Clifford B. Janey

Janey died on February 13, 2020 at his residence in Washington, D.C. His widow, Barbara Janey, said that his death was due to a heart ailment.

In 2008, Janey became the superintendent of Newark Public Schools In 2011, Governor Chris Christie informed Janey that his three-year contract would not be renewed.

In 2007, Janey departed from the position at the request of Mayor Adrian Fenty, who claimed that he desired a change of leadership at the top of the school district, wanting to see "radical change" in the school system. He was succeeded by Michelle Rhee.

In 2004, Janey was hired by Mayor Anthony A. Williams to serve as superintendent of the District of Columbia Public Schools, which was beset with troubles. He was highly anticipated, when he was hired, as prospectively leading a turnaround of the school system. When he was hired, was the sixth person in a ten-year period to hold the position of superintendent. Janey would later describe the school system he inherited leadership of as being dysfunctional.

In Rochester, Janey collaborated with union leader Adam Urbanski to create a "peer assistance and review" process to support and evaluate teachers. Despite their work together, in 2002, Urbanski would publicly blast measures Janey proposed to close a large gap in the district's budget as "draconian".

Janey's departure in 2002 took place amid a budget crisis. A number of midyear budget gaps had occurred over the course of his tenure. Embattled, Janey reached a mutual agreement with the school board to leave his position in May 2002, two years prior to his contract's expiration. He was succeeded by Bolgen Vargas.

Janey had a divorce from his first wife, Phyllis Janey. They had two daughters, including Kim Janey, who would go on to serve as acting mayor of Boston. Janey remarried to Janaya Majied, who died in 2000. They had three children together. He remaired again to Barbara Janey in 2003.

Janey departed from Boston Public Schools in 1995, when he was hired to serve as the superintendent of the Rochester City School District, the public school system of Rochester, New York. He held this position until 2002.

Clifford B. Janey (June 28, 1946 – February 13, 2020) was an American educator who served as superintendent of District of Columbia Public Schools, Newark Public Schools, and Rochester City School District.

Janey was born June 28, 1946 in Boston, Massachusetts, in the Roxbury neighborhood. He graduated high school from Boston Latin School. He graduated college from Northeastern University in 1969. He attended Northeastern again for his master's degree, which he received in 1973 for reading and elementary education. In 1984, he received a doctorate from Boston University in education policy, planning and administration.