Her leadership gained national attention with her focus on improving infrastructure and addressing financial challenges in Hamtramck, one of Michigan's most underserved communities.
DETROIT, MI, January 07, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Jaleelah Hassan Ahmed has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Mrs. Ahmed has made significant contributions to the field of education, particularly through her role as the superintendent of schools for Hamtramck Public Schools since 2019. In this capacity, she oversees the management of a school district, a stadium, park, and community recreation facilities. Her leadership gained national attention with her focus on improving infrastructure and addressing financial challenges in Hamtramck, one of Michigan's most underserved communities. Her dedicated efforts, alongside those of others who have highlighted the poor conditions of schools, have played a pivotal role in securing the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. These funds have supported essential projects that are significantly enhancing the learning environment for students and staff. As a result, the district will see major capital projects completed that include HVAC, windows and more.
Before assuming her current role, Mrs. Ahmed served as the English Language Development Director for Hamtramck Public Schools from 2016 to 2019, where she addressed a decade's worth of Office for Civil Rights citations related to inequities faced by English language learners. She expanded the teaching staff to fill critical resource gaps and collaborated with Wayne State University to provide full tuition reimbursement for teachers pursuing ESL endorsements, significantly increasing the number of certified educators. Additionally, she created a parent engagement program that generated millions of dollars in grants, providing wraparound support for students and empowering parents which was recognized by the Michigan Department of Education. Her strategic efforts not only led to English learners' WIDA language test scores surpassing both county and state averages but also saw one of the schools recognized as a finalist at the national level, highlighting the district's progress and commitment to excellence.
Her longstanding commitment to education is reflected in her role as an educator with Dearborn Public Schools since 1996 and her historic achievement as the first Yemeni American superintendent in the United States. In her pursuit of a broader understanding of educational models, Mrs. Ahmed took a leave of absence to explore charter public schools, taking on the role of principal at a newly established school. Under her leadership, the school's enrollment tripled, serving a majority of students from Detroit. The Michigan Department of Education recognized the school as a Reward School for its outstanding performance, underscoring Mrs. Ahmed's impactful contributions to education and community development.
Since 2014, Mrs. Ahmed has also served as the Executive Director of Zachariah Educational Consulting Services, where she has championed initiatives focused on community, education, health, and wellness. Underscoring Mrs. Ahmed's commitment to advocating for educational equity and diversity are her professional affiliations. Appointed by Governor Whitmer, Mrs. Ahmed serves as a commissioner on the Commission on Middle Eastern American Affairs. Mrs. Ahmed has served on multiple Michigan Department of Education committees, including the MTTC Administrator (CO) Content Advisory Committee, the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) Review Committee, the Equity and Access Committee, and the Central Office and PK-12 School Administrator Content Advisory Committees.
Laying the path for Ms. Ahmed's professional journey was her academic background. She earned a bachelor's degree in education focusing on English from the University of New York at Buffalo, followed by a Master of Arts in education from the University of Michigan in 2007. In addition, she is a doctoral candidate pursuing a PhD with a dual concentration in curriculum and educational leadership at the University of Michigan. She also holds certifications in English, Reading Specialist (K-12), Elementary & Secondary Administration (K-12), and English as a Second Language. She is the author of an upcoming study titled, "From Conflict Zones to U.S. Classrooms: The Experiences of Yemeni Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education."
Beyond her professional endeavors, Ms. Ahmed is deeply involved in civic activities. She has served as a board member for Detroit Friendship House. Her community activism has been recognized by the Yemeni American Committee, where she became the Executive Director and led community events. Most recently, Mrs. Ahmed was named among the Top 50 Influential Muslims in the Americas in 2024 by EqualityX.
Looking ahead, Ms. Ahmed is dedicated to addressing educational needs and advocating for policy improvements that ensure a balanced system that prioritizes students' interests over individual agendas and protects parent's rights. Her focus will be on undeserving communities, the special populations, and their parents. She aspires to engage in nonprofit work focusing on education/school reform, health, wellness, and community empowerment.
About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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