Title: Director of Accreditation
Company: Nebraska Department of Education
Location: Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Decua Jean-Baptiste, EdD, director of accreditation at the Nebraska Department of Education, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in education.
Dr. Jean-Baptiste, director of accreditation for the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE), has been instrumental in his leading role since 2023. A role that comes with many responsibilities. He is tasked with overseeing the compliance of public and non-public schools, interim programs, and educational service units within the state. Dr. Jean-Baptiste also supports continuous improvement efforts for all accredited schools in the state of Nebraska. Moreover, he engages in various administrative objectives, ranging from one-on-one meetings to large-scale presentations with superintendents, other school leaders, and individuals seeking answers to educational rules and requirements mandated by the state and the NDE.
On any given day, Dr. Jean-Baptiste works with districts ranging from 100 students up to 50,000 students, each presenting various challenges. His goal as the director is to become as fluent and knowledgeable as possible with the rules and regulations that govern the various and unique school systems in Nebraska. He credits his remarkable team and the many excellent educational leaders at the NDE who collaboratively work together for the benefit of Nebraska schools. Nebraska has over three hundred public and nonpublic accredited school systems and nearly 100 nonpublic approved schools. Thoroughly understanding the various statutes and regulations is essential to supporting Nebraska’s school leaders and their mission to provide Nebraska students with the best education possible.
Before pivoting into working for the NDE, Dr. Jean-Baptiste was an elementary school principal with the Omaha Public Schools from 2006 to 2022. Prior to becoming a principal, he served as an assistant principal for five years learning the qualities and characteristics of an effective leader. As both a third and sixth grade teacher, he saw the importance of ensuring young people developed fundamental skill sets in both reading and math to be successful in school and later in life. Reading was and is still one of his favorite pastimes and he enthusiastically shared his passion for learning and reading with his students who affectionately called him “Mr. J-B.”
Dr. Jean-Baptiste recently joined the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Educational Leadership Department as an adjunct professor. This has provided him the opportunity to share first-hand knowledge of educational leadership experience with students earning their master’s degree in educational administration. Working with educators who are seeking to improve themselves for the betterment of themselves, their students, and the districts they serve has brought him great joy. He believes that he has learned as much from his students as they have learned from him.
Highly educated in his respective field, Dr. Jean-Baptiste received an undergraduate degree from Grambling State University in Grambling, Louisiana. After his first year of college, he joined the National Guard in Louisiana and went through basic training at Fort Jackson in South Carolina. After his unit was deployed and returned from Desert Storm, he immediately returned to Grambling to complete his undergraduate degree.
Dr. Jean-Baptiste was a mid-year hire and began teaching during the 1995-1996 school year in Omaha. His next big step was to earn his master’s degree in educational administration and supervision. Dr. Jean-Baptiste began attending the University of Nebraska at Omaha and completed the master’s program in two years. Years later he returned to begin the doctoral program.
Beyond his formal education, Dr. Jean-Baptiste has remained at the forefront of the industry through memberships with the Concord Mediation Center and the Nebraska State Retired Educators. He served as both president and vice president for several years for the Omaha Administrator’s Education Association, the only administrative organization with direct ties to the Nebraska State Education Association at the time.
Civically engaged, Dr. Jean-Baptiste has served as a volunteer and mentor with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America. Among other initiatives, he has served as a mentor and teacher for his church’s bible school and vacation bible school. He has also used his certification in mediation to support youth through Restorative Justice. Working with youth allows him to give back to young people who are in need of a positive influence.
Grateful for the opportunity to work with children and adults, Dr. Jean-Baptiste has drawn the most satisfaction from supporting the educational efforts of the state of Nebraska. He credits much of his success to his parents and mentors. Both parents placed a high value on education. Additionally, Dr. Jean-Baptiste’s late mother was an educator for over five decades. After her retirement, she remained active in the field as a substitute teacher and even substituted in his school on multiple occasions. His father, with multiple degrees, currently subs in a middle school and the two often share conversations about challenges that students, teachers, and schools are facing.
Dr. Jean-Baptiste was highlighted in the Omaha World-Herald during a crucial time as a school principal. The article shared how after the community found out the district planned to move him to another school, they rallied during a board meeting respectfully demanding that he be allowed to stay at his current building. The board decided to let him remain at the school after hearing the passionate arguments that the students and parents had expressed. The board was overwhelmingly convinced and in agreement to permit him to stay due to the outcry and strong showing of students, families, and community. He is forever grateful and honored by their efforts because the outpouring of support let him see and know that he was really making a difference in the lives of his students and community.
In the coming years, Dr. Jean-Baptiste has more plans regarding his role in education. He looks to continue to support administrators due to the important role they play. As a former principal, he knows how the role can and is often overlooked. Working to support all educators in developing themselves professionally and personally is a personal mission he intends to achieve.
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