Barbara Stock Nielsen, Ed.D.

Dr. Barbara Nielsen served South Carolina from 1990 – 1998 as South Carolina State Superintendent of Education, the second woman to be elected to statewide office in her own right.  Her two terms at Chief Executive Officer for the State Department of Education followed many years directly in the classroom in Kentucky as well as playing lead roles in curriculum, career education and as coordinator of educational improvement.

Dr. Nielsen earned degrees from the University of Dayton and University of Louisville, completing her doctorate in Education with specialization in administration and planning.  Since leaving the Department of Education, Barbara has served South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford as advisor on K-12 education, as a senior fellow at the Strom Thurmond Institute at Clemson University and as Interim Superintendent to the SC Public Charter School District.

Under Dr. Nielsen's leadership as State Superintendent of Education, the department received numerous awards including:

  • $15 million in National Science Foundation grants to establish a statewide regional network of technical assistance HUBS for local math and science teachers. (1993 and 1998)
  • Recognition for having the most national “Blue Ribbon Schools” for consecutive years. (1995-1997)
  • Selection as one of three “Policy Focus States” with the potential to significantly improve schools through the use of technology” (1996, Milken Family Foundation)
  • Education Week’s annual “Quality Counts” report card ranked South Carolina’s efforts to raise teacher quality as the second best in the nation. (1999)
  • Winner of the Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Award for its arts education initiatives (1994, South Carolina Arts Commission).

Dr. Nielsen's accomplishments achieved as State Superintendent of Education were:

  • 21st Century Academic Frameworks & Standards
  • Full day Kindergarten
  • Accountability Act
  • School to Work Act
  • Governor's School for Visual & Performing Arts

Her personal awards are numerous.  

  • Honoree, Tribute to Women in Industry, YMCA
  • Distinguished Alumni Fellow, University of Louisville
  • Recipient, Nation’s “Eminent Educator”, Network for Effective Schools
  • President’s Award, South Carolina School Counselor’s Association
  • Administrator of the Year, South Carolina Association of School Librarians
  • Elected State Official Award, White House Commission on Library and Information Services

Dr. Nielsen serves on the Island School Council, Beaufort, SC, is an advisory member of the Education Dept., University of Dayton, and as a consultant for the Pearson Education Foundation, Public Consulting Group and Pearson Education. She also has served on a variety of advisory commissions for Southeastern Regional Technology Board, USDE, New Teacher Project, ERDI and other educational projects.
 
Dr. Nielsen is married to Dr. Dennis J. Nielsen and has 2 daughters, 2 grandsons and 1 granddaughter.