Written by: Trish B.
In June 2025, Dr. Valerie Camille Jones Ford, head of the Mathematics Department at the world -renowned Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, was officially introduced into the National Teachers’ Hall. This historical honor placed it as the second teacher of Atlanta and the fourth from the state of Georgia to receive this aristocratic recognition.
Dr. Jones Ford joined an elite group of career teachers across the Nation, who were honored for their excellent contributions to education. Her choice followed a rigorous candidacy process that required more than two decades of full -time teaching experience, essays, recommendations and interviews. The hall of reputation, founded in 1989, celebrates the effects that change the life that exemplary teachers on students and their communities.
With more than 25 years of experience in education, Dr. Jones Ford had been highlighted by the commitment to excellence, equality and innovation. At the Ron Clark Academy, he led one of the most respected mathematics departments in the country, teaching a model class that visited over 100,000 teachers from around the world. It has played a critical role in shaping the curricula that align the academic standards with RCA’s transformative educational philosophy.
In her own words at that time, Dr. Jones Ford shared: “It was a huge honor to stand with so many excellent teachers across America, this recognition was not only a deep professional privilege, but also a representation of passion, sacrifice and sacrifice.
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A graduate of the Spelman College, Dr. Jones Ford also won advanced degrees in the education of mathematics from the State University of Georgia and the University of Columbia. It holds a wide range of certifications, including municipal and secondary mathematics, gifted education, educational leadership and educational supervision. Before her tenure at RCA, she taught in Atlanta’s public schools and served as a trainer for Argosy University and the Sierra Nevada College.
Dr. Jones Ford had widely celebrated for her influence. He received the Presidential Prize for Excellence in the teaching of mathematics and science, the highest national honor for the STEM teachers. It was also recognized in the Congress archive by delayed Congress John Lewis and many times recognized by President Barack Obama to dedicate it to promoting equity in education.
Its class creativity gained national visibility through a viral educational rap produced in collaboration with Old Navy and Pharrell Williams’ I am another work that made mathematics so happy and culturally resonant. Her teaching style reflected her deep belief in “Mathematical Assessment”, an idea that defended to shift the narrative about students’ mathematics and trust.
Dr. Jones Ford became the sixth black woman to be introduced into the hall of reputation. It was followed by Kimberly Bearden, co -founder of Ron Clark Academy, who was introduced in 2016, as well as Sheryl Abshire and Sandra Worsham, who were introduced in 1992 and 2000 respectively. The 2025 induction ceremony took place on June 20 at Emporia, in Kansas, during the official Inductee week of the reputation room. That year, he was honored with four other distinguished teachers from New Jersey, Ohio, Colorado and Hawaii.
To find out more about Dr. Valerie Camille Jones Ford, Visit http://www.drvcjones.com. For more information on the National Teacher Hall of Reputation, visit http://www.nthf.org.
