Since 2000, Jack Scott has served as the State Senator from the 21st District which includes Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank, and a portion of the city of Los Angeles. He is Chair of the Senate Committee on Education, which considers all legislative measures dealing with K-12 education and the state’s colleges and universities. The committee has legislative oversight for a wide range of issues dealing with education, including public and charter schools, pupil achievement, teacher quality, financial aid, and higher education access and affordability. Additionally, he is Chair of the Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education, which oversees approximately 48 percent of California’s state budget.

During his time in office, Senator Scott has had 75 bills signed into law, including measures that enacted changes to increase the supply and quality of teachers in California’s classrooms; addressed the nursing shortage; prevented senior financial abuse; strengthened vocational education programs; streamlined the transfer process for community college students; and created a new funding system for California community colleges. This year alone, as of June 11, 2007, Senator Scott has introduced 28 bills, a number of which examine teacher credentialing; postsecondary education; school facilities; education programs for inmates, in conjunction with the community colleges; student aid; school accountability; and student college commitment.

Senator Scott is a member of the Board of Directors of the Santa Monica Conservancy. He also co-founded the Coalition for a Non-Violent City in Pasadena and also served on the Board of Trustees at Pacific Oaks College; the Board of Regents at Pepperdine University; the Association of California Community Colleges Administrators as past president; and the Accrediting Commission of Western Association of Schools and Colleges as former chair.

Senator Scott received his Bachelor’s degree from Bilene Christian College, a Master of Divinity degree from Yale University, and a Ph.D. degree in American History from Claremont Graduate University. In 1991, he received an honorary doctorate from Pepperdine University. Senator Scott spent 10 years as a teacher and administrator at Pepperdine University and then became Dean of Instruction at Orange Coast College from 1973 until 1978 when he became President of Cypress College. In 1987, he assumed the presidency of Pasadena City College, the third largest community college campus in the nation. Senator Scott is also a Distinguished Professor of Higher Education at Pepperdine University and President Emeritus of Pasadena College.

Senator Scott is a published author, having written about John Witherspoon, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. His articles have also appeared in several California newspapers and national magazines.

Senator Scott’s wife, Lacreta, received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Pepperdine University and M.A. in English from the California State University at Long Beach. She is a retired member of the English faculty at Cerritos College and writes a monthly column for three newspapers. The Scotts have five children (one deceased) and ten grandchildren.