extreme joy knowing that this is my ministry. And when it’s my ministry, it’s not about the money because the money will basically come later. When we can find passionate people to come into the education profession and retain them, then I think that it’s going to be more beneficial for our kids in the 21st century,” Dr. McGee said.
According to his bio, Dr. McGee obtained his Master of Education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2002. He is credited with being the first African American to propose, defend, and obtain a Doctor of Education Degree from Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, AR, in 2017.
He is a licensed superintendent in the states of Arkansas, Texas, Maryland and Georgia. His publications include “What I’ve Learned as a State Turnaround Superintendent,” published in the May 2024 edition of the American Association of School Administrators, and “Essential Insights and Commentary for School System Leaders.” He received an Outstanding Alumni Award in 2022 by the UAPB/AM&N Pulaski County Alumni Chapter. He is recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International. Inc. He was featured in Little Rock Soirèe Magazine’s Men on a Mission Edition in 2021.
Dr. McGee loves spending time with family and friends, traveling, and reading. He is a sports fan who enjoys working out and playing golf. He has been married to his wife, Cicily, for 18 years. The couple have two adult sons, Keith, Jr., a second-year college student at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, and Amari, an entrepreneur in Atlanta.
