Delaware County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor Named to the PA Board of Education

Released: December 12, 2022

Delaware County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor was recently named to the Pennsylvania State Board of Education.

The Pennsylvania Board of Education, created by the General Assembly in 1963, engages in a constant review and appraisal of education in Pennsylvania and has the power to review and adopt regulations that govern educational policies and principles and establish standards governing the educational programs of the state, including the adoption of policies and master plans for institutions of both basic and higher education.

The Board of Education is comprised of 21 members, ten of whom serve as the Board’s Council of Basic Education and ten of whom serve as the Board’s Council of Higher Education, plus the PA Secretary of Education, who serves as the head of the Board.

Dr. Taylor will serve on the Board’s Council of Basic Education, which has the power and duty to develop a master plan for basic education throughout the Commonwealth. The Board also sets policy and promotes regulations regarding vocational and technical education in Pennsylvania.

“I’m truly honored to serve on this impactful Board as a representative of Delaware County,” said Dr. Taylor. “I’m passionate about education and as a Mother to three young daughters, I’m excited to use my experiences as an educator, a student, and a parent in the continued pursuit of providing accessible high-quality education to all Pennsylvanians.”

Dr. Taylor, in addition to serving as Council Chair, is a professor and program director in the Kinesiology Department at Temple University. A graduate of A.I. DuPont High School in Wilmington with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine, Dr. Taylor later, earned a master’s degree from East Stroudsburg University before working at the United States Military Academy at West Point, before going on to earn her Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh.

After moving to Upper Darby, she served on the Upper Darby School Board and Delaware County Intermediate Unit Board of Directors, spearheaded a project called Early STEAM working in local Philadelphia elementary schools to introduce young students to Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM), and has continued to demonstrate sound leadership and a unwavering commitment to education.

As the newest member to the PA Board of Education, she is unquestionably well suited to represent Delaware County and serve alongside 20 other members to help shape the State’s approach to education at all levels for years to come.

For additional information, including current initiatives, meeting minutes, and recent board actions, please visit the PA State Board of Education website: https://www.stateboard.education.pa.gov/Pages/default.aspx