Written By: Trish B.
In June 2025, Dr. Valerie Camille Jones Ford, esteemed Head of the Mathematics Department at Atlanta’s globally recognized Ron Clark Academy, was officially inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame. This historic honor positioned her as the second Atlanta educator and the fourth from the state of Georgia to receive this prestigious recognition.
Dr. Jones Ford joined an elite group of career educators across the nation who were honored for their outstanding contributions to education. Her selection followed a rigorous nomination process that required over two decades of full-time teaching experience, essays, recommendations, and interviews. The Hall of Fame, established in 1989, celebrates the life-changing impact that exemplary teachers have on their students and communities.
With more than 25 years of experience in education, Dr. Jones Ford’s career had been marked by a commitment to excellence, equity, and innovation. At Ron Clark Academy, she led one of the most respected mathematics departments in the country, teaching in a model classroom visited by over 100,000 educators from around the world. She played a critical role in shaping curricula that aligned academic standards with RCA’s transformative educational philosophy.
In her own words at the time, Dr. Jones Ford shared, “It was a tremendous honor to stand alongside so many extraordinary educators throughout America. This recognition was not only a profound professional privilege but also a representation of the passion, sacrifice, and brilliance of teachers everywhere. I remained grateful for the colleagues who inspired me, the students who trusted me, and the opportunity to be part of a profession that changes lives every day.”
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An alumna of Spelman College, Dr. Jones Ford also earned advanced degrees in mathematics education from Georgia State University and Columbia University. She held a broad range of certifications including elementary and secondary mathematics, gifted education, educational leadership, and instructional supervision. Prior to her tenure at RCA, she taught in Atlanta Public Schools and served as an instructor for Argosy University and Sierra Nevada College.
Dr. Jones Ford had been widely celebrated for her impact. She received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the highest national honor for STEM educators. She was also recognized in the Congressional Record by the late Congressman John Lewis and acknowledged multiple times by President Barack Obama for her dedication to advancing equity in education.
Her creativity in the classroom gained national visibility through a viral educational rap produced in partnership with Old Navy and Pharrell Williams’ I AM OTHER, a project that made math both joyful and culturally resonant. Her teaching style reflected her deep belief in “math esteem,” a concept she championed to shift the narrative around mathematics and student confidence.
Dr. Jones Ford became the sixth Black woman to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. She followed Kimberly Bearden, Ron Clark Academy’s co-founder, who was inducted in 2016, as well as Sheryl Abshire and Sandra Worsham, who were inducted in 1992 and 2000 respectively. The 2025 induction ceremony took place on June 20 in Emporia, Kansas, during the Hall of Fame’s official Inductee Week. That year, she was honored alongside four other distinguished educators from New Jersey, Ohio, Colorado, and Hawaii.
To learn more about Dr. Valerie Camille Jones Ford, visit http://www.drvcjones.com. For additional information about the National Teachers Hall of Fame, visit http://www.nthf.org.
