The Atlanta Board of Education on Monday appointed Jessica Johnson to a vacant seat on the nine-member board.
Johnson was sworn in immediately following the board’s 6-0 vote to choose her for the At-Large Seat 9. The post had been held by Jason Esteves, who resigned last month after winning election to the Georgia state Senate.
Johnson’s appointment will run through the end of December. She’ll be able to seek election in November to retain the seat.
Her appointment means that all nine seats on the Atlanta school board are now held by women, a fact that chair Eshé Collins noted in her remarks welcoming Johnson to the board.
“We try our best to make the best decisions for children, not about adults and not about our own egos and our own interests,” said Collins. “We are so excited to have you join us in this work.”
Johnson is the founder and executive director of the Scholarship Academy, whose mission is to help low-income students find resources to pay for college. She’s also served on the Atlanta Public Schools’ equity task force.
Two board members, Michelle Olympiadis and Erika Mitchell, were not present for the appointment vote.
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