Jay Ferguson is the Head of School of Grace Community School in Tyler. Grace Community School is the largest private school in East Texas, serving nearly 1000 students in grades kindergarten through 12th. He has served in that position since June 2003. Grace’s mission is to assist Christian parents in educating, equipping, and encouraging their children to influence the world for Christ.
Jay has written extensively on Christian education and related issues. He has contributed to Building a Better School, published by Paideia Press, Mindshift: Catalyzing Change in Christian Education, published by Purposeful Design, and Religious Liberty and Education, published by Rowman and Littlefield. He is currently co-editing Building a Better School II, focusing on board governance. He is a regular contributor to Christian School Education and the ACSI and CESA blogs. He also writes a weekly blog on spiritual, education, cultural, and parenting issues. He is an adjunct professor in school law and governance at Covenant College in Georgia, at Gordon College in Massachusetts, and at Baylor University. He is a frequent speaker at national seminars and served on the adjunct faculties of the Van Lunen Center at Calvin College and at Peabody College at Vanderbilt University.
He was the Past Chair of the Council on Educational Standards and Accountability, and is the current Chair of the Association of Christian Schools International. He has a heart for training heads of schools, leadership teams, and school boards.
Jay holds a Bachelors’ Degree from Baylor University, a Juris Doctor from Texas Tech University School of Law, and a Masters’ Degree in Educational Leadership from Covenant College. He earned his Ph.D. in Leadership Studies at Dallas Baptist University.
He and his wife, Ashley, are members of Grace Community Church and have served over 20 years in small group and children’s ministries. He currently serves as an elder of Grace Community. He and Ashley have three teenage daughters, Emma, Annie, and Ellen. He has taught them to love Jesus and football, in that order, which he considers gifts to his future sons-in-law, Lord willing.