Howard Fuller has been intimately involved in the cause of educating children in Milwaukee – and the country — for decades, especially as an advocate for low-income children. He was a major proponent of school choice and Milwaukee’s voucher program in the early years, and his various activities made him a controversial figure. He was superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools in the 1990s before founding the Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette University, which supports educational options. Previously he was a dean at Milwaukee County Technical College and secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Employment Relations. His secondary education began when he was the first black student at Carroll College in Waukesha and culminated in a doctorate from Marquette University. Now in his 70s, his opinions are still sought after and he’s still passionate about education. Because of his impact, a school was named in his honor last year–the Howard Fuller Academy of Excellence. It’s now a public charter school whose graduates have a 100% acceptance rate into college. He has announced that he will retire from his position as distinguished professor of education at Marquette University at the end of June.