Jason Radford named superintendent of Oldham County Schools

Growing up on a dairy farm in Cumberland County, Jason Radford (Class of 2015) grew up around family members who worked in education and developed a passion for helping people and working with students. Thanks to his dedication and career experience Radford has been named the superintendent of Oldham County Schools.  

Radford’s desire to be a superintendent led him to enroll in MSU’s Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program after a meeting with then-education faculty member Dr. David Barnett.  

“I was sold, and it was a great experience. I was blessed to have Dr. Barnett serve as the chair of my committee. I learned a lot and met some outstanding educators,” Radford said. 

On his way to earning an Ed.D. with a specialization in P-12 administrative leadership in 2015, Radford received more than just a classroom education. 

“I was very blessed to have several coaches and teachers teach us about life. They taught me about grit, perseverance, self-reliance, and how important it was to stay positive,” Radford said. “They always stressed the importance of being the best person you can be to serve and help others.” 

Radford began his college education by earning a Bachelor of Science in Health and Fitness in 1998 at Campbellsville University, he realized he wanted to shift his career focus to teaching. He then earned a master’s degree in secondary education and teaching from Georgetown College in 2004 and a Rank I in general educational leadership and administration from Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) in 2006. 

At the start of his career, he was hired as assistant principal for Scott County High School from 2004 to 2007 before serving as principal in Scott County Public Schools from 2007 to 2011, first serving as principal for Scott County Ninth Grade School and later becoming an educational recovery leader.   

As he continued his career in education, Radford later served for the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE) Division for Student Success from 2011 to 2016 in roles as the manager of District 180 and acting director for Title I. Following his time with the KDE, he took on the role for two years as a national school leadership coach for the National Institute for School Leadership (NISL) and the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents (KASS).  

After his years with Boone County Schools as both the director of process and performance and assistant superintendent, Radford said he is up for the challenge and hopes to use his knowledge, experience and passion to lead Oldham County Schools and its students.  

“This had been a career goal for quite some time,” Radford said. “After working 23 years in public education, I feel very prepared because of the tremendous educators I had the opportunity to work with along the way. I feel very blessed to be part of such an outstanding district like Oldham County and very excited about getting started.”  

For more information on MSU’s Ed.D. program, visit www.moreheadstate.edu/study/edd.   

To learn more about MSU’s Department of Foundational and Graduate Studies in Education, visit www.moreheadstate.edu/fgse, email fgse@moreheadstate.edu or call 606-783-2261.