About me
Dr. Harold Border is the Chief Strategy Officer for Orange County Public Schools (OCPS), where he aligns district-wide strategic initiatives with the OCPS 2025 Strategic Plan and oversees the research, measurement and strategy division for the nation’s eighth-largest school district.
Before assuming his current role, Dr. Border was the OCPS Chief of High Schools from 2016 to 2022. In this capacity, he managed student success across 22 high schools, impacting around 60,000 students and 4,200 staff members. Under his leadership, the district achieved record-breaking success in graduation rates and rigorous coursework access.
A U.S. Navy Veteran, Dr. Border served in Orlando and Charleston before returning to Orlando to attend the University of Central Florida. His personal journey from rural Pennsylvania to a career in education underscores his belief in education as a powerful tool for socio-economic advancement. His mother’s emphasis on education as a means of upward mobility inspired his commitment to ensuring all students have access to quality education. For over 27 years in OCPS, Harold has remained committed.
After completing his studies on Elementary Education in 1997, Harold began teaching 6th grade Science and coaching basketball at Westridge Middle School. While teaching, he continued his education by completing his M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from UCF in 1999 and his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from UCF in 2004. During these years, Harold served as an Administrative Dean and Assistant Principal at the middle and high school level.
Harold became Principal of Hunter’s Creek Middle School in 2005. During his tenure, HCMS earned 100% Adequate Yearly Progress across all student groups as the first middle school to accomplish such results in OCPS. After serving in this role for 3 years, he was tapped by the Superintendent to become the Principal of Freedom High School in 2008. At this time, Freedom was under state intervention due to multiple ‘D’ grades. With the work of a committed staff, student achievement at Freedomexponentially improved vaulting the school to ‘A’ status and the school continues to be a flagship site in OCPS. Harold also worked to ensure open access and equity to rigorous coursework for students. The number of students participating in such courses at Freedom increased over 300% during the 5 years while their performance also improved resulting in this success being covered by the New York Times.
Dr. Border was later appointed Executive Area Director for the School Transformation Office in 2013, then Area Superintendent for the Southwest Learning Community, where he managed 35 principals and opened two elementary schools. His tenure as Chief of High Schools saw OCPS achieve its highest graduation rates to date.
Harold has served on several boards including Junior Achievement of Central Florida, the Central Florida Boy Scouts Council as the Vice President for Learning for Life, and the Tangelo Park Program while overseeing Tangelo Park Elementary. Harold also currently serves on the Orange County Citizens’ Commission for Children. Harold was also one of 15 senior executive leaders from across the nation selected to attend the inaugural cohort of the Fellowship for Public Education at the Yale School of Management and was recently recognized by the Aspen Society for his work as a champion for school climate as well as the American Heart Association for his work relative CPR and ECGs amongst high school students.
Dr. Border’s wife Janice has been an Exceptional Education teacher in OCPS for 23 years and is now an Elementary School Staffing Specialist. They have three children, Kristina, Anneliz and Mason, who are and will be graduates of OCPS.
