Gary Hart served 20 years in the California State Legislature and chairedthe Senate Education Committee from 1983 until his retirement in 1994. He is currently co-director (with Sue Burr) of the California State UniversityInstitute for Education Reform located on the CSU Sacramento campus. TheInstitute promotes education reform efforts aimed at improving pupil academic achievement.

A former high school teacher by vocation, Gary Hart authored a wide range of legislation on education topics, including performance-based student testing, school restructuring, charter schools, and latch key child care programs. He authored SB 813 of 1983, a landmark school reform and financing bill. Mr. Hart returned to the classroom in 1992 to teach history at Sacramento's Kennedy High School.

Mr. Hart earned a Baccalaureate degree in history from Stanford University and an M.A. in education from Harvard University.